West Coast Liberals

[The Doctor]

And just by whom are these violent crimes being committed? Usually by someone who is high or in the pursuit of being high. This is not rocket science. Drugs are @#$%ing this country up and wasting swaths of human beings.

No one is suggesting that it is rocket science that I can think of. Myself, I would remove the federal laws altogether, but this necessitates ( and I can't stress that point enough) that state and local jurisdictions use their own discretion in those matters. Meaning, we can't just do nothing. Still on the other hand, could we just revisit the laws to the effect that we go after the violence against other people, and place less emphasis on the drugs themselves?
Our prison populations are filled with drug offenses, and violent crimes are not able to be prosecuted as fully as they could .

[wallynut]

Illegal drugs are a Cancer on our
society and we should not sympathize with drug users or dealers.

Just my opinion

[The Doctor]

Illegal drugs are a Cancer on our
society and we should not sympathize with drug users or dealers.

Just my opinion

So is teaching them that alcohol is okay. It's a choice, but when we don't enforce DUI and DWI by stronger enforcement during the inevitable progression (they keep driving in spite of losing their license), we send the wrong message about its effects on the society at large. Instead, we sympathize with them. If they kill someone as a result of dui, they ought to be given a full measure of sentencing, not probation.
Violent crimes demand justice, but drug possession just doesn't measure up in light of the societal condoning of alcohol. To then demand that people only use those drugs which the society condones (such as alcohol) is rather selfish. It ought to be left to the states which behaviors they would like to regulate, not a federal issue, IMO.

[whec720]

Illegal drugs are a Cancer on our
society and we should not sympathize with drug users or dealers.

Just my opinion

Agree with you somewhat there, wally. Drugs are a cancer, no doubt about it. However, addiction is a strong mechanism that can strike anyone, if you let it in to your soul. I'm not saying that everyone that abuses drugs is an addict, but the majority that do are, whether they realize it or not. That goes for the "weed" as well. Drug abuse is a sad state of affairs and people who practice in it, deserve some pity.
I'll agree with doc on one thing. Maybe it is best for the local governments to decide the punishments for drug crimes. Then again, if that happened, how would a city like San Francisco handle such legal matters?

[oloenneker]

Illegal drugs are a Cancer on our
society and we should not sympathize with drug users or dealers.

Just my opinion

Nor should we sympathize with legal drug dealers. There are plenty.

According to studies (ones that I cannot cite right now) more Americans are addicted to prescription medication than all illegal drugs combined in total...


Big Pharma wants you to rely on medication, so they can turn big profits...


Restless leg syndrome anyone?

[The Doctor]

Nor should we sympathize with legal drug dealers. There are plenty.

And yet look up any of the Democratic candidates for POTUS. For that matter you can add to Arnold's buds the republican liberal from Arkansas. They are making a killing harping about socialized medicine and/or more aggressive health care --the most virulent form of sympathy for the legal drug dealers. As for the governator, I'm still not sure why he's considered a R, but I digress.

According to studies (ones that I cannot cite right now) more Americans are addicted to prescription medication than all illegal drugs combined in total...


Big Pharma wants you to rely on medication, so they can turn big profits...


Restless leg syndrome anyone?

Gawd, and the side effects take up 2/3 of the commercial.