The Drug War

The Doser asks his readers to consider their reasons for supporting The Drug War for such a long time and so generously. Let's look at it this way:
(1) Do I think that the drug war has stopped a lot of people from taking drugs in the first place?
(2) Do I believe that a lot of people that were committed to using drugs have been stopped from using them by the War?
(3) Do I believe that a lot of people have been protected, by the "War" effort, from being looted or killed by the drug traffic?
(4) Do I believe that fewer people are using drugs now than when the "War" started?
(5) Do I think that we are "winning" the drug war?
(6) Do I think we are holding our own in the drug war?
(7) Do I think we have not yet lost The Drug War?
(8) When President O'Bama talks about programs justifying their existence to get funding, do I think The Drug War will justify its existence by pointing to its progress and victories?
(9) Do I think that drug suppliers are the criminals and that users are just sick people?
(10) Do I think that, if we increased our allotment or changed our War strategy, we'd bring the matter to victory?
(11) Do I think The Drug War makes a strong moral statement about the US?
(12) Do I think that conducting The Drug War is better than not conducting it?


If you answered any of the above questions with a "Yes, I do," don't bother to read on. You have a good thing going for you. Why fix it?

If you did not answer any of the questions with a "Yes, I do," here are some references to help you apply focus on your dissatisfaction:

"The Drug War" is the almost 40 year old Crusade that now costs the Federal and State governments of the United States close to $15 billion each quarter-annum. The cost mounts at the rate of $600 per second. You might watch the costs click the clock up on the ongoing costs.

The Doser says: The Drug War is a euphemism for: Stop other people from providing our people with the drugs they want."

Though it has been dubbed a "War," it really has never been considered one - since we do not publish our losses, the costs involved or the "body-count" (a Viet Nam War practice.)

There is so much creditable material on The Web that excoriates the so-called Drug Wat that The Doser got lost in attempting to make a decent bibliography. You are asked to browse the topic of The Drug War.

One final note: A good place to get synoptic impressions of The Drug War is on Alternet. Why go to the Alernet rather than the WSJ or the NYT or the Big O? Because the war on The Drug War is not yet being fought by the establishment press.