I've been watching a documentary on the History Channel about Prohibition in the US in the 1920's. It's amazing the parallels between the "War on Booze" then and the the "War on Drugs" now.

Without a doubt, the current drug smugglers studied in detail the methods and tactics of the Bootleggers back then. Plus they have improved on them to combat the vastly superior financing the DEA has now compared to the miserly financing the enforcement agencies had back in the 1920's. Has the money, man hours and efforts spent catching the end users and street level pedlars (i.e. the bottom level) really accomplished anything ?

The documentary stated that arrests for public drunkeness and drink driving actually increased during the time prohibition was in force. It also told how other violent crime increased because police efforts were diverted into catching drinkers rather than chasing "real crime".

As I said in another thread

"How much money could the US government save by slashing the budget of the DEA ?"

or as WinterKnight said in the same thread

"How about making them legal, but at the same time taxing them, at a rate that covers the state/federal costs for the troubles and health issues they cause. Also ban all advertising on them."

A couple of other quotes
1) As the daughter of one of the fiercest advocates of Prohibition said in the documentary

You can't legislate morality.

2)And as many philosophers have said in various ways

Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it

T.A.

Support too for medical marijuana in MA.

I heard in passing something about marijuana being legalized in Colorado. But when I payed closer attention later, I was very surprised to hear that it won the vote to be allowed for recreational use! This is amazing to me honestly, it's really a first in the US.

Thoughts?

Like.. whoa dude...

fer sher

seriously.. it is a start. And still illegal on the federal level.

maybe their police for will have time to go after some serious things now?

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Janice

I heard in passing something about marijuana being legalized in Colorado. But when I payed closer attention later, I was very surprised to hear that it won the vote to be allowed for recreational use! This is amazing to me honestly, it's really a first in the US.

Thoughts?

About bloody time. How long did it take them to realise prohibition doesn't work?

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Reality Internet Personality

I heard in passing something about marijuana being legalized in Colorado. But when I payed closer attention later, I was very surprised to hear that it won the vote to be allowed for recreational use! This is amazing to me honestly, it's really a first in the US.

Thoughts?

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#resist