The "War" on Drugs

[gekko]

Originally Posted by Professor S

Unfortunately, history does not agree with you. When prohibition began, organized crime skyrocketed along with the black market for illegal alcohol. It was so prevalent that it affects our culture today. Stock car racing (NASCAR) was created by RUMRUNNERS who used to try and outrun the law to get moonshine up north.

When alcohol was decriminalized, all crime related to it disintegrated and added costs of distribution were adopted by those in the trade, and in fact the taxes on alcohol have been a huge boost state funding.

That's not exactly the same. Alcohol was being produced in America, was made illegal, and then legal again. The main difference was it was being produced here. Some of it still is. Others are made by legitimate corporations in foreign countries, like the wonderful Laphroaig Distillery in Scotland.

I'm sorry, but cocaine is not being distributed around the world by law-abiding corporations, and we don't have any inside the United States which can suddenly sell legally to its citizens. You think they'll just suddenly stop sneaking it into the US and spend some extra money creating fancy packaging to sell it at Wal-Mart and then suddenly pay all the additional fees from the tarifs? I think you're nuts.

[Professor S]

Originally Posted by gekko

That's not exactly the same. Alcohol was being produced in America, was made illegal, and then legal again. The main difference was it was being produced here. Some of it still is. Others are made by legitimate corporations in foreign countries, like the wonderful Laphroaig Distillery in Scotland.

I'm sorry, but cocaine is not being distributed around the world by law-abiding corporations, and we don't have any inside the United States which can suddenly sell legally to its citizens. You think they'll just suddenly stop sneaking it into the US and spend some extra money creating fancy packaging to sell it at Wal-Mart and then suddenly pay all the additional fees from the tarifs? I think you're nuts.

With all due espect, history still doesn't agree with your assertions. Jack Kennedy Sr. became rich smuggling booze in to the US from all over Europe. Most southern moonshine went to Chicago and then distributed west, but the North Eastern megalopolis was fed by Europe.

Now are there still moonshiners up in the hills? Sure, but not many and they don't produce anything worth considering. When black markets are made legal, the black markets for the same product basically disappear. You can make that case for anything from booze to abortion. Its just the power of free markets and choice.

Here is an example that is related to your argument: Will the cocaine farmers in other nations still want to sell their product illegally? Yes, but they aren't taking the risk. Its the distributors/dealers stateside who will demand the above board product because they will reduce their risk of being arrested and jailed from everything ranging from racketeering to tax evasion. They will accept a reduced profit potential for a greatly reduced risk, just like it happened with foreign alcohol after prohibition.

BTW, I'm not saying drugs should be legal. I'm saying that historically the case you're making doesn't hold up, thats all. I'm personally conflicted on the issue of any drugs beyone weed being legaized, and it should be, but hard drugs and halucinogens (which all have lifetime affects and an easily harm others around the user) are a far more difficult matter.

Whats not difficult to decide is whether or not our current efforts have succeeded or failed. Walk on any college campus and you'll see how great a failure our war on drugs has been. What to do about that failure is a more difficult question.