When I was living in Pike County, it was told to me by a court officer that as many as 70 percent of their DUI cases had no alcohol involved, and were overwhelmingly prescription pill-related.

 

Wow, I would have guessed much lower that's very strange and somewhat shocking.

The thing about alcohol vs weed is that you can drink enough alcohol to kill yourself. You can't OD on marijuana.

 

But you can kill others stoned just as easily as you can driving drunk.

But you can kill others stoned just as easily as you can driving drunk.

 

You can also kill others sober.

 

You can kill others texting, or on your cell phone as well.

You can also kill others sober.

 

You can kill others texting, or on your cell phone as well.

 

And soon enough, that will probably be illegal too (I believe it is already in some jurisdictions).

There was a really cool Heads vs. Feds debate last night here at UK.

 

It was a lead editor from "High Times" Magazine and a former DEA agent from New York City.

 

The DEA guy had a lot more facts, but the pot-smoking editor really seemed to win over the crowd.

I can't but that wasn't my point about your post I should have bolded.:thumb: I was trying to point out that legalizing Pot isn't even in the same world as selling aborted fetus's or your other example. My question to you is if you feel so strongly on Pot what are your feelings on Alcohol? Because Alcohol is worse than Pot, and that is fact.

 

Against it.

Against it.

 

I understand you're against the use of alcohol.

 

Do you feel that alcohol should be made illegal?

I understand you're against the use of alcohol.

 

Do you feel that alcohol should be made illegal?

 

I wouldn't oppose it if it came to a vote.

There is an interesting article in the Economist this week that seems apropos here.

 

How to stop the drug wars

There is an interesting article in the Economist this week that seems apropos here.

 

How to stop the drug wars

 

Excellent article. Thanks. :thumb:

There is an interesting article in the Economist this week that seems apropos here.

 

How to stop the drug wars

 

It is a very interesting article. The difficulty compared to alcohol/tobacco is can you price drugs cheap enough to end the black market/gangsterism and at the same time, not make them too cheap so you do not foster more usage. Like the article said, it would seem a much easier sell in the producer states vs. the consumer states (but it is needed in both places for it to work). The big question is are we okay with a marginal increase in usage for added control/management of the product. Are we also confident that the added dollars generated and spent on education and treatment of addiction would ultimately lead to a decrease in usage down the road(I am much more skeptical of this statement as people know the risk and there is plenty of information on the dangers of drugs out there today). I would also say that if possession and usage are going to be decriminalized, then offenses comitted while under the influence or due to usage (robbery/burglary, assault, vehicular homicide, etc.) would need to severely stiffen.

 

The other thing about narcotics that is different from alcohol is that each person is effected differently by some of the harsher narcotics (cocaine, heroin, etc.) where even a small dose can kill one person and barely be effective in another. Alcohol, while it can kill you in large quantities, is pretty uniform in its effect with some variance by weight, but a shot of alcohol/12oz beer/5oz glass of wine is not going to kill anyone.

 

Another question. What are these gangsters going to do now that a portion of their "action" has been usurped. I think the article is flawed in that aspect. I do not think that it will reduce gangsterism in the producer states, these people will find something else to do. It is not like all of a sudden these types are going to become productive members of society and get 9 to 5 jobs...

 

Another question. What are these gangsters going to do now that a portion of their "action" has been usurped. I think the article is flawed in that aspect. I do not think that it will reduce gangsterism in the producer states, these people will find something else to do. It is not like all of a sudden these types are going to become productive members of society and get 9 to 5 jobs...

 

Maybe, maybe not. For most gangster-types, the allure of selling isn't doing something illegal. It is making lots of money fairly easily and quickly. If the quick, easy money is no longer available, many will probably find some other racket. But what? I can't really think of any other racket so lucrative. I don't think there is any other racket with as hefty an ROI, so I think simple economics would force many to play it straight. At the worst, they'd be undercut and left scrambling.

 

Like the article said, there are obvious uncertainties in a legalization scenario, but it still can't hurt to try. We waste far too much money fighting a pointless, losing battle the way it is now.

Maybe, maybe not. For most gangster-types, the allure of selling isn't doing something illegal. It is making lots of money fairly easily and quickly. If the quick, easy money is no longer available, many will probably find some other racket. But what? I can't really think of any other racket so lucrative. I don't think there is any other racket with as hefty an ROI, so I think simple economics would force many to play it straight. At the worst, they'd be undercut and left scrambling.

 

Like the article said, there are obvious uncertainties in a legalization scenario, but it still can't hurt to try. We waste far too much money fighting a pointless, losing battle the way it is now.

 

The alternatives for the gangsters IMO are more outright crime (theft/robbery/burglary) where the ROI is near 100%. Probably also an increase in their pursuit of illegal gambling. I highly doubt many of them "playing it straight" especially considering as you aptly pointed out having had the taste of "quick, easy money" I doubt they change those ways.

 

As a corollary, the recent increase in criminal activity in Fort Thomas... With money tight right now, the criminals are taking greater chances, with daylight/break the front door down break-ins, to accomplish the same goal.

I wouldn't oppose it if it came to a vote.

 

Going through another prohibition of alcohol would be another HUGE mistake for this country. We already screwed up there once...why do it again?

Against it.

 

Fair enough.