Drug Prohibition a Failure

[TheJedimaster6788]

I love when you talk to a person about drugs and they say after all proof, facts and you talking to them, "well, it must be bad cause it's illegal right?" .....

*double facepalm*

[jenn1ifer]

drug use is not acceptable, and should NOT be legal. that is a JOKE!

[TheJedimaster6788]

Based on?

[patmathis]

LEAP, you almost restore my faith in law enforcement.

Its almost strange to go to a foreign nation were the police aren't merely agents of fear.

There is something very wrong when law biding citizens (such as myself) are more afraid of the police than criminals.

[blayzemaryjane]

the government is insane.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

-Albert Einstein

[tivaandpain]

We the people of USA should be able to choose the safer alternative rather then alcohol if you are over 21 years of age! the voters need to vote for this. And it would end drug deals in dark alleys and alot of US citizens wouldnt turn to crack or other bullshit. And thats the bottom line!

[dovadose]

the lesson is go out and enjoy urself there may only be 1 life so get the most out of it advice 4 u try it 1 time try tht 1 spliff try tht 1 pill and tel me it doesnt feel beter then alcohol

rule1. dont depend on drugs

rule2. if u take pills or mdma take your time dont do loads all the time savor it

rule3. dont smoke weed all the time tht shit sends you crazy

[bamboo4tameshigiri]

"rule3. dont smoke weed all the time tht shit sends you crazy"

I dare you to prove that.

[hitter222]

weed grows out the ground, tobacco grows out of the ground, weed is less harmful and less addictive- the only addiction is mental- thinking you need weed to do something ie- writing, music, the arts, school

[Nathangelo4444]

I agree 100%

However I honestly don't believe drugs will EVER be decriminalized unfortunately. The U.S. Government is too hard headed to admit they made a mistake by making drugs illegal.

What does everybody else think. Maybe I'm wrong.

[EliteMaggot]

All I have to say is those hard headed bastards can't live forever! Lies will die! Long live the truth

[69salford69]

@Nathangelo4444

If a society is intelligent, with people who are capable of free-thinking and making informed decisions, that society is powerful.

The people WILL ACT if they need to.

The Government are making us "dumb", slowly brainwashing us with FEAR and LIES day-by-day, while they sneak around waging Wars in Iraq in the name of Freedom.

Prohibition is a SUCCESS for Government and a failure for the people.

[DumpyWaste]

It's easy to end the drug war. I can tell you how in two words: RON PAUL

[420domo420]

also alot wotn sell 2 u unless they no ur "cool" (not liek cool kid but io meen cool with ppls mokin)

[420domo420]

ok all thsi talk about dealers i hear, dealers rnt rly a problem its just the huge drug lords who kill ppl and its not liek random eaither drug dealers dotn push on kids bcuz alot of them r kids

[DrOrgasmo1]

The reason drugs aren't legal and taxed is simple the money the government pharmacuticle, alchohol, cigerette companies (and clothes, oil, metal, plastic, food companies if you consider hemp)are making from drugs staying illegal is much more than the money they would make on taxing drugs.

[mlang52]

The government makes the taxes. Whereas, private individuals and politicians make it with the above businesses. That is under the influence of their lobbying groups, is it not?

[DrOrgasmo1]

Should've worded that better the government does not make more money from drugs being illegal individuals within the government do.

[mlang52]

You got that right!

[outgrowbigbro]

Right on Becker!

We have o fight to get this question to the table.

Why is that?

Cannabis prohibition certainly isn't our worst problem right now, but surely it ranks among the top ten, ehh?

Stay in touch and we will help push the envelope.

PEACE

Outgrow Big Bro

strategically stickin it to the man

[shaggynuts24]

it has nothing to do with liberal, right, or left, it is all about common sense and truth. No one is advocating legalizing heroin - only regulating and taxing an herb that is less toxic than other substances that are readily available in any small time convenience store.

[mlang52]

I don't know if they legalized "heroin" (form of morphine) or not in Switzerland. But the report was, that after they changed their approach, the increase in number of new heroin addicts was down 80% or more! Illegal drugs cannot be controlled by legal regulation. For now, we are leaving it in the hands of the drug dealers. They kill 12 year old kids, by selling them lethal doses of "cheese" (formula of heroin and cold medicine ).

[Drattus]

Legalized, no. Got permission from the UN to run a test program which to the addicts concerned has the same effect as broader legalization would, yes.

The number of new addicts has decreased especially among the young, I don't think that much but it is falling. Lancet Medical Journal studied it, web search might find the report. Results were pretty positive.

[mlang52]

I read that 80% decrease in a report. But who knows who wrote the report! Heroin should not be illegal, in the first place. It is pain medicine, clear and simple! And it is much weaker than Fentanyl!

[Drattus]

Actually you were close to right. Not quite 80% but close to it. From the Lancet report, program started in the early to mid 90's...

"Incidence of heroin use rose steeply, starting with about 80 people in 1975, culminating in 1990 with 850 new users, and declining substantially to about 150 users in 2002."

Population of problematic heroin users declined by 4% a year.

[Drattus]

So that's actually slightly better than 80%, I had been thinking in terms of the drop in current users rather than reduction in new ones I guess. That's dropping too as noted above but not as sharply.

[mlang52]

I accidentally hit the thumbs down! Thanks for the input. I still think it would be better than putting people in jail for all this crazyness. It is just like the other wars. It is driven a lot by fear of the unknown! The problem is, no matter how it is changed, there will still be people dying from drug abuse. The thing is, it (death rate) would not, neccesarily, be as high. Especially, where the purity of the drug consumed was known.

[sagit1120]

I wish all the candidates would be honest and speak up, tell us their stance instead of being cowards.

[stv]

Wee the freed!

[kayleeusa]

When I was in 3rd or 4th grade, I asked my teacher, "Why do we have to study history?" She replied, "So we don't make the same mistakes." If that is true, why do we keep using prohibition? Alcohol prohibition was nowhere near the first. At one time coffee was banned in Russia and you could be beheaded for using it. But just like all the other prohibitions, it failed. Drug prohibition, marijuana prohibition, it's all the same - it will never work and history teaches us that.

[cpeepers]

I just wanted to point out that the comments on here are all well-written, properly punctuated, and respectful (except for those few prohibitionists). In my experience, marijuana-users are some of the more intelligent and community-minded individuals out there. Except for those I knew in high school. Which is why children should NOT smoke (anything). In a legal market, it would be no more available than cigarettes to minors. Keep on keeping on everyone! Thanks Dean!

[cpeepers]

Great video!

[brmz123]

Repeal Prohibition before Prohibition Repeals You!!

[radicalGOD]

VERY WELL SAID....we need voices like yours

[serialsmoka419]

thats what Im talking about!!

[potuslover]

Very well made and makes much sense!

[ajsholdings]

Agreed.

[backbeat1954]

what you mean is, is it not time to tax, tax and get lots of money in from using adults?

[PhilLesh69]

I think that is only one aspect of what he is saying.

Why should people be criminalized for doing something no more (in marijuana's case, LESS) harmful than drinking alcohol? Why should our tax dollars be spent doing so?

There's so many reasons why drug prohibition is wrong, and very few reasons why it is right. If the prospect of a new tax channel is what can get the greedy to go for it, why not??

[forexyellow]

cause that would make too much sense lol

[georgiacracker13]

to think that ourselves we cant control something is to see ourselves as incompetent to not be incompetent we have to strictly define our moral system learn to judge accordingly and be stern on those that clearly have improper judgement hence selling meth to first graders if the legal system would eradicate such morons and then not spend our precious tax money on feeding them it would probably be a better safer world

[FDeanBecker]

Wonderful to see such discourse in support of eternal damnation for any who would sell meth to 1st graders. Even more wonderful is the fact that it does not happen. Any such situation would be infinitely less likely to occur in a taxed, regulated and actually controlled marketplace.

GaCracker and Apox, do you think adults need such protections as well or should we decide for ourselves via discussions with our doctors what we shall put into our own bodies?

[ApoxOnU1]

Well sure decide what goes into your own body, well your at it decide if your going drive intoxicated Im mean its your body oh and make a decicion not to get addicted its your body your in control right, sure its your body and theres no negitive side effects to using drugs right? so get high shoot up because you have absolute control over your body and what you do with it. Bunch of hippies.

[cpeepers]

there are no negative side effects of marijuana. get educated, then open your mouth.

[420domo420]

jsut cuz u smoke dont meen ur gonna drive (wich i dotn think ppl should) and hippies rnt the onyl 1s who smoke

[ApoxOnU1]

Please explain your first sentance? Who supports eternal damnation for those selling meth to first graders? Anyway the point all you libs are trying to make is there should be no moral compass right were all adults we will all make wise decisions so heck with the law of the land. Everyone will use drugs responsible if its legal, oh and we will tax it, I thought libs thought money and corporations are evil (oh waits libs dont believe in good and evil its all just perspective)

[Geprodis]

this issue is above your head - moral compass? Please, be honest with yourself...you just don't like to see people having a good time..you want them all unhappy like yourself..am I right? Go spend more money on Ann Coulter's books with your "Lib" shit.

[shaggynuts24]

it is not an issue of moral compass. Amsterdam has a legal drug market. 12% of Amsterdam grade school kids says drugs are easy to get compared with 80+% of American grade school children where drugs are illegal.

drug dealers do not care who they sell drugs to -- they just want that money. on the other hand - legal business owners do care because they are more likely to get caught for selling items to minors.

[420domo420]

well drug dealers dont sell random ppl cuz then theyre gonna get caught

[mlang52]

Not all that believe this are libs. People who let drug dealers thrive make it easier for kids to buy the drugs. Dealers don't card, either! And they will push every product they have on the kids they can get close to! Alcohol and cigarettes are regulated and not sold to kids.

[ApoxOnU1]

what...? dont you libs know how to make a point in a couple sentances I dont know what your trying to say.

[mlang52]

Not surprising!

[ApoxOnU1]

well said its worked wonders in other countries let me know when that goes through so I can go into business selling meth to 1st graders I bet Id have a kickin customer base I mean what have we got to lose great question Im sure you would enjoy some of the product. lets do it or why dont we just mandate capital punishment to anyone caught pushing drugs and I mean 2 days after the trial.

[Globalpuppet]

Do you sell liquor to grade 1 students? Use a brain. American companies push drugs everyday.

[PhilLesh69]

Instead of trying to ruin our democratic nation with your fascist ideas, why not just move to a country that better suits your fundamentalist, extremist ideas. Singapore and Thailand appear to be made just for you.

[radicalGOD]

u would not have to sell drugs.....youd have another job

[anarchyclayman]

well said.

[jazzmanonline]

Thank you Dean!!!

The goverment is afraid to legalize pot because then we would start thinking about all the other crap they have been doing to us and protest. After all they want us working so that they can buy more bombs.

[rocknrollrod8u]

i have been smoking weed for 32 years all day every day, I went to court high, worked in a dangerous steel mill, painted church steeples, drove anything with wheels and never had an acident I couldn't drive away from. Go to work every day with a smile on my face. onward through the fog.

[PhilLesh69]

You forgot to add that you pay your taxes, probably support charities, do good things in your community and most likely do nothing negative in society.

Many "law abiding" people feel much better demonizing you while they embezzle money, bribe public officials to get contracts, or whatever else the amoral and immoral people do. Unfortunately, they're the ones with all the power.

[nicogum]

I'd just like to be able to smoke a little marijuana cigarette whilst watching a movie on TV with my friends, or working on my writing, or drawing a picture, without the fear of having my door kicked in by police, and my life being destroyed for doing nothing to anyone but myself.

Land of the free? Since when?

[DevBlazed]

I hope we start treating addicts like sick people, rather then criminals.

No more or less accepted or criminalized then alcohol or prescription pills.

[fxandinsanity]

I certainly hope this question is chosen for the debate. It's about time that our elected officials were made to address this issue.

[sagit1120]

Thank you Mr. Becker! It is time.....time to save our children from the dealers who want to see our children addicted to anything that puts money in there pockets. As much as I hate government control, this is one area that their control would benefit everyone, tax money, safer streets, and fewer children "tricked" into trying drugs of any kind.

[waldojj]

This is so true - the drug war is a failure causing more harm than good. Unfortunately the government is highly vested in this failed interest. We must challenge it at every opportunity.

Please ask the candidates this question.

[jesseter]

Way to put the failure of prohibition in perspective! Facts&stats speak just as loudly as words here. I hope they choose your question!

[tweakinreaper]

this is a big question to the americans that know about it and those who know ALL the facts support the way you put it......just remind them of the alcohol prohibition....the gang bangers made LOTS of money during this time as the drug deals of today are hand over fist none the less

thank you for the high quality video(with facts)!

[ohamkrw]

Good question, Dean. (You sure can pack a lot into 30 seconds.) The atrocities in this war on drugs occur when suffering patients are locked up for medical marijuana use (esp. disabled American veterns), and when death and disease are allowed to spread by failure to implement needle exchanges.

Ken Wolski, RN, MPA

[jerryep138]

Dean, you got it - prohibition does so much more harm than good - thanks

jeryep138

[TarotFate]

Dean, Ron Paul is your man.

ronpaul2008 (dot) com

[FDeanBecker]

Thanks TarotFate,

It is my hope to make the other candidates say something, anything about the drug war. It is an issue whose time has come.

Thanks for your post, Dean Becker

[TarotFate]

I very much hope they choose your question. Thanks for posting.

[PhilLesh69]

But, unfortunately, so many generations have grown up with these laws that it just seems natural and unquestionable. Nobody understands the reasons behind prohibition, and they just take it all for granted that it must be a good thing.