Here's their blurb
THE war on drugs has failed and the world must now consider legalisation, a former MI6 chief declares today. Nigel Inkster, a respected former No2 in the Secret Intelligence Service, is the most senior figure yet to call for a review of the world’s narcotics laws...
Other figures backing a rethink include ex-MI5 boss Eliza Manningham-Buller, Sir Richard Branson, ex-Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth and UK Bar Council Chairman Nicholas Green QC.
- A ROYAL Navy war ship has seized 400lbs of heroin worth £14million from a ship in the Indian Ocean. Its sale would have funded international terrorists.
And they published his actual article next to the editorial. It's a fairly bog standard explanation of why trying to ban drugs is completely pointless and just makes things worse but good stuff nonetheless.
Tuesday, 17 April 2012
I was pleasantly surprised to see this in The Sun
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17 comments:
A bog standard explanation is exactly what is needed in the Sun.
Legalization of grass at least.
Did you see "The 70s" last night? The first bit was all about homeownerism, quite interesting.
C, true.
JH, yup. I can't stand the stuff, but each to his own.
BE, no, is it being repeated? I reckon that HOism kicked off in early 1970s, once number of owner-occupiers went about 50%.
Actually, on a web forum the other day I wrote:
"I wonder if those campaigning for the legalisation of cannabis would really envy the current legal regime applying to tobacco - massive health warnings, prohibition of consumption in indoor public places, punitive taxation, high level of smuggling, advertising ban, display ban, likely introduction of plain packaging, constant official demonisation, users pushed down the healthcare queue?
"Is it perhaps better kept illegal, untaxed and under the radar?"
And the "legalisation prevents adulteration" argument is rather undermined by the fact that, due to sky-high duty rates, we are seeing more and more counterfeit tobacco and alcohol.
Personally I think
1/ Bin the NHS, it doesn't work.
2/ Make cigarettes get sold with treatment vouchers. So ciggies cost the same, but you fund the extra insurance cost.
The 70s is repeated on BBC2 tonight at 11.20 pm.
Has anyone bothered to ask why people need to get chronically addicted to drugs in the first place? Could it be that we are so pissed off being slaves.
Better to cure slavery and see how it all plays out? Only slaves want drug addiciton legalised.
You are confusing effect with cause my lad.
I've been engaged with the "war against drugs" who want to have it legalised and "regulated".
Oh dear oh dear oh dear.
Who will benefit? Yup, monopoly drug companies.
The Matrix has you on this one Mr Wadsworth.
C, ta.
RS, oh come off it, some people enjoy drugs, booze, smoking, whatever, why ban it?
You are a bit of a neo-puritan at times, why not say "People only play golf, go to the cinema, go cycling, collect stamps etc because they want a distraction from being slaves".
Nope. By and large, people do these things because they enjoy them, and would continue to enjoy them even if they weren't slaves, and if they do them even though they don't enjoy them, well tough.
RS, the idle rich become alcoholics and heroin addicts too, you know.
B, to be fair to RS, if we sorted out the economy, it is quite likely that there would be less addiction (and more recreational drug use), that's still no reason not to legalise it ASAP.
Who will benefit? Yup, monopoly drug companies.
Please, go explain this to the person who will die of an overdose any day now, hookers who work to support a habit costing an average wage a year, and anyone in debt to their local heroin cartel; "LVT will sort you out! You're just a slave and have been doing this because of the tax system." The alternative to legalisation and regulation is pretty bleak for some people, and I'll take some evil corporate "monopoly" over the Pablo Escobars of the world any day.
Kj, yup, me too.
While I accept that large corporations might end up monopolising the stuff that's complicated to make and has a risk of side effects (and so needs quality control and people will prefer to buy from people who are worth taking to court if it goes wrong), I'm sure that stuff like cannabis* or magic mushrooms will remain pretty much a cottage industry.
* We can import Fair Trade cannabis from poorer hot countries, far better than wasting electricity growing it ourselves.
MW: there are probably as many attempts of rent-seeking in the legalised drug-industry as anywhere else, but that's no argument for the current situation. One thing is the really serious issues that people involved in the drug world on every level is subject to, another is that I have every intention of indulging my retired slave-self in some mild cannabis when it's legal, and why shouldn't I be able to?
"far better than wasting electricity growing it ourselves."
Wasting electricity? The stuff grows like a weed outside, given half a chance.
Bayard: as far as I understand from the biology of the plant, it doesn't develop the potency that the market requires if grown outside in northern climates.
Kj, the word obviously hadn't got through to the pot-heads who used to grow the stuff round me where I lived in Somerset. Yeah, it's not as strong as imported stuff, but what the hell, it's nearly free. Or you can always use a greenhouse.
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