Reply #2: I was about to start

[Mythsaje]

another thread about the Drug War myself. I signed in and here THIS was.

I wish I could say that I'm surprised how little attention the Drug War gets from most progressives. Besides the fact that it's allowed great chunks of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights to be gnawed away, the Drug War is inherently racist in its inception and current application.

And this should come as no surprise to any progressive. Yet most of them seem quite content not to challenge the general assumption that there NEEDS to be a War on Drugs.

Not that it's accomplishing anything. Drugs are AT LEAST as readily available now as they were when the Drug War began. And what's worse is that more dangerous drugs are far more common than they were back then.

The profit margins for those willing to delve into the black market are so high that anyone with an eye for a quick buck and fewer scruples than the current administration can make a lot of money in a short time.

Opposing the Drug War as it stands is NOT being "soft on crime." It's about trying to control crime by taking away the economic impetus for drug manufacture and distribution. Legalization and regulation of cannabis, in particular, will change the street dynamic beyond recognition. If cannabis is legally available to adults, it removes any necessity for those who indulge to deal with street dealers at all, and reduces exposure to deadlier and more addictive substances.

Eliminating the black market in cannabis would allow more resources to be spent on enforcement on harder and more dangerous drugs.

The war on cannabis, and the drug war propaganda, is financed in great part by alcohol companies (Coors, anyone?) and the pharmaceutical companies. If that doesn't make you stop and say...'what the hell?' then you're not paying attention.