Actually, drugs have rarely been illegal, historically, including cocaine in the United States. Aside from that factual comment on your post, though, can I ask you why you think any interdiction would be any more effective than the one we have? We have spent billions and billions of dollars on it. If we close the borders, the dealers buy more sophisticated jets, for example. Maybe they will buy surplus submarines!! The international dealers are so wealthy, and so vicious, that whatever defense we mount, they will surmount. But let's be clear--they push dope here because our citizens create a demand that they supply. It is simply marketing.
The difference between alcohol and other drugs is that alcohol has a significant death rate for victims of automobile accidents and crimes (a huge proportion of which are created while people are using alcohol). Actually, between the two drugs, marijuana is probably overall less dangerous. It causes introspection, and it is almost impossible to lie when you are stoned on it. That's very good for maintaining close intimate relationships. And now, at least in California, it is available to anyone whose doctor prescribes it for arthritis, glaucoma, AIDS, cancer and a host of other diseases. So it has proven value in increasing appetite, lessening the psychic pain of serious illnesses, etc. I am not advocating marijuana for teenagers--I think it is really damaging to the still developing brain, and can be the catalyst for more serious addictions. I just don't think we need to put people in prison for it, or get overly excited about the issue.
The reason your child might become exposed to drugs is usually because their friends are selling them, starting usually in junior high school. This happens in the professional classes just like in the ghettos. The idea that I was kicking around for decriminalization would include distributing drugs using a medical model. I can pretty much guarantee this is not appealing to children who are experimenting and rebelling. It is pretty normal for even very nice, bright, college-bound kids to experiment a little with marijuana, however, once or twice.
Anyway, you presuppose that you could actually keep drugs out of America, which would have already been done if it were possible. We have already criminalized drug addiction in this country, and our prisons are overflowing. We incarcerate a higher percentage of our population than any other country. So your ideas have been given a chance, and don't seem to be working very well. |
