v****e
发帖数: 19471 | 1 【 以下文字转载自 Stock 讨论区 】
发信人: vankie (新浪微博@洛城王二), 信区: Stock
标 题: Ron Paul is the best
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Thu Jun 23 19:11:58 2011, 美东)
End Insanity Of The War on Drugs—Start With Decriminalizing Marijuana at Th
e Federal Level
Published: Tuesday, 20 Apr 2010 | 12:00 AM ET Text Size
Twitter LinkedInMore Share
Commentary & AnalysisRon Paul
U.S. Congressman (R-Texas)
Two-time Presidential Candidate
Physician, Obstetrics & Gynecology
In light of the recent drug-related violence in Mexico, it is appropriate to
reflect on how our current prohibition laws affect crime, law enforcement a
nd the economy.
Many will have the knee-jerk reaction of wanting to see more of a crackdown
on illegal drugs. But I have to ask: Haven't we been cracking down on drugs
for several decades only to see the black market flourish and the violence e
scalate? Could there be a more effective approach?
The illegality of drugs is, in fact, the Number One factor that keeps profit
s up for dealers and cartels, and ensures that organized crime dominates the
market.
Cocaine, for example, has about a 17,000-percent markup and sells for more t
han gold in some areas. This is nothing new or unique to drugs, but a predic
table outcome of prohibition.
During alcohol prohibition, Al Capone and others involved in organized crime
made fortunes taking advantage of the dangerous and lucrative underground m
arket the laws had created. Every time law enforcement makes another bust, p
rofits rise for the remaining suppliers. These types of economic forces are
insurmountable for law enforcement, but make for very good business for deal
ers and cartels.
"The illegality of drugs is the number one factor that keeps profits up for
dealers and cartels, and ensures that organized crime dominates the market."
For the rest of us, however, it is a disaster. The war on drugs keeps our pr
isons full to bursting at great expense to taxpayers, but also at great dang
er to the public at large when the real criminals, the murderers, the rapist
s, the child molesters, are let out to make room for non-violent drug offend
ers.
We imprison more of our population per capita than Russia or China ever have
, and yet criminals like Philip Garrido (Jaycee Lee Dugard's kidnapper) are
out there able to rape and kidnap again and again. (It is interesting that i
n his case, a little marijuana caught the attention of law enforcement more
than repeated reports from neighbors of children in his backyard).
The War on Drugs skews the priorities of law enforcement to the detriment of
the public.
Repeal of alcohol prohibition certainly did organized crime no favors. So to
o today, if we wanted to pull the rug out from under violent drug cartels, c
reate legitimate job opportunities in place of the black market, realign the
priorities of law enforcement, and make room in prison for the people that
ought to be there, we need to end the insanity of the War on Drugs.
Decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level would be a start. | a*******d
发帖数: 75 | 2 Pretty much the only righteous man that is left.
Th
【在 v****e 的大作中提到】
: 【 以下文字转载自 Stock 讨论区 】
: 发信人: vankie (新浪微博@洛城王二), 信区: Stock
: 标 题: Ron Paul is the best
: 发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Thu Jun 23 19:11:58 2011, 美东)
: End Insanity Of The War on Drugs—Start With Decriminalizing Marijuana at Th
: e Federal Level
: Published: Tuesday, 20 Apr 2010 | 12:00 AM ET Text Size
: Twitter LinkedInMore Share
: Commentary & AnalysisRon Paul
: U.S. Congressman (R-Texas)
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