Lecture 24. THE WAR ON DRUGS

The Drug War is another result of the fact that 50% of the 
voters have below-average intelligence. We spent all of the 
1920’s fighting the Battle Against the Bottle, 
gaining only organized crime, government corruption, and 
public cynicism.  If thosee voters know anything about that
idiocy,they know nothing about the current version.

The drug war is related to deficit spending in that its 
proponents don't mind spending a trillion dollars over the 
decades for interdiction of drugs and the cost of crime and
punishment. Ending the drug war and turning the problem over
to the medical profession would bring the cost of opium down
close to zero and deprive the Taliban of funds being used to
kill Americans.

Arrogant Puritans have distorted the voters collective 
judgment beyond reason. Puritans decide that recreational 
drugs are sinful and then pass laws that punish the
sin.  This makes the drugs scarce and expensive,
thereby tempting poor people with visions of easy wealth. 
Then the Puritans spend a fortune trying to stop the 
lucrative drug trade.  They fail at that, but succeed at 
filling our prisons.  They destroy mountains of treasure and
millions of lives with no evidence of reduced addiction to 
justify the destruction.

Alcohol and tobacco together destroy one hundred times more
life and treasure than all other drugs combined.  Wrecked
vehicles and shattered lives appear in the wake of 
drunkards.  Forests and animals, buildings and people 
disappear in the smoke of smokers.

Accidents aside, the normal and intended use of these two
legal drugs has destroyed the health of millions.  Victims 
crowd hospitals, nursing homes, and cemeteries.  But addicts
never go to jail just for smoking tobacco or just for
drinking an alcoholic beverage.  Somehow, we tolerate these 
habits with only minor restrictions.  The pushers of legal 
drugs sit proudly on the boards of major corporations.

If every certified addict could easily get relief and 
treatment gratis under a doctor’s care in a well-
regulated, local clinic, he or she would have no good reason 
to become a criminal.  A treated addict would get out of 
mischief and into bed.

We must drive drug prices down next to zero. Then, gangsters
would play basketball or go to work or school.  Criminal
court caseloads would dwindle.  Prisons would close.
Latinos and Asians would grow food instead of weeds.  Civil
wars would end.  Terrorists would lose a source of wealth.

Should taxpayers feed an addict’s habit?  No, but 
let’s help doctors treat their patients.  Clinics 
trump prisons.  How will we fund the medical care?  Avoiding
the cost of crime and punishment will pay for that and much
more.

How will we protect minors against cheap drugs?  The same 
way we protect them now against expensive drugs.  Their 
teachers, parents, and guardians will do their best, helped
by programs fully funded by the avoided costs.

We should punish the pushers only to protect minors, as with
tobacco and alcohol. But then, throw the key away!
Otherwise, caveat consumptor!  Let the (adult) user beware!

Will cheap illegal drugs increase addictions?  The repeal of
Prohibition saw no outburst of drunkenness.  There will be
problems, but that’s evolution at work.  Mother Nature 
knows best.  She is culling the herd, removing the fools and
the weaklings from the gene pool.  Let them go!

And let’s protect the public from drug users.  Punish
them when they harm others while under the influence of any
drug.  And let the punishment fit the crime. Throw away the 
key!

Live and let live!  Nobody’s perfect.  Puritans know
that but try to play God. But the ultimate sin is the 
arrogation of divinity.

Those who support the drug war are either imbeciles or 
without conscience. This is one area where the Mad Hatters
of the Tea Party could complain about government being too 
big. Naturally, they don’t.
Proceed to:
Lecture 25. LIBERALS vs CONSERVATIVES
Thanks for your interest.
  Marvin Sussman, retired engineer

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