Should Obama Also Declare an End to the War on Drugs?

(c) 2013 by Tom King

The President recently declared the War on Terror to be over, ironically just a week or so after terrorists blew up the Boston Marathon. Now people are calling for him to end the War on Drugs.  I saw this cartoon which continues the Lib meme that the drug war is causing more deaths than it's worth:

Some friendly folk in the drug trade who will
be ever so happy with you for trying to end
their lucrative business.

Let's look at the claim a bit more critically.

•  Drug War death toll - 5700 over the past FIVE years (generous estimate found on one pro-legalization website) They had to go to back long in order to get collect a high enough death toll to compare it to US deaths in the Iraqi/Afghan war.

• Death from drug overdoses in the US - 37,792 in 2012 (that's ONE year)

• Drug-related deaths in Mexico under Felipe Calderone - Expected to reach 110,000 by the end of the year.

And the "Drug War Death Toll" numbers include drug smugglers and dealers slaughtering each other over "turf", not just innocent bystanders.  And there is no guarantee that legalizing drugs will stop the internecine conflicts among drug producers or that it will reduce overdose deaths. 

When you surrender to an invasion, that doesn't necessarily stop the killing. The Chinese City of Nanking surrendered to the Japanese.  The death toll stood at 370,000 dead AFTER the surrender.  Declaring an End to the War on Drugs will no more stop the slaughter than will the President's declaration of an end to the War on Terror. Surrendering to evil men only encourages them to commit more evil.

And do not kid yourself, the folks profiting from the drug trade are evil men and they will not take kindly to efforts to end what is for them a lucrative business.  The only way to end their power and the murders that go with it is for people to STOP USING ILLEGAL DRUGS.

One could safely bet that this pile o' pot
wasn't for "personal" use.

If you are using any illegal substance, you are supporting the drug lords, the cartels and other very bad people. If you want to grow you some pot for personal use, get yourself a couple of nice pots, some dirt and some Miracle Gro.  But do NOT sell it.  Do not distribute it. Do not provide dealers with "product".  If you do any of these things, you are part of the problem and I have little sympathy with you.  If you pickle your brain with the stuff, that's on you.  Don't ask me to approve of you filing for disabilty, food stamps or a welfare check just because you don't care to stir yourself from your chair to go to work.  If you can "handle it", then do so and you'll get no truck from me and probably none from the Federales.

But that's never where it ends with people who want to end the Drug Wars.  Most are ready to set up shop and sell the stuff themselves.  If you do get to legally set up your pot shop, you'll probably go broke. It's too easy to grow as a potted plant.  If the drug rings leave you alone, it will be because pot actually is a gateway drug and they will appreciate you sending business their way.   

If, on the other hand, legal pot really does break their power and destroys their lucrative trade in illegal drugs, then they are going to burn down your pot shop and shoot you in the head for cutting in on their business.  And with the end of the War on Drugs, there won't be any cops around to do more than scrape you off the pavement and file your case under "drug deaths" and then forget about you.  Remember.  They won't be at war with the people who shot you anymore.


I'm just sayin'


Tom King