THE WAR ON DRUGS FAILURE -- AND WHY WE CHOSE TO IGNORE THE LESSON OF PROHIBITION…

You wanna get rid of drug crime in this country?
Fine, lets get rid of all the drug laws." -- Ron Paul

You would have thought, that after the debacle of Prohibition in the early 1900's… It was a complete mess from the start… As soon as they would shut a bar down, a few dozen illegal ones would pop open. Many bars displayed flowers, posing as a flower shop with the enactment of Prohibition.., but still sold liquor -- on the down low.

The Mafia, gangsters, thugs and any other criminals looking to make a buck, took advantage of the situation and provided what the public wanted, anyway -- only now, nobody knew about it. There were no taxes paid. They little idea where most of these new illegal pubs were popping up. There were no licensing fees. And there was no safety or health inspections.

What they had unwittingly done.., was create one of the most profitable undergrounds for black-market goods (liquor).., that was hugely controlled by violent thugs -- and those thugs made a bundle off it, too!

The FAILED War on Drugs…

The war on drugs officially began in 1971 and was launched by the President Richard (tricky dick) Nixon… He immediately increased the size and presence of federal drug control agencies and pushed through measures such as mandatory sentencing and no-knock warrants. Nixon also placed marijuana in the Schedule One classification, being the most restrictive category of drugs. In 1972, a commission led by a republican governor.., unanimously recommended decriminalizing the possession and distribution of marijuana for personal use. Nixon ignored the report and rejected its recommendations.

Plus, people were freaking out.., that so many of our soldiers coming back from Vietnam, were not only using drugs, but highly addicted. What else did they expect… The Vietnam War, was the first role pharmacology played such a big role. Soldiers were give "pep pills" (the best amphetamine) to stay alert (it also made them more aggressive), they used darvon and codeine for pain. And they were also given thorazine (antipsychotic) to "deal..," with the horrible effects of war.

And in 1973 the DEA (drug enforcement agency) was created to enforce the drug laws.., and in the first Bush presidency the military and the CIA were instructed, by the President aide in it's war on drugs.
But for a while, in the late 1970's.., with Jimmy Carter winning the Presidency, one of his platforms being, the decriminalization of marijuana… But that was quickly squashed by.., the fear of too many teenagers smoking weed… And then came the 1980's.., and an ignorant person named, Nancy Reagan.., who put "The War on Drugs" on steroids…

During the Reagan presidency we would see the number of incarcerations.., explode. From 50,000 in 1980 to over 400,000 in 1997 -- no doubt due the ever increasing, non-violent drug user arrest. Zero tolerance drug policies were put in place in certain states and even Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl Gates believed -- "casual drug users should be taken out and shot."

One of the tragic side-effects of fear based drug policies like this.., were the reduction in syringes access for people with HIV/AIDS
As more draconian drug laws passed in the mid 1980's.., in 1985 only 2-6 percent of americans thought of drugs as the "number one problem." But due to some very clever and blatant fear mongering, by none other than the government, by the end of the 1980's that percentage would rise to 64. But only a year after shooting up like that (when so many of these harsh laws were passed), it came right back down to only 10% thinking drugs were such a "huge problem." But those harsh laws stayed in effect...

Prison population sky-rocketed.., as well as, the length of penalties all through the 1990's. By the time George W. Bush took office, it was quite obvious to most intelligent people, that this massive, money sucking "War on Drugs" was a complete failure -- he still tried to ramp it up… There were now, under a George Bush presidency.., paramilitary SWAT raids on Americans for non-violent drug offenses -- misdemeanors.

Even today, as more states to continue to legalize marijuana.., and public opinion has shifted, greatly -- many of these draconian drug laws live on. With over 700,000 people arrested year for some kind of weed offense.., and over 500,000 still in prison for a drug law violation… We still haven't learned a damn thing from Prohibition.., except that there is a lot of money drugs.., and if those thugs can do it -- we can do it better.

Besides creating these massive, money making drug syndicates or drug cartels, all over the world by out lawing drugs in the first place… Now, they are the ones doing business with these leaders of the underworld.., and preaching to you and your children, how "bad" these drug dealer are… These are the same people that are owned by the pharmaceutical industry.., and let dangerously addictive pills be manufactured.., for nothing else but profit.

During 2014, a total of 47,055 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States, representing a 1-year increase of 6.5 per cent, from 13.8 per 100,000 persons in 2013 to 14.7 per 100,000 persons in 2014.
As the number of over-doses increases to over 200% in 2014.., and more and more are ruined by out-dated laws and out-dated men. As more young adults get addicted to opiates from their own medicine cabinet, being doled out like candy to anyone with a willing doctor or some cash to buy one -- the more and more we will see, the pills run out, the money runs out… And from there, an addiction bought on by "legal" pharmaceuticals.., has led to cheap heroin, for $10 a bag.

More than three out of five drug overdose deaths involve an opioid. Overdose deaths from opioids, including prescription opioids and heroin, have nearly quadrupled since 1999.
Building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico.., isn't going to a damn thing, in there less than genuine attempt, at curtailing the over-doses of average Americans, everyday. For that they would have to build a wall around GlaxoSmithKline and Merck!

What they have learned from this never-ending, complete failure of the War on Drugs…, is how to make money… The U.S.spends 51 billion dollars a year on the War on Drugs -- 51 BILLION. Plus, all the money being made by these "privatized prisons" is out of control. And just like most government agencies.., it's money that drives the machine (can anyone say Military Complex).

What they failed to learn from Prohibition is -- it doesn't work!


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