[Atomic Rooster]

I want some heroin. Cocaine suxXorizes.

Anybody know where I can get some ya know what I'm sayin'?

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by subego 

You could have said the same exact thing about alcohol during prohibition.

True. But during prohibition, the issue was something that had been part of society for ages being banned, rather than something that had NEVER been part of society being regulated and prohibited.

Remember, alcohol wasn't seen as a "recreational drug" then. It was a SOCIAL means of relaxing and as such had a major role in life. From the beer at the end of the working man's day to the cocktail at the socialite's party, it was SOCIAL. Today's "recreational drugs" are almost all solitary things. Ever hear of a heroin party? A crack smoking party? No, these drugs are not really recreational, they're only for temporary escape.

Originally Posted by Chuckit 

It doesn't matter if they have illegal competition. In reality, it would be rather hard to compete with the legal avenues because the illegal sellers would have both more trouble selling (since they'd need to be discreet) and most likely higher costs (since it wouldn't be worth the trouble if they were selling cheaply).

This assumes that the market would be level and open. It would NOT be. Take a look at all the gang turf wars going on today, and you see that it's all about drug distribution. Would these murderous thugs settle for having their livelihood disappear? I don't think so. I think they'd make it obvious to their little coke slaves or junkie legions that they'd better stick with buying from the gang or their families would suffer (or something like that).

[OreoCookie]

Mary Jane qualifies as social drug when you use this `definition' … just saying.

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

This assumes that the market would be level and open. It would NOT be. Take a look at all the gang turf wars going on today, and you see that it's all about drug distribution. Would these murderous thugs settle for having their livelihood disappear? I don't think so. I think they'd make it obvious to their little coke slaves or junkie legions that they'd better stick with buying from the gang or their families would suffer (or something like that).

Even if that were true, it would be a very temporary situation. People that deep in the drug lifestyle have an above-average likelihood of getting arrested or dying, so they'd run out of clients soon enough. And with the rest of the drug-buying world having no need to ever darken the illegal dealers' doorstep, business would be pretty terrible. Then the easiest move for them would be to enter the legal drug distribution trade.

[subego]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

Ever hear of a heroin party? A crack smoking party? No, these drugs are not really recreational, they're only for temporary escape.

In the words of Sam Kinison...

That's because you took our pot. GIVE US OUR POT BACK! AUGGHHH! AUGGHHH!

[BadKosh]

More folks in prison... because we have higher standards than the rest of the world. I'd like to see it split down by cultures.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Chuckit 

Even if that were true, it would be a very temporary situation. People that deep in the drug lifestyle have an above-average likelihood of getting arrested or dying, so they'd run out of clients soon enough. And with the rest of the drug-buying world having no need to ever darken the illegal dealers' doorstep, business would be pretty terrible. Then the easiest move for them would be to enter the legal drug distribution trade.

The "thug lifestyle" seems to have gotten its roots deep into some parts of our culture. I'm pessimistic about it ever being dislodged.

[peeb]

Originally Posted by BadKosh 

More folks in prison... because we have higher standards than the rest of the world. I'd like to see it split down by cultures.

This is a joke, right?

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

The "thug lifestyle" seems to have gotten its roots deep into some parts of our culture. I'm pessimistic about it ever being dislodged.

I don't doubt you're right, but selling drugs illegally is not an irreplaceable part of that lifestyle any more than illegal alcohol sales were. There are lots more illegal things they could do if they were intent on it, and it's not as though nobody disreputable has ever worked at a legitimate liquor store.

[BadKosh]

Originally Posted by peeb 

This is a joke, right?

first part yes, second part no.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by BadKosh 

first part yes, second part no.

I'd like to see that second part too. Culture is incredibly important in this-both what national culture and what local culture.

And I'd like to see real demographics about world incarceration. For example, a lot of people decry the large number of black men in American prisons. Yep, it's a huge number and a huge percentage. But those men also typically come from very poor families in very poor areas of the country. Is it possible that being poor is more the factor than being black? Not much money for good lawyers is just one facet of this. What about living in a family that has few resources, having one parent (often the case) who works long hours so the kids aren't well supervised, and being exposed from infancy to a culture that glamorizes criminal activity (under the guise of "sticking it to ...")? Couldn't those be more crucial than the color of the man's skin? Couldn't those actually show that it was a SOCIAL problem that led each of these people to commit crimes rather than try to fit into that dysfunctional society? I'm just sayin'...

[smacintush]

Originally Posted by Atomic Rooster 

ya know what I'm sayin'?

Originally Posted by OreoCookie 

… just saying.

Originally Posted by ghporter 

I'm just sayin'...

[peeb]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

The "thug lifestyle" seems to have gotten its roots deep into some parts of our culture. I'm pessimistic about it ever being dislodged.

You're talking about the Republican Party?

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by peeb 

You're talking about the Republican Party?

:LOL: Not quite. That's funny though... I think the Republicans hire people to do stuff for them, except for raking in obscene profits...