Prohibition as a policy dos not work, never has, never will. I don't know if legalization for all drugs is the answer, but perhaps more tolerance in how we deal with the problems it generates.

The drug business is profit driven. The violence, the dangerous quality of drugs because of how they are made or cut, are all related to the money. You take away the monetary incentive, and you take away much of the 'crime'. Of course, you could always place a government tax on consumption. Then you will have all the funds needed for rehabilitation programs. Very likely, due to the appetite in the U.S., you could make a sizeable dent in the deficit.

Prohibition supports unhealthy behavior. Abuse is more rampant because the behavior is usually hidden, and the abuser usually attemps to use more of a substance in a shorter time to avoid being caught.

Too many violent criminals, murderers and rapists, are going through the revolving door or our prison system. THere's not anough room for them because of mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenders. If a drug offender was not a hardened criminal before they were incarcerated, they likely will be when they get out. Unable to get a decent job as a felon, and well trained by the hoods on the cell block, they should make a valuable contribution to our society.

I can't at all understand the logic people have that want the governemnt to raise their kids for them. If your kid is on drugs and you don't want them to be, do something about it. If you don't know they're on drugs, you're not involved enough in their lives. If you did a good job as a parent, they have the values necessary to make smart decisions. If they're older than ten, they LAUGH at the 'just say no' commercials.

The drug laws only increase the size of law enforcement, and the pain and suffering of recruited addicts, as they produce profits for the worst in society and great cost for the rest of us. Decriminalize.

Our drug laws do not prevent drug use, but instead greatly increase it. Pushers are called pushers for a reason. They work 24/7 to increase addiction all over the U. S. Decriminalize.

All of this was evident 25 years ago; now it is worse. We should decriminalize.

Better yet, take a genetic test to see if you will cost society more than your FAIR SHARE. There's a plan!

If that's the world you believe in, then there's a place for you...I think it's called Jonestown...

What an idiot! I'm sorry, I don't even get the reference.

FYI, not that you care, I was a child of the 60's and 70's and yes I did drugs. Everyone did, even the minister's son. So what! Do I still? No. Does it matter? No.

Let me correct myself, I do smoke cigarettes and drink beer so I guess I still do drugs. I just got to the point that the risk of jail wasn't worth it so I only do corporate sponsored, acceptable, revenue type drugs. I think that's the point here you imbecile.

When I talk to my kids about drugs, I'm not against them because they're drugs, I tell them that if you're caught, the consequences are severe and not worth it. I also take the time to explain what drugs are and why they have a place in society.

Unfortunately, it's people like you, who wish to regulate behavior, that are truly the biggest threats. Human behavior cannot be regulated! Time and time again we have seen that this just doesn't work. It only leads to criminal actions. Remember Al Capone and prohibition? How about prostitution? How about abortion? Consensual sex between adults? The moment you make it illegal, you only feed the underground, feed the criminals and gangs. How do you think all the gangs and organized crime makes their money? You never make it go away, you just make people pay dearly for getting caught. That's real useful!

As a corollary, I would suggest, from the my knowledge of my children's friends, that the more strict the parent, the less open with their kids about these things, the more the parents try to inflict a moral code, what ends up happening is that the kids are THE worst partiers and have the LEAST responsibility.

My kids tell me EVERYTHING, good bad and ugly, and we work it out. Do yours?

First off, getting busted for pot rarely ruins anyone's life.

I agree completely that decriminalizing or even legalizing pot would be an appropriate thing to do. There is no more harm in a hooter than a beer.

I'm not an advocate of legalizing other drugs but sometimes I wonder how much wind would be sucked from the sails/sales of gangs and other organized criminals if cocaine and meth were legalized. Quite a bit, I'd wager.

I've used many times, a number of substances, being a child of the 60s. Didn't prevent me from getting my education (post grad) or getting and keeping a good job.

Frankly, smoking cigarettes was more hindering to me than alcohol, pot or coke. I finally quit the cigarettes. The other substances never had a hold on me. Some times I'd participate when offered, some times I wouldn't. Sometimes I sold, sometimes I didn't. The addiction seems purely psychological from my perspective. Like any other recreation, from computer games to soduko, doing it compulsively, 24/7 can be a drag on your ambitions and responsibilities.

Funny how Old Cronkite finally came around to agreeing with Wm F Buckley and Rich Lowry.

http://www.burntorangereport.com/mt/archives/003842.html

L

You talk like a kid with a paper assh**e.

I bet you are a drug user and a part of the problem.

I stood and watched as the police cuffed
and hauled a man from his home. On a anonymous
tip that he had a meth lab in his garage.
The evidence produced to support this charge?
1) a 2lb bag of garden fertilizer. (the man gardened)

2) Some Hose off a old truck. ( His brother had left
when he used the garage to work on his truck)

3) Drano 1 small can ( His wife had used to make
a homemade furniture stripper. My mother and
Grandfather gave her mom the recipe for 10 years
ago)

4) a empty 5 gallon gas can.

In the eyes of the police this added up to a meth lab.
It cost the family 6000 dollars in legal fees
and mandatory drug and alcohol classes to assure
the lesson had been learned. His wife lost her
job at the local gas station because the owner
did not think his customers would be comfortable
with her working there.

I don't know how Cronkite votes but I can tell you that he came out against the Iraq War and to many on this blog, that essentially means he's a "traitor."

You can see this from GA's post above.