The War on Drugs: Statistically shown to be failing

[5stringJeff]

We have our prohibition-style drug policy to blame for this. We ought to at least decriminalize marijuana.

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The United States leads the world in rates of experimenting with marijuana and cocaine despite strict drug laws, World Health Organization researchers said on Tuesday.

Countries with looser drug laws have lower rates of abuse, the researchers report in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Medicine.

The survey of 54,000 people in 17 countries found that 16 percent of people in the United States had used cocaine in their lifetimes -- far higher than the next highest rate, found in New Zealand, where 4.3 percent of people reported having used cocaine.

More than 42 percent of Americans admitted to having tried cannabis, closely followed by 41 percent in New Zealand, Dr. Louisa Degenhardt of the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia and an international team of colleagues found.

Story (http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN01254783)

[Mr. P]

We have our prohibition-style drug policy to blame for this. We ought to at least decriminalize marijuana.

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The United States leads the world in rates of experimenting with marijuana and cocaine despite strict drug laws, World Health Organization researchers said on Tuesday.

Countries with looser drug laws have lower rates of abuse, the researchers report in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Medicine.

The survey of 54,000 people in 17 countries found that 16 percent of people in the United States had used cocaine in their lifetimes -- far higher than the next highest rate, found in New Zealand, where 4.3 percent of people reported having used cocaine.

More than 42 percent of Americans admitted to having tried cannabis, closely followed by 41 percent in New Zealand, Dr. Louisa Degenhardt of the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia and an international team of colleagues found.

Story (http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN01254783)
I like that word "admitted".:laugh2: I'd go for >90% as more realistic.

[Psychoblues]

I suspect the war on drugs to go the same route as has already been pointed out repeatedly as the war on alcohol, the war on poverty, the war on ignorance and the war on Iraq. All these wars and others will remain enemies of the progressive American community for the foreseeable future. War just sucks. Period.



I like that word "admitted".:laugh2: I'd go for >90% as more realistic.

Just trying to be realistic, P.

[April15]

The war on drugs was doomed to fail right out of the gate.

[MtnBiker]

How is the war on poverty going?

[DragonStryk72]

The problem with the war on drugs, along with smoking, alcohol, and most if not all of the others, is that it is an attempt by the government to enforce morality, or protect its citizenry from itself. Of course, our government is horrible at this, as the very virtues that our country holds to are counter to government imposition of morality.

More over, these extra rules and regulations have idolized the exact behaviors that they were seeking to curb. the government is not capable of doing anything in relation to morality that cannot be outdone in every way by parents, friends, and religious leaders.

[Psychoblues]

Not well in Mississippi, MB.



How is the war on poverty going?

Not well at all. And I don't suspect it's going much better anywhere else.

[MtnBiker]

Maybe Reid will declare defeat and suggest we pull out.

[Psychoblues]

What makes you say that, MB?




Maybe Reid will declare defeat and suggest we pull out.

Only the repubs are somehow declaring defeat. Just who has defeated you? Every Dem I know demands VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!! Defeat is not in our vocabulary!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please quote for me one single Dem that has or plans to declare any defeat, OK?

[MtnBiker]

What makes you say that, MB?





Only the repubs are somehow declaring defeat. Just who has defeated you? Every Dem I know demands VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!! Defeat is not in our vocabulary!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please quote for me one single Dem that has or plans to declare any defeat, OK?

Pay attention!!


WASHINGTON - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday the war in Iraq is "lost," triggering an angry backlash by Republicans, who said the top Democrat had turned his back on the troops. The bleak assessment - the most pointed yet from Reid - came as the House voted 215-199 to uphold legislation ordering troops out of Iraq next year.

Reid said he told President Bush on Wednesday he thought the war could not be won through military force, although he said the U.S. could still pursue political, economic and diplomatic means to bring peace to Iraq.

"I believe myself that the secretary of state, secretary of defense and - you have to make your own decisions as to what the president knows - (know) this war is lost and the surge is not accomplishing anything as indicated by the extreme violence in Iraq yesterday," said Reid, D-Nev.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18227928/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyDOAmJYFFA

[Psychoblues]

I still don't see any declaration of defeat, MB. Sen. Reid is attempting the best he can to salvage whatever can be salvaged from the moronic and utterly disrepectful treatment of our military and our nations reputation. It is so sad that you disagree. Perhaps the failure first occured when the lil bush decided to got to war against an innocent people?!?!?!??!?!?!? I seriously doubt you can answer that, MB. I mean, respectfully, MB.

[MtnBiker]

Every Dem I know demands VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!




Spin it all you want, saying a war is lost is not victory.

[Psychoblues]

What war is lost, MB? The WOT, the war on drugs, the war on poverty, just what war are you talking about, MB? All of the stated objectives, namely regime change, have been met in Iraq years ago. The criterion for socalled victory has been acheived over and over again by our most appreciated and honored troops and the someone keeps changing the position of the goal posts. You want to really know what is lost? The credibility of gwb and subsequently the USA by continuing to abide his ridiculous ambitions and efforts to resolve his own inablity to prove his manhood in the 60's and even to this day.



Spin it all you want, saying a war is lost is not victory.

Make all the excuses and twist and turn all you want, MB, America will survive. The reputation of your CIC will not. Most of America, about 78% the last check I made, think Iraq was and is a huge mistake. Your pitiful words of shallow war drumbeating and ignorant sense of reality blind your ability to see the world as it is and you do so at the expense of even your own credibility.

That's OK, however, as even John McCain has taken a bite from the poison apple. You don't have to feel so all alone, MB.

[MtnBiker]

What war is lost, MB? The WOT, the war on drugs, the war on poverty, just what war are you talking about, MB?

You have already lost your train of thought? I said to pay attention. I even posted a link to Senator Reid's comment. Do you need me to hold your hand through a disscussion?




Make all the excuses and twist and turn all you want, MB, America will survive.

Show me exactly where I made an excuse?


Let me repeat this again for clairity.

Every Dem I know demands VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!



Saying a war is lost (in this case the Iraq war)is not victory.

By the way Senator Harry Reid is a Democrat.

[Psychoblues]

I saw your youtube sound and sight byte, MB. You are taking it all out of context and you expect me to somehow be thankful for your most inaccurate observation? You know me better than that, MB.




You have already lost your train of thought? I said to pay attention. I even posted a link to Senator Reid's comment. Do you need me to hold your hand through a disscussion?

Show me exactly where I made an excuse?

Your entire purpose here is to excuse the failures of the bush bunch to fight a credible war or to provide a lasting security to the United States of America. I don't accept their excuses and I don't accept yours either.

[MtnBiker]

I saw your youtube sound and sight byte, MB. You are taking it all out of context and you expect me to somehow be thankful for your most inaccurate observation? You know me better than that, MB.


Reid said the war is lost, that is not demanding victory. But you will continue to spin.




Your entire purpose here is to excuse the failures of the bush bunch to fight a credible war or to provide a lasting security to the United States of America. I don't accept their excuses and I don't accept yours either.

Now you are just making stuff up. I haven't mentioned Bush or any of the adminastrations policies on the war. I have only commented on Reid's quote that the war was lost. Boy you are grasping at straws.