Ferguson, MO

:hi:

 

That said, though, I don't go in and see the Crack and Meth rack behind the counter and say "You know what, I think I will try some Special Candy #7 today." If it is out and open, I might be more inclined to try something that is incredibly addictive, where one hit and I am hooked for life. That rarely if ever happens with pot or alcohol.

I just know where Tenny is coming from, and I feel the same way in many respects. My feelings and desires just go against the reality of the situation, I am afraid.

 

On your next commute look for box trucks and tractor trailers with no markings and wonder to yourself what's on that truck.

Drugs are every where.

 

Should you not have the freedom to choose ?

 

For me it all stems from my fear for my two children, and the irrational, unconscious idea that they will not get on drugs if they don't "see" them. I know I am ok to make that choice, because I have no desire to try Bath Salts or Meth. But I fear for my children. Just like I fear that some girl will break their heart, or they will die in a car accident when they get their license.

 

I'm with you, especially the driving part.

There are dang fools on the roadway.

 

Having three children of my own I certainly understand and share your concern.

It's human nature to be curious of or enticed by the unknown. Better to educate and have it out in the (controlled) open than hidden in the shadows. Speaks to ingredients too, esp Meth and some of the other (designer drug) synthetics that finds its way to the streets

 

"With great power comes great responsibility"

I, frankly, cannot think of any greater power than the power to control 100% of your decisions. The flip side of this is if you don't realize/don't care about the impact of your decisions, community/society based on the individual will crumble as a whole.

 

They will know that they exist. Perhaps they will be attracted to the "hidden fruit".

 

Of course. And I know my fears are completely irrational. And we are not going to try to protect them from the truth of things, either. We will have a long talk with both about all of these things before they head off to middle school.

 

Work an absolute power thought in there to

 

Proof positive that we're losing the war on drugs in eerily similar fashion to how we "lost" the war in Vietnam.

Both suffer from poor planning, and often head-scratching tactics intended to bring about misunderstood objectives of dubiously strategic advantage.

And both have a loud, passionate and sincere minority who have foolishly been allowed to hamstring the necessary work to actually stop half-assing it, and to win the damn thing. And then, be allowed to sit and scoff at the ineffectiveness of the same half-assed measures which they've insisted on, and to use this as their only exhibited evidence that no effort can work, and hence, that the only sane course of action is to suspend - and eventually abandon - all efforts.

Pray to whatever deity / particle accelerator you choose that someone doesn't decide to really wage total, complete and absolute wat on drugs - just as they should have done, long ago, and haven't.

Start seizing homes, property and cash for anyone caught possessing any illegal drugs - and not predominantly those who are peddling it on the street - and requiring mandatory jail time even for first offenders, without judicial diversion, and see how quickly the problem will magically come under tighter control.

The problem with the "war" on drugs is that we've allowed its scope to be largely determined, or heavily influenced, by those who frankly, want to use drugs, without repercussion. Which is kind of lake declaring "war" on insider trading, by allowing those who wish to profit from such trading to set the rules (wait, we might already do that - but even so, it's stupid and wrong).

 

I'm all for legalizing it, but it's just naïve to believe there won't be unintended consequences.

 

What are your specific concerns?

 

Vietnam wasn't lost because of the troops.

Besides, plenty on the hill are in bed with cartels.

The upper class are the primary users of the "hard" drugs.

Heroin and child porn are the candy of the rich

 

we aren't the Netherlands with their educated demographics. I have to think drug usage and drug abuse will increase.

 

As a father I don't want my child doing drugs, but I really wouldn't them being thrown in prison for drug use. I think that has way more harmful ripples through the community.

 

Luckily, I have the perfect answer to assuage your very real fears about your kids doing drugs - the legalization and regulation of those same drugs, and increasing their readily available accessibility will actually reduce their chances of trying them.

See, you only need to suspend all common sense in order to see how this works, but trust me, that some seem really - REALLY - certain that it will, really, is all the proof you need.

 

What's a happy medium?

I want the revenue.

As with the poor, you can't help someone that doesn't want to help themselves. Let them have at it.

 

Look at what drug laws did to government housing communities.

It's a never ending cycle.