War on Drugs

[JARNJ3]

I've been thinking about this a lot lately - our last two presidents (and maybe even our next one) have all admitted to "trying" illegal drugs.

Now what seems to make this "ok" is that they realized what a mistake they were making - and obviously, they were never caught and\or arrested.

That got me to thinking about the millions that are in our jails now, that were "unlucky" and happened to get caught. I believe a good majority of women in prison are there because their boyfriends\husbands\significant others had he drugs, and they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I found this cool website that shows 30 years of history on "The War on Drugs."

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/drugs/cron/

It is very interesting - what was and wasn't done.......


It may just be me - but I don't think its working!

I thought of polling on that alone - but then I thought - it would be more interesting to see a private poll - if anyone had tried illegal drugs - and were one of the "lucky ones." I've left it anonymous.........

Feel free to discuss what is\isn't working.

I don't have kids - but look at my nephews and often wonder if the "experimental bug" is going to bite them we're they are in high school\college.....

 

[yasmina]

We had a boy from our high school die last week from an overdose. We are in a somewhat well-to-do (not rich, some extremely well-off, some extemely poor, most middle class) community that has been publicly battling heroin.

I say "publicly" because the spread of heroin has been widespread throughout the region, and our district is the only one that has openly admitted a problem.

When our battle first began, a local news station surveyed neighboring districts, and one said that the worst discipline problem they had was getting boys to remove their hats indoors! This district is now in the news because one of their male students is accused of raping numerous girls in the high school itself .

So the war on drugs is a miserable failure, at least in our neck of the woods.

There are many reasons why. One of which is the government in Afghanistan, which is turning a blind eye to the poppy harvest, the only effective money-maker for common person who wants to earn money for his family and live a quiet existence. Like them or not (and I think we can all agree that we HATE them), the Taliban put an end to the poppy crop. Now it's back with a vengeance and making more money than ever for those in the "business".

Personally, I never tried anything "harder" than Mary Jane, and that a long time ago. All it ever did for me was put me to sleep and make me nauseous.

 

[HelenePA]

I myself have NEVER done drugs, I did drink underage but that's as far as my "partying" went. Now my brother on the other hand has done more drugs than he'll care to admit, he's been to jail for it at least 4 times I think?? Not actually for drugs but for things he's done while ON drugs. He's finally pulling himself together at the age of 25 he's been clean for over a year whoohoo he has a good job, a nice girlfriend who he plans on marrying. I really hope he's done with them forever. He got hooked while in middle school. Its very sad what he's done to our family. I wont tell any stories but my dad will no longer talk to him. My mom is gone, so is my gram he hurt both of them so much and he never really made it up before they passed. He can get drugs any time he wants and its so sad. I wish he would move far far away but even then I'm sure he'll have access to them.

 

[KelNottAt]

I saw a statistic a few years ago that showed the drug culture peaked around 1980. That would have been the start of my "experimentation."

I pray my kids never get trapped in drugs. But, OTOH, I'm am in favor of legalized marijuana. (FTR, haven't touched the stuff in nearly 20 years.)

 

[JARNJ3]

So is it at all hypocritical that the pols who got away with it legislate the laws about it?

I've never tried them either. First - I'm was (maybe still am?) a goodie two shoes - and second - I've had asthma my whole life - no way I wasn't going to smoke anything! And I was just never around the other stuff to want to try it.....

With seemingly so many of today's parents being the experimenters - how do we stop the another cycle of their kids experimenting?

Is the answer to allow the experimenting - ie legalize it? Or throw the "book" harder at the experimenters who are caught? Supposedly once in jail - the return rate back is extremely high......

There are no easy answers - which maybe is why the status quo is allowed to prevail......

 

[mickeyfan2]

I never tried any illegal drug.

I did drink when I was young, but it was with the consent of my parents. By the time I was 14/15 I had tried everything and found I hated the taste of them all. I just drank diet coke after that. I have never been drunk, but did get light headed a few times.

From the studies I have seen. They can rule our community, social-economic class etc. etc. And the only thing they found that indicated if a teen would try drugs was is they had a plan or not. Those who had a plan for college, job, etc. all reported that drugs did not fit in with their plan. The ones who had not plan said that drugs seemed like a fun thing to do at that time.

BTW I was a person who in elementary school was talking about college and what I was going to do in my later life. I never saw drugs in my plan.

 

[JARNJ3]

I never tried any illegal drug.

I did drink when I was young, but it was with the consent of my parents. By the time I was 14/15 I had tried everything and found I hated the taste of them all. I just drank diet coke after that. I have never been drunk, but did get light headed a few times.

From the studies I have seen. They can rule our community, social-economic class etc. etc. And the only thing they found that indicated if a teen would try drugs was is they had a plan or not. Those who had a plan for college, job, etc. all reported that drugs did not fit in with their plan. The ones who had not plan said that drugs seemed like a fun thing to do at that time.

BTW I was a person who in elementary school was talking about college and what I was going to do in my later life. I never saw drugs in my plan.

That brings up a good point - I had a friend at a previous job - who had interviewed and got another job. It was for better pay - higher position - etc. She was sweating it out because she thought she'd fail the drug test!!!

I was shocked - remember I'm a good two shoes.. LOL.

She was in her late 20's.......

As for college plans - many people around me smoke marijuana - in fact one night my roommates wanted to partake in our apartment (we were college seniors). I left for the night - as I didn't feel comfortable......

To me - what also has to be taken into account is if people feel they are going to be caught......

 

[Charade]

What's the alternative?

 

[CathrynRose]

Heck yeah I did. Only marijuana (in fact I wish THAT were legal, rather then alcohol)

The Migraine Cure from God himself, as far as Im concerned.

 

[HelenePA]

What's the alternative?

I'm guessing full out drug addict?

 

[CathrynRose]

We had a boy from our high school die last week from an overdose. We are in a somewhat well-to-do (not rich, some extremely well-off, some extemely poor, most middle class) community that has been publicly battling heroin.

.

I dont know if anyone remembers, but a friend of my son's since 6th grade (he's now a junior) passed away in December.

The autopsy results came back just recently - and he also passed from Heroin.

This was a 'jock' - what would be considered - a good kid. We live in a WEALTHY suburb. He came from an excellent family. Its sad.

There was a large group of boys since 6th grade who all hung out together. Half of them started using, half of them didnt (my son's half) But they all still got together every Sunday for football.

One Sunday, the boy wasnt there - one of the other boys went to get him and got the news he never woke up.

It was the boys who were pall bearers for him. And they were also mentioned in his obituary how important 'his boys' were to him.

Good news - My son is pretty sure it nipped the other boys drug usage in the bud, but at the cost of a 16 y/o's life???

Just last week I was looking at one of my door ways. We always measure the boys, and their friends on it. And so we have so many lines on there, but I looked at it and noticed "Erik" - and it made me so very sad.

 

[HelenePA]

Good news - My son is pretty sure it nipped the other boys drug usage in the bud, but at the cost of a 16 y/o's life???
:

it didn't. they might hide it more now due to parents but they are still using. My brother lost at least 10 friends. Most of his other friends are still using. Its a cycle you can't break with out help. even with help they are gonna go back at least 4-5 times before they get serious. Its horrible.

 

[pr surfer]

I smoke the reefer... I see absolutely nothing wrong with it.

 

[JARNJ3]

I smoke the reefer... I see absolutely nothing wrong with it.

Just curious - is it legal there?

 

[beckmrk04]

I tried pot, mostly because friends were doing it, and it was so uncool of me not too. Rarely did I give in to peer pressure. But a couple of times I did. I didn't like it. I tried it 2 times. Not for me. I'm too much of a goody two shoes too. I had college plans. Things to do which did not include landing my butt behind bars.

I think a lot of kids try it for the same reasons that I did- because I was in high school, had a group mentality, and figured it couldn't hurt just that once (or twice).

 

[Charade]

I smoke the reefer... I see absolutely nothing wrong with it.

How do you feel about harder drugs?

 

[Nikel]

Nope, never, but at the least I think marajuana should be decriminalized. (Still wouldn't try it though.)

 

[ChrisFL]

I never tried drugs and HONESTLY only even witnessed someone else using it once on a school trip in Philadelphia (one student smoking weed).

Does that mean I think all people should be just like me? No. I'll admit to being curious as to the effects of marijuana but never curious enough to try it. Other people are different.

I do wonder about many drugs that are not from the U.S. but imported because of the overwhelming price for them...if they were made legal would they get so inexpensive that no one would really think its worth it to send them here?

Or if they were highly regulated and only allowed in certain places would people be less likely to try them?

I'm no expert but I'd venture to say that the 'war on drugs' has never worked.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I think its an absolute joke that marijuana is illegal and alcohol is legal, especially when we have terminal people who are constantly in pain, and whom marijuana would help to ease their passing. I've been in contact with many, many people who are drunk or high (not at the same time) and those drunk people are a far greater danger to themselves and others.

I've read histories that point to the fact that the only reason marijuana was deemed illegal in the U.S. is that hemp was coming into direct competition with cotton so the cotton owning people in power banded together to make the marijuana plant illegal.

And to answer the original question, no, I don't think the war on drugs is worthwhile. I actually believe its just a huge money pit, and the money could be better spent on other aspects of our society (education, health care, etc).

And for the record, never done any drugs, not even marijuana.

 

[pr surfer]

Just curious - is it legal there?

I'm not sure, but I don't think so. It is quite an integral part of the native culture, and as a result it is commonly used by many people and its prohibition is not generally enforced. Personally, I don't use regularly. I view it as an alternative to a beer when in a safe place with people I trust.