Mexico dissolves its FBI and moves to legalize drugs

[Guest drv2fst]

The difference, my friend, is what those various things do to those who use them, to those immediately around them and to society itself.

It's been both my observation and the conclusion based on looking at the issue that there is a much larger "cost" to narcotics use and abuse than can be measured in dollars alone. They are often not easy to quantify but that doesn't negate that they exist.

Leaving any "moral" considerations out of it for the moment, in a sealed environment where absolutely no one else can be negatively impacted, I don't give a flying you-know-what about what anybody does to themselves. However, narcotics use very often (I believe usually) doesn't just impact only that one individual and since it does not, society has the right and I would submit, the duty and obligation to act.

True, but not relevant.

If someone on a long drive eats a bean burrito, everyone in the car suffers. But that does not mean that he does not have the right to eat the bean burrito. Likewise, people drive gas guzzling cars, we all suffer higher pollution and higher fuel prices. Still, it's legal to drive gas guzzling cars.

You can't justify banning something because it may cause harm to someone other than the user. If you believe that's a valid line of reasoning, I'll be glad to buy that SCAR back to clear your conscience.

[Guest drv2fst]

nah, You just put a nice icing on the cake. I seriously doubt that most folks who want drugs to remain criminal will never change their mind. Just like I doubt that most folks who want guns outlawed will ever change their mind. We all have opinions that we are pretty well set in. It takes a serious paradigm shift to change those and generally discussion is not the vehicle. Not implying that anyone is right or wrong with that statement, just that it is what it is.

I think it's odd for us as gun owners complain about the Nanny State and demand that liberals quit telling us how to live our lives. But on the subject of drugs are thankful that Nanny keeps those dirty drug users out of our neighborhood. I see that as a huge inconsistency. Do you want Nanny to tell us how to live or do you want freedom? Pick only one.

Edited August 3, 2012 by drv2fst

[sigmtnman]

I think it's odd for us as gun owners complain about the Nanny State and demand that liberals quit telling us how to live our lives. But on the subject of drugs are thankful that Nanny keeps those dirty drug users out of our neighborhood. I see that as a huge inconsistency. Do you want Nanny to tell us how to live or do you want freedom? Pick only one.

Oh, I agree with your statement 100% and have said as much throughout this thread. Or at least tried to express that. I was more implying that it takes a paradigm shift in ones thinking to see another persons viewpoint sometimes. While I may believe that I am correct in my view, I cannot decide for another person what is correct in their view.

[RobertNashville]

True, but not relevant.

If someone on a long drive eats a bean burrito, everyone in the car suffers. But that does not mean that he does not have the right to eat the bean burrito. Likewise, people drive gas guzzling cars, we all suffer higher pollution and higher fuel prices. Still, it's legal to drive gas guzzling cars.

You can't justify banning something because it may cause harm to someone other than the user. If you believe that's a valid line of reasoning, I'll be glad to buy that SCAR back to clear your conscience.

Except I think it is relevant so I guess we'll have to disagree.

The results of narcotics abuse are a bit different than eating a burrito or me driving my 15mpg SUV. Maybe it's happened somewhere but I don't think we have a lot of people assaulting people/breaking into homes, etc to steel their money or property they can concert to money to feed their burrito or SUV addiction.

Oh; and my conscious about my the SCARs is quite clear even though some friends of mine think the SCAR is evil because it looks mean (which is funny since it isn't even black).

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Except I think it is relevant so I guess we'll have to disagree.

The results of narcotics abuse are a bit different than eating a burrito or me driving my 15mpg SUV. Maybe it's happened somewhere but I don't think we have a lot of people assaulting people/breaking into homes, etc to steel their money or property they can concert to money to feed their burrito or SUV addiction.

Oh; and my conscious about my the SCARs is quite clear even though some friends of mine think the SCAR is evil because it looks mean (which is funny since it isn't even black).

It's still putting the cart before the horse.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RobertNashville]

It's still putting the cart before the horse.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Okay, as I've said before...let's make all drug use legal but the moment they harm another person with any sort of abuse/violence/property crime we lock them up forever...not probation...not a suspended sentence...not just a few years...forever (or at least for so long that by the time they get out they are too old and a frail to be a threat to anyone).

If the punishment is sever enough it might keep some from taking that road in the first place but if they do anyway then at least they only get to hurt others one time before they are gone for good.

Edited August 3, 2012 by RobertNashville

[DaveTN]

I seriously doubt that most folks who want drugs to remain criminal will never change their mind.

I can only speak for myself, but for me it would take an event that would contradict everything I have seen and experienced firsthand. Aren’t we all that way on all issues?

We all have opinions that we are pretty well set in. It takes a serious paradigm shift to change those and generally discussion is not the vehicle.

True, I hope you never experience an event or a sequence of events that are the cause of you changing your mind. Unless of course that event is something positive like you becoming involved in law enforcement, or working in the field of drug rehab.

You are spending the time to type out thoughtful responses, why would you waste your time doing that about any discussion if you don’t think anyone is getting anything from the discussion?

[DaveTN]

One final question. Do you feel drug laws have helped or hurt the perception of Police Officers in general society as well as their relationships with non officer folks?

I would love to have that conversation with you; but I can’t have it here.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Robert, I'm not advocating anything.

I don't think you could do something

like that all at once. Whatever would

happen would probably a gradual

relaxing/repealing of the current laws,

but society needs the willpower to make

those kinds of decisions.

It may not be workable. I'm only

considering what should have been

before all the crazy laws were passed.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk