[TexaninVA]

Originally Posted by AutoBike

So what? Alcohol and tobacco are also addictive to millions more ....and legal. We manage those as social problems, not criminal ones.

Talk about apples and oranges ... wow. If you can't really make a distinction here there's not much common ground for a solution

[TexaninVA]

Originally Posted by buggyone

Personally, I do not have a plan. We have found out that buying off poppy farmers does not work. Heroin is a terrible drug and has ruined lives. Compassion has nothing to do with execution of anyone. It is not a deterrent and has been so proved when done on a haphazard basis. It would be a deterrent if done for everyone who does the same crime without exception.

Would you be comfortable in trading your basic freedoms for the almost perfect crime free nation in the world - Singapore? Of course, it is only 595 square miles but has over 5 million people - and almost all the people obey the letter of their very strict laws. Punishments range from heavy fines for misdemeanors to caning to stiff prison time to execution. No private gun ownership allowed. No drugs allowed. No spitting allowed. No eating durian fruit in public allowed.

Well, maybe you should try to come up with some type of plan or solution. As you say, if the death penalty was “done for everyone who does the same crime without exception” and I would add “swiftly” there’s no doubt it would be a major deterrent.

Regarding Singapore … that’s actually a wonderful place to live. Have you ever been there? I remember back many years ago (early 1970s) I was a young Ensign on Shore Patrol duty with my Singapore military counterpart. We had the night shift. He made a claim … he said he could put a wallet with cash hanging out of it on the street, at night, under the light and no one would touch it. Having come from a big city USA I said “no way.” He did it and the wallet was still there in the morning. He explained to me ‘’’ here, in our country, people KNOW that if they break the law they will be punished.” It’s a parliamentary form of government, very wealthy and pretty much crime free. I could think of worse places to live. Come to think of it, Chicago comes to mind.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Villages PL

You won't find it on a list of the leading causes of death due to disease because it's not considered a disease.

You would have to do a separate search for deaths due to (legal) prescription drugs.

I thought you were trying to make a point of drugs used to maintain and improve health but obviously you mean drugs used to stop pain, such as oxycodone and morphine that drug users use to get high and combine with other illegal drugs and overdose and die.
Prescription Drug Deaths Increase Dramatically - Scientific American

I was surprised and SHOCKED to see that Oxycodone was the second most commonly used drug prescribed by physicians.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/11...ription-drugs/

[Bay Kid]

Originally Posted by AutoBike

Maybe we should have a fleet of drones flying around the border.

Great idea! We send our military all over the world to help protect others borders. Bring the troops home and stop ILLEGALS dead from coming in Illegally. Too simple an idea?

[lynxville]

There is no easy simple solution to our massive drug problem. If it was easy to do we would do it. Legalization has been tried in some countries and that hasn't helped either. We will never stop drugs entering the country until we attempt to stop the demand.

Meth is cheap and easy to make, so even if we could stop smuggling, we still have meth.

Selling drugs is a cash cow that allows the user to make enough money to use drugs. In the inner city it's the lazy persons access to easy money. I believe that the root of the problems in some cases is the breakdown of the family structure. Single moms on welfare, unsupervised children, bad public schools, lack of opportunity, lack of jobs, filth on Tv, in rap music, trash on the web, and on the big screen. Where are the role models for our children?

Our nation sets the bar lower every year and I wonder how rotten it will get in the future. My Dad always said wait and see the children raised by delinquents.

[TNLAKEPANDA]

Hope they all stay up there! You will never stop the drugs.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I thought you were trying to make a point of drugs used to maintain and improve health but obviously you mean drugs used to stop pain, such as oxycodone and morphine that drug users use to get high and combine with other illegal drugs and overdose and die.
Prescription Drug Deaths Increase Dramatically - Scientific American

I was surprised and SHOCKED to see that Oxycodone was the second most commonly used drug prescribed by physicians.
Top 5 Most Commonly Used Prescription Drugs | LIVESTRONG.COM

I found the exact information I was looking for but I think it will be best to start a new thread rather than hijack your thread about cocaine.

[graciegirl]

There would still be incentive to commit crimes unless they were free. Addiction to Heroin kills morals, decency, bonds to family, addicted people would do ANYTHING to get that next fix....

And anyone we have ever taken on as a nation would be like a litter of kittens compared to the drug cartels. Do not underestimate them. They would do anything to get more of them into this country too. ANYTHING.

[karostay]

100,000 overdoses works for me End of problem

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by karostay

100,000 overdoses works for me End of problem

Sometimes we think along the same lines.

[Indydealmaker]

Originally Posted by AutoBike

If you take the majority of the cost out of that next fix, there's much less need to rob others. There's also much less profit to support local dealers, enforcers, etc.



Drug cartels are powerful because of the drug money that flows TO them from the street. If a $5 rock suddenly cost 5 cents, how long do you think cartels could maintain their armies?

It didn't work that way in Colorado or Washington. Legal pot is not cheap. Taxation will prevent cheap legal drugs.