The "War On Drugs"

  One of the worst misinformation campaigns ever attempted by our government is the so called "War on Drugs", launched by President Nixon right about the time I was born, late 1970. Not only is it ignorant, misguided and uneffective, it is an insult to our intelligence and encroaches on our rights as an American.





1) Most obviously, how can the gov proclaim drugs as bad, when they openly push hundreds of drugs over the counter to us. Politicians greatfully accept campaign donations from these corporations. Not  to mention, of course, tobacco and alcohol: Two of the most dangerous drugs we know of and fully legal.


2)The laws are unenforceable. Just about any drug you can name is fully available on the streets and is easily aquired.


3)Drugs, as a whole, are inherently dangerous when misused. But they also can be very usefull, productive or even lifesaving.


  I could sit here and argue how harmless marijuana is and all the benefits of the plant (not some processed artificial creation, but just a regular plant) but that is only one small example, though maybe the most obvious. It distracts us from the big picture.


Here it is: Drugs, all of them, should be legal. Yes, I said it. Everyone self-medicates in some fashion sometimes. Many do most of the time. The problem is that these spoiled, lazy drug dealers with too much time on their hands and too much money go out and commit all kinds of crimes.


  If drugs were legal, we could regulate them. They would be much cleaner and not have who-knows-what mixed in with them. They could be taxed, which obviously has great benefits for the community. Best of all, these back alley drug dealers would be out of a job. Of course they wouldn't be available to minors. Of course driving intoxicated would never tolerated.


  Are we not able to decide for ourselves what we want to put into our bodies? There are many people out there who are much happier, more relaxed, better employees etc when allowed their drug of choice when they choose. Everything is bad for you when overused or abused, but there is a McDonalds on every corner anyway.


This is just my opinion...what do you think?


Kevin Bowman