Disaster – Government Control of Drugs

As election time nears, discussions of Marijuana legalization or decriminalization heats up. We see leading prospective 2016 president wannabes such as Govs. Christie and Perry expressing their views on Marijuana. Their views are likely to represent the GOP pack, and likely some of the Democratic candidates

“Gov. Chris Christie says he will 'never' permit legalized marijuana use while he’s the governor of New Jersey “

He and others cite a study that casual marijuana use could be detrimental to the human brain. This study could be correct, but the effects of drugs on the human biology plays no part in this writing. There are many things legal that do great harm to our bodies, such as smoking tobacco and alcohol use topping the list. Efforts to ban either of those go nowhere. In fact, crime became so prevalent because of alcohol prohibition that an Amendment was passed to once again allow sale.

Christie also said: “I am not going to be the governor who’s going to tell our children and our young adults that marijuana use is okay. Because it’s not.”

While politicians are debating an innocuous drug like Marijuana we stand idly by as children are turned into addicts. The greatest number of addicts aren't buying their drugs from scurrilous dealers on the corner, but from those dressed in white with the magical prescription pads. Our greatest number of addicts aren't a result of illegal drugs, but those tightly controlled by the federal government. Parents fear sending their children to the seedy side of town where you find drug dealers, but they will gladly push them into the waiting arms of the drug pusher wearing white – the drug dealer who was given power by the state.

I need to establish this is not all doctors and that some are only doing what they are taught best by government controlled universities. Even doctor with the best intentions can create addicts. I know, because I grew up with one of those addicts. The sad fact was that no one realized at the time her problems were a result of drugs prescribed by an all knowing doctor.

I would love to say that at least with drug dealers being government representatives that removes the criminal element. In fact the opposite is true. A system has been created where pharmaceutical companies will take great extremes to have their drugs approved. Too often we hear where people die because a drug was approved too soon, or die because government refused to approve a drug. Occasionally we hear about someone flying to another country for treatment that's not approved in the USA. The left is always telling us the wealthy have an unfair advantage. In this type of instance that does appear to be the case.

We have two avenues for drug distribution, one filled with street crime and the other other filled with white collar crime. We must ask, which is the worse? I'm not sure there is a lot of difference except white collar crime is well hidden from public eyes and less likely to be prosecuted.

What's the difference between a heroin addict and a Dilaudid addict? The difference is the dealer. One might wear a hoodie while the other a white doctor's coat. We all know drug abuse destroys lives no matter the source.

All we have to do is turn on the television to find a stream of pharmaceutical advertisements. While the picture is one of tranquility and soothing music, we are bombarded with a list of deadly side effects. The fact these ads are on televisions tell us they work. Despite the long list of potentially deadly side effects, people clamber to their doctor asking for these drugs.

People will seek ways to escape life no matter how much force government uses. Government cannot ban chemistry and the long list of chemical combinations that can be turned into drugs. Many of those combinations are much more dangerous than those provided naturally by nature. The war on drugs has done almost nothing to slow drug use. If nothing else it might be the cause of more addicts because people will seek out legal prescription drugs.

It sickens me when I see Republicans like Chris Christie play the child card as an excuse to continue drug prohibition. Democrats have been slammed for decades for telling us we need laws because it's to keep the kids safe. To even say they want to stop drug use to prevent crime is a misnomer. In some of the mildest suburban neighborhoods drug use is rampant, yet they have little or no crime. Politicians are using age old fear tactics to help maintain the police state.

Recently I was talking to my friend about being robbed. The police were useless. They made no effort to find the robber despite the fact he just left my premises. I live three miles from the sheriff's department, which tells me their arrival couldn't have taken long. I was even holding someone who might have been involved, but he was not even detained. My friend suggested that I should have told them I thought they had drugs to spur them into action.

If my incident had drugs involved that could have padded their statistics to receive more state and federal funds, which would have spurred them to action. The drug war is a source of funding for law enforcement. With any matter we have only to follow the money to find the truth.

In states that are dominated by the Democratic Party, drug legalization has moved at a snail's pace – often at best all that gets passed is medicinal Marijuana. On the right we have those who shout angrily about the encroaching police state and how the war on drugs is at the root. Yet they will then turn around and preach the evils of marijuana and fight legalization. Left or right they talk a big game, but there is little action. Even those citizens behind marijuana legalization will often balk at ending drug prohibition.

As long as we continue playing the politician's game we will forever be the pawn. The only way to win this game is to stop playing. Prohibition has been proven to not work. Banning guns doesn't end gun violence. Banning drugs only creates more gun violence. The only way to get the criminal drug dealer off the streets peddling to your children is to give the income to legitimate business owners who will protect your children. At one time we had people dying from moonshine made in stills with lead laden car radiators. Would you feel safer buying that next drink from a toxic still or the bartender in the local pub? Drugs are no different. Too often the danger of snorting cocaine is the base compound with which it's cut, not the drug itself.