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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Hawkmoon who wrote (8548)	1/9/2006 1:43:39 PM
From: Dale Baker	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 541274

Two interesting things in that report - they conclude that drug users are more likely to commit crimes without weighing the equal statistical possibility that people inclined to crime in general are also the types who will use drugs, because drugs are part of the same illegal culture they thrive in. Second, here is the price we pay for keeping the drug trade illegal: Drugs Generate Violent Crime Trafficking in illicit drugs tends to be associated with the commission of violent crimes. Reasons for the relationship between drug trafficking and violence include the following: * Competition for drug markets and customers. * Disputes and rip-offs among individuals involved in the illegal drug market. * The tendency toward violence of individuals who participate in drug trafficking. In addition, locations in which street drug markets proliferate tend to be disadvantaged economically and socially; legal and social controls against violence in such areas tend to be ineffective. The proliferation of lethal weapons in recent years has also made drug violence more deadly. Table 4. Drug-related homicides, 1991–1998 Year Number of homicides Percentage drug-related* 1991 21,676 6.2% 1992 22,716 5.7 1993 23,180 5.5 1994 22,084 5.6 1995 20,232 5.0 1996 15,848 4.9 1997 15,289 5.1 1998 14,088 4.8 * Drug-related homicides are those murders that occurred specifically during a narcotics felony, such as drug trafficking or manufacturing. Source: Table constructed by ONDCP Drug Policy Information Clearinghouse staff from the FBI's Crime in the United States: Uniform Crime Reports, 1991–1998. Although the number of drug-related homicides has been decreasing in recent years, drugs still remain one of the main factors leading to the total number of all homicides (see Table 4). According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI's) Crime in the United States: Uniform Crime Reports, the number of homicides that occurred in 1994 during a narcotic drug law violation (such as drug trafficking or possession) or because of brawls influenced by narcotics totaled 1,450, whereas in 1998 this number was reduced to 795. Despite this decrease, murders related to narcotics still rank as the fourth most documented murder circumstance out of 24 possible categories.

To: Hawkmoon who wrote (8548)	1/9/2006 3:00:28 PM
From: Geoff Altman	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 541274

"However, the more highly addictive drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, PCP..etc, should never be legalized. Those are drugs that create a tremendous physical, as well as psychological, dependency." These drugs are being abused no matter if they're legal or not. The pros of lifting prohibition and regulating drugs would be numerous: 1. Addicts having readily available access to treatment. 2. Virtually killing the black market and a vast majority of the collateral crime that goes along with it. 3. Regulation would go hand in hand with taxation that could fund drug rehabilitation programs. 4. Having truly accurate data on drug usage in this country. 5. Stabilization of the drug producing countries. 6. Savings of 30 billion a year immediate upon cessation of the war on drugs. Part of that could be redirected towards drug abuse education starting at the lowest possible level in schools. 7. Free up untold number of police hours wasted on drug offense arrests. 8. Removing a ready source of police corruption. 9. Getting drugs out of our schools. I could go on ad nauseam........

To: Hawkmoon who wrote (8548)	1/9/2006 11:19:52 PM
From: KLP	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 541274

Thanks...Interesting article, AND the charts are as well. I agree on the Marijuana issue....If people want to be stoned, and useless, their choice. Until it becomes the job of society to pick up after them. As I've said before, usually, unless someone is addicted to the stuff, they just are stupid until the drug gets out of their system. People keep talking about the harder drugs, and drug distributors, etc. It is talked about as if just legalizing drugs in general, will make those drug gangsters just "go away." What these people never discuss is what homemade drugs, like LSD, and "Meth" do to a person, what crimes are committed under these influences, how readily nearly everyone can make the stuff, (evidently from recipes over the internet), and the cost to society....both in human life, and in the physical cost of rehabing the person, or prison if they commit crimes while under the influence.