Your opinion on the War on Drugs

[ba1614]

It might be a reference to the United States, look to the statistics on prison population there. It's easy to find.

One in every 31 American adults, or 7.3 million Americans, are in prison, on parole or probation. Approximately one in every 18 men in the United States is behind bars or being monitored.

In recent decades the U.S. has experienced a surge in its prison population, quadrupling since 1980, partially as a result of mandated sentences that came about during the "war on drugs."

The United States has the highest documented per capita rate of incarceration of any country in the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Prisons

http://november.org/graphs/

http://november.org/graphs/FedbyOffense.gif

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Land of the free

None of those links support the assertion that the prisons are "filled with law abiding citizens whose crimes consist merely of possessing illegal narcotics for personal use", in America, (stats useless when discussing Canada), let alone Canada.

The majority of people involved in importing/exporting, manufacturing, and distribution of illegal narcotics are in fact criminals for the most part, and they are the ones locked up under the "Drugs" classification, not the average guy who consumes some.

[Guest TrueMetis]

So you admit they don't exist. I don't dispute the need.

There are facilities, just because there aren't enough doesn't mean they can't be built and that the ones that already exist can't be used. Even getting just a few help while more facilities are built is better than tossing them in jail to rot.

To a non existant facility.

Except for the ones that do exist.

Exactly, contrary to those who maintain that somehow they became that way out of choice. No one chooses to become an addict.

A position I never endorsed. You want to debate that deal with Mr.Canada.

Here's one

Interesting. Actually this is really good if they can find the genetic reasons for addiction they can make an even more effective treatment.

Edited December 15, 2009 by TrueMetis

[Wilber]

There are facilities, just because there aren't enough doesn't mean they can't be built and that the ones that already exist can't be used. Even getting just a few help while more facilities are built is better than tossing them in jail to rot.

Except for the ones that do exist.

I think you mean the one that exists. We've been closing hospitals, not building them. Then you have to find the staff to operate them. I don't think we disagree on the need, just on what is available or possible at the present time.

A position I never endorsed. You want to debate that deal with Mr.Canada.

You think it would do any good?

Interesting. Actually this is really good if they can find the genetic reasons for addiction they can make an even more effective treatment.

One would hope so.

[Guest TrueMetis]

I think you mean the one that exists. We've been closing hospitals, not building them. Then you have to find the staff to operate them. I don't think we disagree on the need, just on what is available or possible at the present time.

Alright then.

You think it would do any good?

No.

One would hope so.

Yep.

[erol]

: (

Edited March 3, 2010 by erol

[DrGreenthumb]

The protestations of "we don't have the medical facilities" is a total joke. Typical Conservative mindset, no money to build hospitals, but they'll damn sure find a way to build more prisons.

[Topaz]

This war of drugs by the Tories part of not really bright. One example is an 18 year old was asked by a uncover police if he could get him some ex (date rape drug). The kid went handed over ONE pill and he's in jail for 10+ years and when he gets out he have a record and probably won't find a job and then goes on welfare. I listened to the committee in the senate on this and that is one example why the Libs took their time with this bill. The doctors were saying this is NOT a LEGAL issue its a HEALTH issue. The prisons they would go to don't have enough help to deal with the health issues and its the provinces that will flip the bill on the increase of prisoners.

[Mr.Canada]

I think you mean the one that exists. We've been closing hospitals, not building them. Then you have to find the staff to operate them. I don't think we disagree on the need, just on what is available or possible at the present time.

Which hospitals have been closed without a replacement?

[DrGreenthumb]

This war of drugs by the Tories part of not really bright. One example is an 18 year old was asked by a uncover police if he could get him some ex (date rape drug). The kid went handed over ONE pill and he's in jail for 10+ years and when he gets out he have a record and probably won't find a job and then goes on welfare. I listened to the committee in the senate on this and that is one example why the Libs took their time with this bill. The doctors were saying this is NOT a LEGAL issue its a HEALTH issue. The prisons they would go to don't have enough help to deal with the health issues and its the provinces that will flip the bill on the increase of prisoners.

If by EX, you mean Ecstacy, it is not "the date rape" drug, that would be rophynol. E,X, or MDMA, commonly known as extasy, is not the date rape drug. It's probably the next most commonly used recreational drug in Canada after cannabis, and cocaine.

[Wild Bill]

Which hospitals have been closed without a replacement?

Take a look down Niagara way...

[Wild Bill]

Winning the "war on drugs" is a futile impossibility, on a par with Prohibition during the 1920's.The problem for any government is that millions of citizens WANT to do drugs! Or at least, accept that others do. They don't feel that the laws and the government are doing the right thing so they vote with their feet.

The logistics of trying to bust a significant number of citizens and incarcerate them doesn't serve as a message that the law should be respected. Rather, it affects just enough citizens to be an aggravation to the populace as a whole. The message is that the Law and the government behind it is a bully!

It boils down to the human instinct to feel the right to go to Hell your own way! Some folks will cheerfully do anything some authority figure tells them and others will always question that authority figure's competence and right to tell them what to do.

The Tories had better soft pedal this one. If they come down too hard it WILL cost them a LOT of votes in the East! Given the demographics of the voters in every province it's obvious that they can't afford it.