Breaking The Taboo - The Drug War

[Meni]

Narrated by Oscar winning actor Morgan Freeman, "Breaking the Taboo" is produced by Sam Branson's indie Sundog Pictures and Brazilian co-production partner Spray Filmes and was directed by Cosmo Feilding Mellen and Fernando Grostein Andrade. Featuring interviews with several current or former presidents from around the world, such as Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, the film follows The Global Commission on Drug Policy on a mission to break the political taboo over the United States led War on Drugs and expose what it calls the biggest failure of global policy in the last 40 years.

[Boognish]

Awesome. Crazy some of the numbers about incarcerations in the US now compared to 1970... something like 300,000 then, 2.3 million now. Most of those in jail are there because of drug use, and most of those in jail for drug use are there for personal use. Amazing to see the success of other countries who have legalized drugs whether completely or to some extent, it's just too bad our government is too ****ing stubborn to admit we ****ed up and caused the mess we have now.

[Julz]

I got about halfway through this the other day at work. I'll try to finish the second half at work tomorrow

[Meni]

I like what portugal is doing, you get caught with drugs, they work on your addiction, they don't throw you in jail.
its been over 10 years in Portugal, they have less addiction that us.

[Section31]

I like what portugal is doing, you get caught with drugs, they work on your addiction, they don't throw you in jail.
its been over 10 years in Portugal, they have less addiction that us.

Why?

[fdubzou]

Great film. It's time to admit the last 40 years have been a failure. Let's try something different and see where it gets us.

Imagine no longer having to spend so much on drug enforcement. Using the revenue from taxation and regulation for treatment of addiction and drug addiction education. Imagine literally a fraction of the incarcerated population. Imagine no more violent gun wars by drug cartels. Being able to visit Acapulco without fearing for your life.

[Troker]

Why?

Do you think jail time is more efficient than rehabilitation for curing people's addictions?

[SoonerLibertarian]

There is another drug war doc "The House I Live In"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDT1Kij1kTI

[SoonerLibertarian]

The war on drugs shows where banning things where demand is high is wrong. It is why gun bans will lead to more violence.

[SoonerPT]

Great film. It's time to admit the last 40 years have been a failure. Let's try something different and see where it gets us.

Imagine no longer having to spend so much on drug enforcement. Using the revenue from taxation and regulation for treatment of addiction and drug addiction education. Imagine literally a fraction of the incarcerated population. Imagine no more violent gun wars by drug cartels. Being able to visit Acapulco without fearing for your life.

Great let's put the government in charge of rehabbing dopers I'm sure that would work out fine. I'm all for legalization but my tax dollars shouldn't fund a losing battle, rehab doesn't work or should I say has a very low success rate.

[ArbySooner]

Great let's put the government in charge of rehabbing dopers I'm sure that would work out fine. I'm all for legalization but my tax dollars shouldn't fund a losing battle, rehab doesn't work or should I say has a very low success rate.

So do you believe the war on drugs is a success? If not, what do you suggest?

[SoonerLibertarian]

He's suggesting taking government out of it.

[Section31]

Do you think jail time is more efficient than rehabilitation for curing people's addictions?

See below.

Great let's put the government in charge of rehabbing dopers I'm sure that would work out fine. I'm all for legalization but my tax dollars shouldn't fund a losing battle, rehab doesn't work or should I say has a very low success rate.

Look, if you want to destroy your own body, I guess I have no issue with it really. I hate it for those people. I just find it humorous that you would THEN want me to help pay to rehabilitate you (not you per se). I've said this before (probably in the Dome), but if you tell me I have to pay for one or the other, I might choose to pay for incarceration instead of rehabilitation. I might have had the opposite opinion years back, but now believe all the coddling and pacification is leading to more bad behavior and violence. With that said, if our government decided to take the path of rehabbing these people, I wouldn't stand out in front of the capital in protest.

[SoonerPT]

So do you believe the war on drugs is a success? If not, what do you suggest?

Legalization without government intervention, if the dopers want to kill themselves so be it....it's their choice.

[Meni]

Great let's put the government in charge of rehabbing dopers I'm sure that would work out fine. I'm all for legalization but my tax dollars shouldn't fund a losing battle, rehab doesn't work or should I say has a very low success rate.

Think of the INCOME taxing the products we legalize, $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
rehabbing dopers? cost less than incarcerating them.
look at portugal, why are they after 10 years of legal HEROIN, and COCAINE ETC, doing well?

[Meni]

I love the bit in the film where Reagan admits his generation has their crutches, but he didn't want the new generation having theirs.

[SoonerPT]

Think of the INCOME taxing the products we legalize, $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
rehabbing dopers? cost less than incarcerating them.
look at portugal, why are they after 10 years of legal HEROIN, and COCAINE ETC, doing well?

Why throw money down the drain, rehab doesn't work. Once again, legalization without government intervention concerning rehab.

[fdubzou]

Why throw money down the drain, rehab doesn't work. Once again, legalization without government intervention concerning rehab.

Rehab does work. My late brother was proof of that. I'm doubting anyone in your family has suffered from addiction.

[SoonerLibertarian]

Rehab would work better than putting people in jail. Just not sure it would completely work either. I'm not sure anyone should be put in any rehab in relation to marijuana.

[SoonerPT]

Rehab does work. My late brother was proof of that. I'm doubting anyone in your family has suffered from addiction.

Really, how many times did he go through rehab and how many relapses before he stayed clean. If he succeeded after his first rehab stint that's great but certainly not the norm. Defining success is tricky, so tricky in fact they won't even publish success rates.

[Meni]

Why throw money down the drain, rehab doesn't work. Once again, legalization without government intervention concerning rehab.

rehab does work, my buddy a NEB fan, was shooting heroin with hookers lost his biz, now he's mr stay home with his woman working hard, clean.
as for doing drugs and then chilling, i use to roll every weekend, don't do any E now, my buddy use to party with coke, now hits gym twice a day

[Meni]

Legalize it, tax it, get the drug cartels out of biz, then again the prisons will lose inmates, fighting the drug war means $$$ for thousands of gov workers

[fdubzou]

Really, how many times did he go through rehab and how many relapses before he stayed clean. If he succeeded after his first rehab stint that's great but certainly not the norm. Defining success is tricky, so tricky in fact they won't even publish success rates.

So if something doesn't work the first time, it's a failure and is worthless? Rehab is an ongoing process. You have no idea what you're talking about.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[SoonerPT]

So if something doesn't work the first time, it's a failure and is worthless? Rehab is an ongoing process. You have no idea what you're talking about.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

As a matter of fact I do, like I said earlier the success rate is extremely low and the government has no business in it at all. If that's something a person wants to do then I'm all for it but not on my tax dime.

[Troker]

As a matter of fact I do, like I said earlier the success rate is extremely low and the government has no business in it at all. If that's something a person wants to do then I'm all for it but not on my tax dime.

So you'd rather your tax dime go to housing, feeding and clothing offenders? And since the government apparently sucks at all that... don't worry! We already let private companies run prisons too! It's not like we have the highest incarceration AND recidivism rate on the planet or anything...

[SoonerSteve1]

I got about halfway through this the other day at work. I'll try to finish the second half at work tomorrow

I like how you work...lol

[IcanzIIravor]

As a matter of fact I do, like I said earlier the success rate is extremely low and the government has no business in it at all. If that's something a person wants to do then I'm all for it but not on my tax dime.

If the government taxes the legal sell of such drugs I can't see any reason to oppose the government using some of that money for rehab and treatment of those trying to kick the habit. An addict certainly can't pay for their own rehab while being in the midst of their addiction or getting treatment.

[SoonerLibertarian]

Getting over an addiction is a persons own will in the end. Yes rehab can help some. But in the end if a person doesn't want to kick the habit giving them money for rehab may just end up paying for their next fix.

[oucub23]

If the government taxes the legal sell of such drugs I can't see any reason to oppose the government using some of that money for rehab and treatment of those trying to kick the habit. An addict certainly can't pay for their own rehab while being in the midst of their addiction or getting treatment.

Other than the government sucking at everything they try to do, there isn't a reason. But they do. If they want to fund rehab from private organizations, then great. They won't though--they'll put a whole pile of idiotic regulations on the board to make sure that care is being provided in an appropriate manner. and people trying to provide care will go blind on paperwork and care will suffer as a result.

Your overall point is valid--there's just a whole lot of stupid going on in here.

[oucub23]

As a matter of fact I do, like I said earlier the success rate is extremely low and the government has no business in it at all. If that's something a person wants to do then I'm all for it but not on my tax dime.

Last time I checked the success rate was about 27%.

[oucub23]

Legalize it, tax it, get the drug cartels out of biz, then again the prisons will lose inmates, fighting the drug war means $$$ for thousands of gov workers

So will taxing it. It will create an entire new bureaucracy.

[oucub23]

Why are we pushing for drug legalization while at the same time pushing to make tobacco illegal?

[Omega]

Why are we pushing for drug legalization while at the same time pushing to make tobacco illegal?

Who's pushing to make it illegal? No one on this board... and really no one I've talked too. Tobacco is fine where it is

[IcanzIIravor]

Why are we pushing for drug legalization while at the same time pushing to make tobacco illegal?

I say make it all legal and tax it like we tax alcohol consumption. I have no problem with a mix of private and government funding for treatment. I just think going solely private won't be the answer as it will be too expensive for most drug addicts, which is why I think a percentage of the tax of these legal drugs could easily be set aside for treatment. Illegal drugs is a multibillion dollar industry so you'll get at worst hundreds of millions of tax money from it. Use some to put people in rehab. If it takes multiple times for them to kick it then so be it.

[cbsooner]

I like what portugal is doing, you get caught with drugs, they work on your addiction, they don't throw you in jail.
its been over 10 years in Portugal, they have less addiction that us.

They also have less people than us, while also having less access to drugs.

[AZ Sooner]

Although not a druggie (I did inhale once upon a time) I think the way we do alot of things needs to be looked at outside the box, and this is issue is only one. How many $$$ and how much manpower (time and support) has gone into the grossly failed WOD? We either need to scrap it and start over, or come up with a totally new strategy. As money hungry as a federal government is, I can't believe they haven't realized how much additional revenue they would have by legalizing the drug trade, taxing the hell out of it (like everything else) along with the added savings of the substantially reduced forces required to enforce rather than to wage the WOD. This or start taxing e-mails

Also, being curious like I am, I'd like to know the cost of a re-hab stint vs. incarceration for a drug offense, and also what the recidivism rate is for each.

[SoonerBull]

Legalization without government intervention, if the dopers want to kill themselves so be it....it's their choice.

Just another form of population control...

[runningwithscissors]

regarding addiction, HBO put out a series of videos on the subject. some really good stuff. be sure to check out the one on the science of relapse if nothing else, it's very insightful.

http://www.hbo.com/addiction/thefilm/

[SoonerPT]

So you'd rather your tax dime go to housing, feeding and clothing offenders? And since the government apparently sucks at all that... don't worry! We already let private companies run prisons too! It's not like we have the highest incarceration AND recidivism rate on the planet or anything...

Try reading the thread, legalization without government funded rehab.

[Turk]

Why are we pushing for drug legalization while at the same time pushing to make tobacco illegal?

Because tobacco actually kills a **** ton of people.

[Stoopsies Pinkie]

Because tobacco actually kills a **** ton of people.

And Illegal drugs don't, heh.

I don't think a lot of you realize the money some of these agencies receive in drug, cash, and ****et forfeitures. They need to funds to stay open, to bust more people. Hard cycle to break.

[PokeJ]

How about people just obey the laws?

[SoonerAmongThePack]

How about people just obey the laws?

Your common sense answer is immediately rejected!

Some would say the laws are the problem. I would tend to agree with that sentiment on some drugs, but not all.

[PokeJ]

Your common sense answer is immediately rejected!

Some would say the laws are the problem. I would tend to agree with that sentiment on some drugs, but not all.

Yeah, I guess I'm just simple minded.

[ArbySooner]

In the meantime, for the big busts, such as the mules on i35 getting pulled over with a ****load of drugs and/or cash, just seize the cash/drugs and let them go. A small piece of the inmate problem solved..

[SoonerLibertarian]

Yeah, I guess I'm just simple minded.

If only everyone would drive the speed limit only we wouldn't have so many car accidents right? The average person probably breaks several laws a day and doesn't even know it.

[Section31]

If only everyone would drive the speed limit only we wouldn't have so many car accidents right? The average person probably breaks several laws a day and doesn't even know it.

This is a silly argument. The difference is, people aren't sitting around saying driving any speed limit you want should be acceptable. EVERYONE realizes if they are pulled over for speeding there's a great chance they're getting a ticket. Additionally, when speeding there's a strong chance someone dies in a car wreck, thus the reason for the "limit".

Same goes for drugs. Druggies are mostly worthless. Think about it. People argue against the thought that they are addictive, but at the same time many people are willing to go to jail for the "right" to take drugs (ANY of them). That tells me one of two thing; they either are addicted or are deviant by nature.

I can't believe with all the problems we have with deviant behavior we have today we somehow want there to be more.

[mexican/ninja]

Sounds to me like a bunch of people just need to grow up already instead of relying on drugs to make their lives bearable. Guess I'm just not 'cool'.

[SoonerLibertarian]

Sounds to me like a bunch of people just need to grow up already instead of relying on drugs to make their lives bearable. Guess I'm just not 'cool'.

For the record, I don't do drugs, don't even smoke cigarettes or even drink alcohol at the moment. About the only thing I do is probably more addictive than most drugs in caffeine. But you won't see anyone wanting to ban it either. Banning things with a big demand is just going to end up in a huge black market that is far less regulated by the free market and far more dangerous. The biggest problem with the war on drugs though is that it promotes violence and racism.

[mexican/ninja]

For the record, I don't do drugs, don't even smoke cigarettes or even drink alcohol at the moment. About the only thing I do is probably more addictive than most drugs in caffeine. But you won't see anyone wanting to ban it either. Banning things with a big demand is just going to end up in a huge black market that is far less regulated by the free market and far more dangerous. The biggest problem with the war on drugs though is that it promotes violence and racism.

Didn't say anything should be banned. Just don't get the need to feel 'high'. Seems the smarter decision would be to sit down and figure out why I wasn't 'happy' enough.