A Real Solution to "The War on Drugs"

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A couple of months ago I had shared my misgivings over the so-called "War on Drugs".

If you had read through that post then you would understand that I am quite critical of the punitive yet ineffective methods employed by governments to allegedly stamp out drugs - with the brunt mainly borne by small-time drug pushers and drug users alike. It is as a direct consequence of this war that prison populations have ballooned - with that of the USA exceeding 2.25 million people.

Sometimes one can only realize just how pointless and evil something is when placed in the context of an alternative that is much better and less cruel. This is what I shall be focusing upon today - an alternative to "The War on Drugs".

A Different Path to Solving the Drugs Issue.

The following is the essence of that which I propose. If you should understand just these first two images within this article then the rest of this article shall merely be gravy.

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This falls into the 'legalization' camp of thought (and legalization has been successful in the few nations (Portugal comes to mind) that have implemented any meaningful variant of such).

This goes beyond just legalizing - and I shall be detailing what has evolved to become a '5-step plan' to solve the drugs issue below.

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Legalize

Is legalizing about giving easier access to drugs? Not necessarily.

It is about ensuring the persons with drug issues are never made to feel like they have nowhere to turn to.

By ensuring that their personal (ab)use of drugs is decriminalized, these individuals can always reach out for help without fear of being persecuted and prosecuted.

In other words, it brings the problem of drugs 'above the table'.

Of course, legitimizing the use of drugs should naturally lead to the opening up of individually-driven scientific or medical experimentation - the flow of information being less stifled.

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Centralize

Through the centralization of legitimate avenues for both drugs production and trade, the purpose is to promote an environment that is conducive to both quality assurance and consistency. Optimally transparency too although such is not necessarily inherent to centralization.

This would mean that any existing illicit traders would not simply be able to continue to operate in a business-as-usual-like manner. Such operations would need to submit to review in order to gain approval as a legitimate avenue of production and/or trade - and such would involve coming in-line with the same quality assurance and consistency (as well as transparency) standards mentioned.

Thus drugs that are misleadingly produced and sold at a rate above their quality level may find their approval revoked.

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I had originally envisioned government-run clinics and producers being the sole legitimate means of obtaining such, but I have concluded that since the purpose is both to ensure higher standards while weakening the drugs shadow economy, I have been asking myself if centralization really is the only path.

I admit that the following question has been nagging me as of late - and is inspired by my exposure to crypto and blockchain.

Is it truly better to Centralize or could a Decentralized model work better?

To my mind the centralized route seems to be the more straightforward path to either regulating the existing drugs shadow economy - or to edge it out of existence - but I sincerely hope that some decentralization advocates will make a strong case for the alternative down below in comments. :c)

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Subsidize

Is subsidizing about giving access to cheaper drugs?

Not exactly - although such would be a side-effect.

To be blunt - this is about ensuring that drugs are available as near to cost as feasible - and perhaps even at a modest loss if necessary.

So, why should the tax-payer spend a dime on subsidizing drug (ab)users' drug habits? This is the natural question. It seems counter-intuitive.

Let me answer that via another question. Why do drug dealers deal drugs?

The answer is profit.

And, unlike the so-called "War on Drugs", I would like to see the profit motivator in drugs mitigated if not nullified.

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If a nation creates a situation where they 'cannot' compete on price then there can be no profit.

No profit means no incentive to produce/import or sell drugs.

Which in turn has a beneficial knock-on effect upon organized crime rates - which fall to lower drugs funding.

Through the use of simple economics and determination we could achieve what a near-50-year-long "War on Drugs" could 'never' achieve.

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Support

Support is where things come together for drug (ab)users (and those people who 'truly' have their best interests at heart).

Now that (ab)users have been offered an environment where their issue can be 'above the table' without consequence - it becomes much more possible to treat their habit.

Incrementally and over a reasonably gradual period of time, such persons could be weened off dangerous levels of their drug(s) of choice. They would also be offered every opportunity and assistance to quit completely and rehabilitate their bodies and minds to a life either without drugs - or where drugs no longer rule their lives.

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The above should be clear and uncontroversial enough. Its the following point that may require some thinking over.

For the sake of ensuring that the shadow drugs economy is never afforded a foothold, individuals wishing to try out and experiment with drugs would find that it would be quite easy to do so for as long as they are either of age or have guardian consent.

I am far from thrilled about the prospect of a younger person gaining access to drugs - regardless of guardian permission - but I also know that allowing for this to be a possibility is necessary to ensure that there is no reason (short of fear of the guardian) for such a person to turn to shady dealer types selling a likely impure and far more dangerous and uncontrolled mixture of something on the streets.

No... At least it would be much safer to try something tested-and-true out with the monitoring of persons who care for his or her well-being and who can monitor his or her health.

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Assimilate

Turning perspective 180 degrees, one asks: What is to become of those in the service of the drugs shadow economy?

It may seem strange to care about what happens to such workers - after all they have undoubtedly been contributing to the problem in some way or another.

However they also represent a very significant population to drive out of work. This, if mishandled, could very well result in a backlash both against the state as well as innocent bystanders.

There are various possible paths that could be chosen in this regard, with some likely to bear more fruits than others. The particular path that I would suggest involves the offer of a limited amnesty program on drug-specific crimes.

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Such could include incentives concerning weapon buy-backs, retraining and work programs and even a stipend. Upon such, a "volunteering" system can be based (where individuals who opt to take up the program can choose to volunteer the identities of other potential beneficiaries of the scheme (for a less spartan stipend)).

Again, this seems more conducive to a 'centralized' approach - and I do look forward to hearing a couple of decentralized alternatives.

In this way we could take significant steps toward bring about a more healthy relationship between Society, drugs, and (less) profits... where a citizen can at least have as casual and positive(ish) a relationship with drugs as we do with alcohol, if we should so choose.

And in the meantime, perhaps we could do worse than to call for the so-called "War on Drugs" to come to an end. It as been the direct cause for more suffering in this World than most could fathom.

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Its time to call an end to that which has failed for near enough 50 years - and to try another approach. Portugal seems to be doing fine!

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I expect that this post will inspire a broad set of reactions - and I welcome such as only good things can come about from communicating. Do you have any comments or feedback? Do get in on the discussion down below!

Also, if you found this post interesting and would like to share this with your followers and friends then a resteem is always appreciated.

Sincerely,

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