A Fast Read on Drug Cartels and the Border

[Tobina+1]

Oh this is fun... now I just need a smiley with devil horns...

Sixdogs; I knew what you meant; just had to giggle at the way you put it!     Someone else may have taken offense to your comment, but I laughed out loud!

Diane, in my made-up world, it would be legal to sell and buy drugs (thus decreasing the value of sneaking them into the US or making them).  But it would be illegal to take them in most instances (just like alcohol)... at work, while driving, etc.  My 2nd post kind of explains all that; there would be severe restrictions on using them and drug testing could be done by anyone (police pull you over... you get a drug test; drug testing in schools; drug testing to receive health care; drug testing at HOME by parents, etc).  So it still would be less desireable to take drugs, and in fact, we could allow more legal testing.  The idea is not to increase drug use, but to decrease the value of drugs on the street so as to decrease the smuggling and drug cartels.  I bet those "utes" on your streets would be less likely to pull a gun and shoot someone if all they had to do was walk into the corner market to buy their drugs.  And maybe they'd be less likely to take drugs if they had to do mandatory drug testing to get a driver's license or get their weekly welfare handouts.  Not saying that if they USE drugs they get punished... they just don't get the same privileges as everyone else! 

[sixdogsmom]

You know, Tobina, I have never had a drug test in my life. I have worked for several large corporations and I guess they never felt like it was cost effective. And that is another consideration, the expense of testing that is involved. I really detest the idea of having to prove your worth with a sample of urine or blood. It is just that I have never had my integrity in the workplace questioned and I would have a problem with that. I assume that John Q would have to pay for all those tests in the form of user fees, just to screen out the guilty parties involved. That is penalizing the innocent to catch the guilty IMHO. Lie detector tests is another thing that I really don't approve of, for all the above reasons. 

[Tobina+1]

6Dogs; yes, Pam and I just had this discussion on another thread.  I've had to take 1 drug test for a job in my life, but that's been it (and it was mandatory to start work there).   (but if my employers get ahold of this thread, they may think differently!  Ha!)  I would have no qualms in taking a drug test, though, as I have nothing to hide.

Anyway, I think in my 2nd post about this make-believe world, I stated that the taxes from the legal drugs would be used to do research on drug testing and how to make them quick and even at-home kits.  Like maybe a "spit on this" litmus test or something.  No different than a breathalyzer test if you get stopped by the cops for reckless driving (or suspicious driving).  Yes, I agree it would be an inconvenience.  But in my make-believe world, these tests would be 2nd nature to everyone and only those people who do drugs (and then participate in activities that are "privileged") would get reprimanded (or shot on the spot... hee, hee).  Maybe, in my make-believe world, all cars would be equipped with the same type of breathalyzer test that prevents people from starting their car if they have alcohol on their breath, but this would be for drugs.  It's not punishing you, it's PREVENTING people who take drugs from participating in harmful activities.  I would take 50 drug tests and blow in a breathalyzer every time I start my car if it meant knowing that it was also preventing someone else from operating a vehicle while drunk or on drugs... and hopefully saving other lives on the road.

[dnalexander]

There are already take at home drug tests.    The best I can come up with drugs bad. Booze, pot, tobacco, cocaine, and others include.  Decriminalization has not worked in the Netherlands where they are in the process of starting to tighten up their drug laws. I can't advocate China's death penalty for opium\drug usage. The best I can say is I am still searching for the solution to this problem. I certainly don't know the answer, but I don't see legalization working.

David

[Diane Amberg]

I'm undecided too. Kids also overdose on legal drugs used stupidly. There is a certain kind of kid who just doesn't get it. I think it's the way their brain is wired. And if they fry their brains....   oh,well. Some parents refuse to go along with random blood tests for sports or anything else. That doesn't help the situation. Between kids who are neglected and kids who are over protected and coddled, it's a wonder there are any nice normal kids out there. Thank goodness there are plenty of them though.

[Varmit]

Personally, I think the reasons for the drug problem in this country is the lack of enforcement within our justice system, the panty waisted liberals in office who won't allow serious enforcement, and simple bad parenting. When we contuine to allow a "revolving door" to be placed on our prisons the lowlifes that sell/use/smuggle this garbage into our country know that if they get caught its no big deal.  If we start excuting these roaches (no pun intended) it may give them something to think about. 
Our government has the capabilities of just about eraticating every source of drug manufacturing on the planet but they let other countries, emasuclated politicans, and panty waisted limp wristed "oh those poor criminals" types dictate to them how to deal with the drug issue.
Young people these days have come to accept drug use as a part of life. Drugs like weed, esctacy, and meth are glamorized in what passes for music, television, movies, and by so called sports "heros" (as if playing a game well makes one a hero but thats another thread).  Parents who allow their children to listen/watch this garbage are not doing their children any favors.  Yes, children need to be exposed to it and shown the idoicy behind it and taught  how to deal with it.  I cannot count how many times I've heard parents complain about the type of music their children listen to.  But they tend to forget that they are the parents, they are in charge, and if they don't like it then get it out of their house.  You tell the child "no, you cannot listen to this" if the child does it again you take the child out behind the wood shed and tan his or her hide. 

[Diane Amberg]

I agree except for the corporal punishment.

[Varmit]

Not trying to start anything so don't take it that way, but why not corpral punishment?

[srkruzich]

Personally, I think the reasons for the drug problem in this country is the lack of enforcement within our justice system, the panty waisted liberals in office who won't allow serious enforcement, and simple bad parenting.

Think about it.  WHY would they want to do anything about it??  The Feds are spending 250 billion on this war on drugs a year and if they were to succeed and wipe out drugs then they wouldn't have jobs.  There is absolutely no incentive for them to do anything.  Legalize the drugs, fire the whole lot of them, and take 1/3 of that money that we spend and treat the users and return the rest to the taxpayer would do more to combat drugs than anything they do now.

[srkruzich]

I agree except for the corporal punishment.

That is part of the problem with kids these days.  The rod has been spared and they are spoiled rotten. 
I raised my kids up the same way my parents raised me.  I made the mistake one time of getting into my dads face.  When i picked myself up off the floor i held a new respect for him.

My boys all tried me at least once.  One of them tried me several times but finally got some sense knocked into him.  They will all tell you that They deserved getting knocked down when they did. 

Sure hasn't hurt them one bit, they turned into FINE men!