Ever since Rich founded TFL, I've been reading these debates with great interest. I usually don't chime in, since I was on the "drug warrior" side years ago. Now I find myself giving the small "l" libertarian side more thought.
I've done pretty much every drug around, from alcohol to pot to amphetamines to LSD to anything else. I even did arsenic (now, that is sick, stupid, or both). I've done drugs that most people have never even heard of.
The only thing I never touched was narcotics. Even today, after surgery, I'd rather take the pain. I know I could become addicted, as it's in my personality. I won't take anything that's even remotely addictive, not even Tylonal 3.
In August of 1976, I quit all illegal drugs, after a really bad LSD experience. A week or two after, there was no pot or anything else in my apartment.
It was easier to quit all that stuff than it was to give up drinking coffee, which I did about eight years later.
Problem is, I have a couple of close and young relatives who are crack and/or coke addicts. One in particular has been "trying" to clean up for over ten years.
And I look at him and say, "if we legalized all the drugs, the FDA could approve them, they'd be available at pharmacies, the .gov could tax them, and we could use those taxes for more rehab centers." After all, my BIL has been through so many two-day rehab centers that I've lost count.
The problem is that no addict--whether his drug is alcohol, or cocaine, or heroin, or even cigarettes--is going to quit until he or she really wants to.
I've forgotten the number of times my BIL has done six to nine month stretches in the county lockup for drugs. And, each time, he says he's coming out clean.
Next day, he's back on the stuff.
Same with my older brother, who has multiple DUI convictions. No amount of jail has deterred him, and no two or three day stays in a rehab center did any good.
Both are going to die from their addictions, and die earlier than they would otherwise.
So, I look at the idea of legalizing drugs and say, "ok, maybe there's a small percentage of users out there who would actually get that monkey off their backs if they had more than two or three days in a rehab center."
And, then I look at the real addicts I know, and question whether the cost of new rehab centers would be justifiable.
All of that said, taking the billions of dollars from the major drug dealers would effectively end the War on Drugs, which has only fueled a police-style state.
But, do I want my government in the business of dealing drugs? The state governments have already taken over the gambling business. Nevada years ago took over the business of prostitution. How many more vices can our governments sell?
For all of you who advocate or oppose drug legalization, you have with me a very open mind.
Make your best case.
