Futility and the War on Drugs

Tom Woods briefly discusses the "war on drugs," drawing on the section in the new Woods book Rollback.

http://www.TomWoods.com/books/rollback

Category:

Education

Tags:

• war
• on
• drugs
• ron
• paul
• thomas
• tom
• woods
• rollback
• libertarian

[Littlewing1977]

@Littlewing1977 the headline is Banks Financing Mexico Gangs Admitted in Wells Fargo Deal

[Littlewing1977]

@TWSceptic why are there big dealers? because drugs are illegal it forces up the prices. just study prohibition of alcohol. If you really want to know why drugs were made illegal look into the banking cartel and the CIA, DEA, ATF. The banks launder the money for the drug cartels they support. do a google search for Wachovia, wells fargo caught laundering drug money. look for a bloomberg article

[TWSceptic]

Like I said, I do not see users as criminals, this makes sense to me. But big dealers are definitely criminals if you take into account the damage and destruction they cause to individuals and their environment. The government should be able to limit the damage these people cause to society.

[FoxeoVideos]

@TWSceptic Let's say I arrest this guy with a blunt of marijuana. Here's what happens:

I write up a report and arrest ticket. It is reviewed by superiors, forwarded to a bureau. The suspect is transported, gas is used. Several sally port clerks log him into jail. He gets free medical care, a bed, food, and additional amenities.

He then gets several days in court. There's a judge, prosecutor, defense attorney, court clerk(s), and several bailiffs. ALL paid for by your taxes.

[FoxeoVideos]

@TWSceptic Walmart would not sell hard drugs even if it were legal. Trust me.

Notice how many stores can sell ammunition but don't, for fear of lawsuits? That's a bad thing in the case of ammunition, but it would also affect drug sales. Narcotics would not be sold without a prescription because people would fear liability.

However, addicts with personal use quantities would not tie up the system. What happens if I arrest a person with a blunt?

CONTINUED in next comment

[TWSceptic]

@FoxeoVideos Yes but should we allow hard drugs to be sold in Walmart? I think there needs to be some policy regarding these substances, but users should be regarded as addicts, not criminals. I still believe we should find & arrest the big dealers since they are the source of the problem. 'War on drugs' is a fail but to go from that to 'no holds barred' is something I do not believe in.

[FoxeoVideos]

As a law enforcement officer, I can tell you that you're absolutely correct on what you're saying.

The "War on Drugs" is and always has been a complete failure. We are criminalizing personal use of substances, and we prop up and create a whole underground society of drug lords who make millions of dollars simply because drugs are illegal.

Remember the Al Capones? They came about because of Prohibition; when alcohol was illegal, they could make big bucks selling it illegally.

[muraliavarma]

I loled at "that is the dictionary definition of futility". You sir, have a very clear mind and is in the same wavelength as Ron Paul's views. And you articulate your sentences beautifully.

[Swallowchllorox]

@JRJigsawyer Two weeks ago, I was waiting on the bus after a doctor's appointment. I'm prescribed 150 Percocets every month and since the bus ride, my appointment, and the time I spent waiting on the bus took over 5 hours, I decided to take my 3rd dose for the day. A cop saw me take it and made a big deal about it. I mistakenly allowed him to search my purse - he found a spoon that I'd ONLY eaten with and he gave me a ticket for drug paraphernalia. I owe the court $450. It's bullshit.

[hootahsesh]

I think it's special that drug addiction is considered a disease by the medical community yet we lock people up for it. One may argue that no one forced them to take drugs so therefore they should be punished but, in a sense, it is equivalent to arresting someone for having HIV or an STD in that no one forced them to have sex. The absurdity of the 'war on drugs' knows no bounds. It is a 'war' where our own friends and family become the enemy. Excellent video Tom.