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Time To Discuss Drug Prohibition?

Posted by kdawson on from the with-your-remaining-brain-cells dept.

gplus writes "December 5th was the 75th anniversary of the end of alcohol prohibition in the US. The Wall Street Journal has an op-ed which argues that now may be the time to discuss our war on drugs and the drug prohibition currently in place. The article argues that the harm caused by the banned substance must be balanced against the harms caused by the prohibition. As to why Americans in 1933 finally voted to end prohibition, while we barely even discuss it: 'Most Americans in 1933 could recall a time before prohibition, which tempered their fears. But few Americans now can recall the decades when the illicit drugs of today were sold and consumed legally. If they could, a post-prohibition future might prove less alarming.'"

3 of 1,367 comments (clear)

  1. Dear God Yes by QuantumG · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    And while you're at it, can you get rid of Copyright too? Let's try zero copyright and zero drug prohibition for a period of n years, then do an empirical analysis to determine what harm has resulted and come up with policy that rectifies that harm. Then have another n year trial to determine if that policy is working.

    --
    How we know is more important than what we know.
    1. Re:Dear God Yes by QuantumG · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Copyright is specified in the Constitution. Drugs? Not so much.

      I think you're one of these people who thinks copyright can't be abolished because the Constitution gives Congress the power to create copyright. That power is optional.

      --
      How we know is more important than what we know.
    2. Re:Dear God Yes by QuantumG · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Oh dear. This is not constitutional law 101.

      --
      How we know is more important than what we know.