The ‘war on drugs’ is a war on you

Michael Boldin
Online Journal
Tuesday, April 7, 2009

The drug war is based on a repugnant assertion that you do not have ownership over your own body; that you don’t have the right to decide what you’ll do with your body, with your property and with your life. The position of the drug warriors is that you should be in jail if you decide to do something with your body that they don’t approve of.

This is an abomination of everything that America is supposed to stand for. As long as this country continues the drug war, you are not free. At the root, then, those that force the drug war on you are enemies to your freedom.

If you are concerned at all about liberty, the economy, the Constitution and the power of the federal government, you cannot ignore the US government’s longest and most costly “war” — the War on Drugs.

But no matter how long it lasts, how much is costs, how many lives are disrupted, and how much it fails, the war rages on.

Why? Well, because federal “authorities” don’t care what your local laws are, they don’t care what your personal choices are, and they don’t care what reason you have for your choices.

All they care about is their own power. Period.

In this ongoing drug war, you are always treated as a suspect and your neighborhood is much less safe. You are searched at airports and your bank accounts are spied on. While drug users who are no physical threat to anyone but themselves are put in jail, the prisons become more and more overcrowded, resulting in the early release of violent criminals on a regular basis.

If you love your freedom and you want your city to be safer, this psychotic war on drugs must be ended — now.

Understandably, many Americans are afraid that ending the drug war will result in countless drug addicts, including children. In reality, though, that’s just what we have now!

On top of it, we generally don’t even consider the people who are addicted to federally-approved drugs to be drug addicts. According to a 2004 CDC report, almost one-half of Americans use at least one prescription drug. It should be obvious, then, that the drug war has done nothing to reduce Americans’ use of drugs - it’s simply to control which drugs people use, and who can make a profit from them.

So what’s really going to be different? Can our nation’s addiction to drug use get any worse? It’s doubtful that legalizing all drugs could make things any worse, but even if it does, then so be it.

People will always do plenty of things that are bad for them, and there’s no reason to put them in prison for it. Think about all the things that you do which are bad for your own health and well-being - should the government outlaw those too?

People eat too much fast food and they forget to floss every day. They watch too much TV and they don’t count their calories. They stay up too late and they spend too much. And, guess what else? People swallow, snort, shoot and smoke drugs that are both legal and illegal and it’s not going to stop. A free society just wouldn’t force you, under the threat of punishment, to be “good” to yourself all the time. That was the job of your parents, unless, of course, you want the feds to be your new “daddy.”

In all seriousness, though, if we are ever going to have a nation that respects the Bill of Rights, of which the Ninth and Tenth Amendments may be the most important, the DEA and the entire drug war must be eliminated.

If not, what’s going to be next? Orwellian telescreens in our homes and a state-mandated morning exercise routine? That would most assuredly keep the cost down on the coming national healthcare system.

Won’t that be nice?

Every day that the war on drugs continues is another day of injustice; another day of spending countless billions to lock people up that don’t behave the way the bureaucrats want them to behave.

It’s time to bring this multi-billion dollar attack on your liberty to an end.

I don't think it's all about what you do to your own body. I think it also has something to do with what you do to others when you're using.

If you're violent, if you steal, if you drive under the influence, then you are breaking law and endangering or doing harm to others and that's a whole different ball of wax. However, as humanity has shown, you don't need to be under the influence of anything to do things harmful to others.

Why is it a good idea to lock up nonviolent users with murders, rapists and their ilk?

You don't understand, Warmachine.

The point is, that we do not need to ban the violent acts of others, if we can just ban the conditions that we think cause such actions.

For example, instead of banning speeding (driving with a speed ofer the posted limit), we should ban female drivers and riders, because, as any male knows, having a female side by side, makes one step on it to advance a bit ahead of another male.

Instead of banning theft, we should just ban the poverty. Everyone knows that it is poverty that creates the situation of theft. Dang it, it is rather hard to ban poverty. How about banning the happiness and success instead. If we could successfully ban the chances that anyone will have a penny in his pocket, then there will be no theft, as there is nothing to steal.

those are separate issues that there are laws that cover them

using that same logic cars should be illegal because they are the leading cause of death in this country

to say you cant do something because of what it may lead to "predict" a crime to be

thus they are saying if you do a it will lead to b

to think that that is the case is ludachris

i have yet to see anyone on pot attack anyone else does it happen (i am sure it may) but very seldom

Adju,

They didn't say pot. They said drugs. Drugs includes more then pot.

Drugs destroy families and hurts society.

to become an addict..........is a choice.
to be a clean sober person...........is a choice

we are all faced with thousands of choices.

I would agree that the war on drugs is a big costly waste of time.

IF only because drugs are readily and easily available in the right circles.

is one addiction worse than another?? legal pain meds and benzos is better and less destructive than being a methhead???
or being a sex addict??

some personalities and lifestyles may be more susceptible to addictions.....but again choices.

rid the world of all evils.........I pray this WILL happen someday.

Addiction is not a choice.

really??

try putting that crack pipe up to your mouth the first time winx.
then tell me its not a choice.

From the drug cartels down south, a message:

"Please, keep you ban on drugs, you white idiots. This crisis is tough on everybody, our cartels and your politicians are not exception. Thanks for your support."

Getting high is a choice. Becoming an addict is not a choice.

correct....addiction activates and TURNS ON certain receptors in the brain. that will never ever again be completly turned OFF. although the level of addicion might vary...i believe meth is one fo the worst ones. it completly rewires your brain.

but again....the person KNEW the danger and proceded anyway.


I would only cry crocidle tears for an addict.
2 sayings come to mind............

once an addict always an addict.
the child will pay for the sins of their father

of course I also think they should be locked down. and yes with rapists and murderers. as they are from the same ilk. and shouldnt be allowed to walk the streets.

BUT i guess alcohol is pretty bad and destructive also..
so I do see the hypocrisy.
although alcohol is only a crime if your DUI or PI

By arguing the addictiveness, we forgo your right to make your own judgments.

Because, the argument essentially goes: If you can prove this or that about drugs, then you will win the ban, since my right do not matter anyway.

It does not matter what evils are there in drugs. The main reason they shall all be legal, is that I have a god given right to do anything I want to myself. All the society can rightfully do, is punish the consequences of my actions that do in fact hurt someone else.

Drugs includes pot

and a lot of those deaths that take place in an automobile also destroy families (not to mention those maimed as well) and way outnumber those effected by drugs

thus automobiles should be illegal using that logic

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1889021,00.html


http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/04/why-marijuana-legalization-is-gaining.html

you can't compare driving a car to drug use - drug use is mind altering and more often than not, will lead to crime. absolutely nothing good comes from drug use, it's a form of suicide, and it destroys everyone around the user. what is sad is that someone makes the choice to do this to themselves and everyone else pays the price. be it legalized or not, prescribed presciption abuse, etc., there will always be people that need the escape and until they find a way to cope without drugs, we, as a society, need to try to at least try to make it difficult for it to continue. let the war rage on.

reread the posts

it was said drug use destroys families

automobile collisions destroy more families

thus using that logic automobiles should be illegal as well

and who is to say what anyone can do with themselves no ones business but their own

Who will pay for the rehabs when the addict has no insurance?