Was workin on a thermostat this mornin in a little nearby town. While watchin the a/c run for a mite I was drawn to have a "look see" at the nighbors house. An old, delapedated house with the floors fallin through and lay'n on the ground. Well--the porch floors were doin that. Anyhow, my attention was drawn to a little camper trailer parked on the back of their property alongside the alley. Two chairs in front of the camper.

Seems the young lady, in the camper, is working double duty. The first and foremost is the oldest "profession" as its called. [Not my determination as I've never partook of anything even resembling a house of ill repute.] The second line of "work" is sellin "Meth" or "coke" to a steady supply of customers.

Drugs are ruinin this nation as well as any other nation that are fightin the influx of drug lords and their small time pushers/dealers. I don't know what can be done about it but apparently very little can if the local cops are continuing to ignore those little campers settin alongside the alley. Matt.24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), July 11, 2001

Answers

As long as there are people who want to do drugs, there will be people who provide that commodity. It's just a basic supply and demand. Lots of people like to find some way to "feel better" when their lives can not or do not make them feel good. If it isn't drugs, it's alcohol, if not alcohol then.... you get the idea. History is replete with people using drugs, alcohol, sex, etc.; it's nothing new. Prohibition of alcohol did not work because of popular demand. It doesn't matter what you or I may think about it -- the majority want these things. This is evidenced by recent propositions which have been passed by the majority for legalizing drugs such as marijuana in many states. I don't believe it is drugs that are ruining our nation. Instead, we should look to the corruptness of our governance. After all, aren't they the ones who I've heard have allowed drugs to come into this country?

-- Lisa (tepeeclan@nidlink.com), July 11, 2001.

I'd have to agree with Lisa. Drugs aren't the problem...it goes a lot deeper than that. Drugs aren't the solution either, but people will do them no matter what. A long time ago I saw a documentary that was supposed to make you want to be a supporter of Dare and stronger drug laws. It had the opposite effect on me. It showed small children who had been kidnapped and "found" in South America dead and then sent back to the states with their body cavities filled with coke which then was taken out of them by a "plant" customs agent, and sent on to the street. I used to think that legalizing marijuana would be opkay, but herion and coke were really bad...and they ARE, BUT killing innocent children to use them as a suitcase is beyond repugnant and if this garbage were legalized there would be no need for all of these truly innocent deaths.

The war on drugs isn't against drugs it's against people's rights and against freedom. Drugs weren't even illegal until the last century. And them being illegal isn't becasue the government "cares" for people, it's about money for fines and the industry of prisons. They do cause tragedy, and I am not trying to say that people wouldn't or don't die from them, but it would only be willfully brought upon someone if they were legal. That's my take on it for what it's worth.

-- Dreen (bisquit@here.com), July 11, 2001.

Thanks, Dreen. I couldn't agree with everything you said more!

-- Lisa (tepeeclan@nidlink.com), July 12, 2001.

I agree with you both...

Alcohol does the same things as drugs, though slower and perhaps to a slightly lesser extent. Our government should learn from the lessons of Prohibition... IT DOESN'T WORK. Just like everything else in this world, telling someone they shouldn't do something only makes them want to do it more - OR - causes them to continue doing it, but in an underground fashion.

Alcohol and drugs have been known since the beginning of time. They have always been used, though mainly as medication or religious practice. Once people start ABusing anything, it becomes perilous - and in many ways.

Drugs which were used in prior times were very pure. They were also used (mainly) by people who had some semblance of self-control. That is no longer the case. Drugs are far from pure - being 'cut' with everything from oregano leaves to strycnine (sp) and arsenic. New drugs are synthesized in the same fashion as regular medications. Look at the side-effects of some regular pharmaceuticals - they are often as if not MORE dangerous than most illicit drugs.

Don't kid yourself - drugs would be legal if there wasn't such a profit in keeping them illegal. The guys in power know this, and it was indirectly pointed out with the whole Iran/Contra deal. There is far less profit in taxation than there is in employing tens of thousands of cronies, supplying their equiptment, filling the jails, etc etc. There are so many more avenues for money to escape in the current system than there are through the IRS - no matter how bad THEY are!!

You all realize, don't you, that WE are paying to keep these folks in jail. WE feed them. WE clothe them. WE educate them. We even provide television, phones, candy, cigarettes, hookers and other things to these folks. Many were rather productive members of society before being incarcerated for smoking a joint. Yes, some did steal... batter...kill... but those are crimes that already have punishments. If you execute someone for killing someone, are they any less dead than if they are executed for killing someone while they were on drugs? If you jail someone for robbing a liquor store, are they any more free than if they robbed that same store to buy drugs? What about the guy who gets a stopped simply and only for speeding and they find a joint in the car...? He goes to jail... not for speeding, which is punishable by a fine, but for possessing part of a plant wrapped in self-gluing paper. Then the cycle starts again, and your and my money is spent. THEN they need more prisons, to spend more of our money, to put more and more 'dangerous' people behind bars. Tell me where the sense is in that!!

Further, the government, in its campaign to UNCONSTITUTIONALLY make drugs illegal LIED. They hadn't done any studies. They hadn't gotten ANY form of scientific input. They used fear, and the ignorance of the masses to make us believe they had the stats, which testing wasn't even begun on for decades. The Supreme Court threw out the first laws on the subject as unconstitutional back in the 30's.

Then, in their brilliance, Congress in the 70's decided to try another approach. They decided to make marajuana taxable. You needed a Federal stamp to sell the stuff. But, they never issued the stamps. The law was written that possession was illegal without the stamp, but you couldn't get the stamp without the crop. Damn if it didn't pass right through. They never INTENDED to issue the stamps or the law wouldn't have read the way it did.

The original wording was simply too blatant. The subsequent wording did essentially the same thing, but in a way that the average, governmentally educated, middle-class idiot couldn't figure it out.

I resent paying for these people to be ripped out of society and sent to jail and prison for something that is essentially a mute point. All it does is put more money in the pockets of the politicians. It doesn't stop drug abuse. It doesn't prevent drug abuse. It doesn't lower the crime rate any more than stealing our guns would. It doesn't lower the unemployment rate, because they have to spend so much on equiptment for all the new people they hire (creating more jobs in the companies that manufacture these things), to keep essentially normal people in jail.

If you don't think they've gone too far, just go ask a school nurse sometime what she IS allowed to do. They can't wrap a sprain, dispense an aspirin, or even in some cases apply a bandaid. These are trained NURSES. They can't give out prescription medications either, unless they are accompanied by a doctor's note AND the original packaging... They CAN, however, dispense condoms, make appointments for birth control counselling, etc. Come on.

BTW... wasn't it the self same government, who when they DID begin to do the studies they'd told us were complete, used to give people things (heroine, LSD, etc) without their consent or knowledge??? Just to see what it would REALLY do?? Thereby sending some people into the nut house or the grave who might - if they had known - not have had ANY permanent damage?? Yes, yes it was.

I distrust ANY person who holds political office. However, here in Idaho - yes again - there are a couple who are poster children for the legalization of drugs. They have decided that the citizens of our fair state are not knowledgeable enough to vote on the issue, and are trying DESPERATELY to keep legalization off the ballot. They have stated that they do not feel this is an issue that the American public is qualified to judge for themselves, and feel that it is best left to the 'elected representatives'.

Why should they be so afraid of a public vote? If they have done their jobs, and told the truth, then why do they feel it is such a risk to allow a vote? Why?? Because they stand to lose a great deal if the public is not convinced by their records and their 'statistics'. What do they have that's worth so much if it is lost?? It certainly isn't their salary!! Most state level politicians make less than $50,000 - on paper. So... Tell me... what are they so afraid of??

I have done most of the available 'illicit' drugs. I also grew up around several alcoholics, and drink occasionally myself. I've had some really wild trips - thought and saw things that would have driven me permanently crazy had I not known before hand that it was possible to see these things under certain conditions. I am not addicted to anything. I have never been hospitalized due to drugs OR alcohol. I have never been arrested for anything even remotely related to drugs or alcohol. I DO have a great affinity for certain weeds and oils, but I don't search them out, I don't steal, I don't lie, and I certainly don't kill people - though I have really wanted to on occasion - stoned or not. I don't believe that doing drugs is worth the risk of jail time. But, I don't believe that NOT doing drugs makes me any better a person, either.

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), July 13, 2001.

Hi all,

I grew up in the 60's and 70's and did not use any other drug than alcohol. I used it so that I would fit in with my then friends. Since then I drink no alcohol at all. The thing that I wonder about is why do people begin other harder drugs, whether or not an addiction results. Is it because life is so miserable and they need an escape? Do they need someone to love them? Is there something missing in their lives that only drugs can fill? Aside from the fact that our government is aiding and abetting, why do you think an individual choses to abuse drugs?

Bonnie

-- Bonnie (witsend@merr.com), July 17, 2001.

You all should realize that this is a free country and people will do whatever they want. As long as you are hung up on other people and what you think they shouldn't be doing, you may as well be hooked on drugs yourself. People who do drugs and whatnot will ruin themselves, and if they don't ruin themselves, then they can handle whatever is that they are doing. A lot of people have serious problems, and if smoking a little joint will help for a short time without disturbing their responsibilities, then who cares! People bring themselves down, and they pick themselves up. No one should be forcing their opinion on anyone. That would make us all as bad as Bin Laden, forcing us to painfully recognize him and the way he feels. I don't approve of all drugs, but it is none of my business. I only have a right to impose on those that are my responsibility. Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion; this is mine.

-- Robyn (RobynL928@aol.com), October 16, 2001.

so what! who cares! i respect all of your opinions but I got one for you. I've been smoking the herbs for almost 7 yrs. now and I don't see any problem at all. People are different.They choose to do drugs because of their own personal reasons. Marijuana should be legalized. why? for pleasure and for medical use. If you're still debating, then roll a fat joint tonight, that'll help~ ahhhhhh)))) trust me...

-- a smoker who enjoys every single hit (irie_eyez@thuglove.com), June 17, 2002.