The War on Drugs, the viewpoint as a failure

[Ghosty]

Didn't know about Richard Branson's view and involvement, nor his son's film. Even though I don't do any drugs beyond occasional nicotine, I'd be interested in seeing this film. Good points:

http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_t3#/video/bestoftv/2012/12/07/exp-erin-richard-branson-wants-an-end-to-war-on-drugs.cnn

(For those who don't know, Branson started Virgin Airlines, V.Music, V.Galactic (civilian space plane/travel program), etc. and one of the richest men in the world.)

[Matty]

I'm with him 1oo%.

[longrider]

I also agree and his stance that it is health problem not a criminal problem is absolutely correct. Also, we tried Prohibition 80 years ago, didn't we learn anything back then???

[stubbicatt]

The so-called War on Drugs did do some things well. It gave greater power to the Federal Government, and diluted our 4th and 5th Amendment rights, not to mention going a great distance in militarizing the local police forces nationwide. The criminalization of the god given right to choose what goes into one's body has transformed human beings into criminals over the last several decades.

Also the War on Drugs has expended billions or even trillions of taxpayer dollars on housing domestic "criminals," killing producers in South and Central America, giving tools of murder and despotism to many in the governments of these countries, thus engendering leftist or insurgent opposition to those governments, and a deep and abiding enmity to our own "Constitutional democracy."

From a certain perspective, depending on what one touts as the goal, or goals, of the War on Drugs, it most certainly has been quite successful.

[Ghosty]

Although I agree with a lot of what he's saying, I still am a proponent of much even stronger southern border security for sure. Divert all the money we spend on incarerating non-violent marijuana enforcement and incarcertation, to keeping illegals and drugs coming across. For starters.

I think the current budget and resources for that is at a minimum, even if it seems outrageous to some.