UnitedIssues U.S. Political Debates - Debate

"Who can justify the War on Drugs?"

Original Opinion by FreeRoamer (42)

How can anyone justify the War on Drugs? For one, the War on Drugs is the EXACT SAME concept as alcohol Prohibition, except different drugs being banned. All arguments used in favor of or against Alcohol Prohibition can be translated into the debate over the War on Drugs.

Alcohol obviously has the potential to be very dangerous and it not for everybody, especially children. We have also seen what alcohol has done for "family values" in some individual cases. So knowing this, why is there a legal exemption for the drug alcohol? Why is there not as much shock value perceived towards alcohol as there is towards other hard drugs that are right on part with alcohol in terms of physical damage, addictiveness, etc.?

How can Drug Prohibition be justified when in principle it is the EXACT same thing as a universally shunned and failed policy of the past?

Responses

"What drugs are bad for you?" by Vultren (126)

Well it seems to me that you are trying to argue that drug use is just something people do and there isn't a problem with it. Let me tell you something, you are wrong.

Drugs, such as heroin or meth are WAY more addictive than alcohol could ever be. Not only that, but those two drugs completely invalidate your idea that "All arguments used in favor of or against Alcohol Prohibition can be translated into the debate over the War on Drugs."

I do agree with you on the fact alcohol should be banned. I don't like alcohol and believe it should be outlawed. But I do not agree when you think its equivalent to drug use.

"I think you missed my entire point..." by FreeRoamer (42)

First of all, I don't agree with this:

"I do agree with you on the fact alcohol should be banned. I don't like alcohol and believe it should be outlawed. But I do not agree when you think its equivalent to drug use."

The idea of re-outlawing alcohol is appalling to me, as is the idea of outlawing any drug, period.

And my basis for this argument isn't that "drug use is just something people do, and there isn't a problem with it", or that heroin and meth are casual drugs that "aren't that big a deal." I've been around drugs and although I've never tried any hard drugs, I fully understand the seriousness of drug addiction through witnessing others. I've seen the "Faces of Meth" videos as well, so I understand what SOME drugs do, and I still perceive the same shock value behind hard drugs as you do, but I don't allow this knee-jerk, emotional reaction to control my judgment.

I recognize drug addiction as a problem but I see criminalization of drug use as throwing gas on the fire. Throwing someone in jail for for behaving in a self-destructive manner is by definition, counterproductive to the goal of rehabilitating them, and the only purpose it serves is moral condemnation. Furthermore, drug users who get caught and go to jail will have a permanent mark on their record, will have a hard time getting a job once they get out, and this has led to the creation of a perpetual underclass of people with no job prospects, no voting rights, no hope of getting federal college loans, etc. This does nothing but harm to the convicted.

You seem to feel obligated to oppose legalization of drugs in order to assert your moral repulsion towards them. Just so you know, you can support legalization of drugs (which at its core is an issue of freedom above all else) while still being anti-drug. I think cigarettes are horrible, but I would never deny someone else their right to smoke them. It's their life, they can do what they want with it.


Lastly, can you please back up this claim?:

"Those two drugs [heroin and meth] completely invalidate your idea that "All arguments used in favor of or against Alcohol Prohibition can be translated into the debate over the War on Drugs."

Source(s):

http://www.strike-the-root.com/61/victor/victor1.html

"just say no" by Teddyroosevelt (45)

you argue that legalizing drugs is possible through regulation and moderation so my question is if people cant live in moderation with alcohol,tobacco and even fast food how can you expect people to live in moderation with substances that will have proven more addictive and if we legalize them who do you think it will help the class of people who already abuse these substances use them to get away from terrible conditions if they were legal it would be just that much more easy for peope to be happy about living in poverty

for those of you still unconvinced you may want to read a brave new world if your drug out mind cant handle big words no worries they made movie versions

"To the person above me" by FreeRoamer (42)

You must be a troll, but I will give you benefit of the doubt. I say this because of your last "sentence". Simply attacking people and using ad hominems does not constitute a real argument anywhere. People do not have "drugged out minds" just for disagreeing with you, and just because they don't share your views doesn't mean they are less intelligent than you or that they "can't handle big words" (although I'll bet they can handle capital letters and basic punctuation).

Second, please stay on par with THIS debate and don't bring copy and paste answers from elsewhere.

" you argue that legalizing drugs is possible through regulation and moderation"

Notice how I NEVER SAID ANYTHING about regulation and moderation anywhere. While it's obvious to me that some people can use drugs in moderation and some can't, I never mentioned this in my argument. My argument's entire point is comparing the similarities between alcohol and other drugs, and pointing out the inconsistency that lies in alcohol's legality. But I'm not going to repeat myself, you can read it yourself. It is already posted at the top.

"with substances that will have proven more addictive "

Like I said, my point is that there are many illegal substances that are NOT as addictive as alcohol, tobacco, etc, and that this is inconsistent.

Either way I started this debate months ago and no longer wish to debate this topic, because discussions about it only go in circles. If the "reasons" you gave for your support of the Drug War are the same used by all Prohibitionists, then I am very disappointed at the level of injustice and lack of reason that our laws are based on.