# Proposed: To Win War on Terror, End War on Drugs **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 6, 2001, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-to-win-war-on-terror-end-war-on-drugs/91825 "2001-11-06T18:15:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Shampoop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@Shampoop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shampoop)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2001, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-to-win-war-on-terror-end-war-on-drugs/91825/21 "2001-11-08T13:36:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JThunder \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Ferrous \* > > \*\* > > > > > [@](#): > > > > > > _Originally posted by JThunder_\*\* > > > A lot of violent crime occurs _because_ of drugs. > > > > \*\* > > Not true. A lot of violent crime occurs _because drugs are illegal_ creating a hugely profitable black market. \*\* > > You’re missing the point. Some violent crime may occur for the reason that you cited; however, violent crime also occurs as a result of being _under the influence_ of certain drugs. For this reason, it is overly simplistic to conclude that legalizing drugs will reduce the incidence of crime in general, or violent crime in particular. > > [http://www.jhu.edu/~newslett/04-12-01/Opinions/4.html](http://www.jhu.edu/~newslett/04-12-01/Opinions/4.html) > [http://www.sarnia.com/GROUPS/ANTIDRUG/argument/myths.html](http://www.sarnia.com/GROUPS/ANTIDRUG/argument/myths.html) > [http://www.mdle.com/legdrugs.htm](http://www.mdle.com/legdrugs.htm) \*\* wouldn’t some violent crimes still happen just for the hell of it? i mean, i’d beat the bejesus out of bin laden, and i wouldn’t need drugs to do so either ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-to-win-war-on-terror-end-war-on-drugs/91825/22 "2001-11-15T04:42:05Z")
If marijuana growers gave as much money to political parties as Big Tobacco did, it would be legal in an instant. ---
**Author:** ![scotth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@scotth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotth)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-to-win-war-on-terror-end-war-on-drugs/91825/23 "2001-11-15T18:20:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JThunder \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Ferrous \* > > \*\* > > > > > [@](#): > > > > > > _Originally posted by JThunder_\*\* > > > A lot of violent crime occurs _because_ of drugs. > > > > \*\* > > Not true. A lot of violent crime occurs _because drugs are illegal_ creating a hugely profitable black market. \*\* > > You’re missing the point. Some violent crime may occur for the reason that you cited; however, violent crime also occurs as a result of being _under the influence_ of certain drugs. For this reason, it is overly simplistic to conclude that legalizing drugs will reduce the incidence of crime in general, or violent crime in particular. > > [http://www.jhu.edu/~newslett/04-12-01/Opinions/4.html](http://www.jhu.edu/~newslett/04-12-01/Opinions/4.html) > [http://www.sarnia.com/GROUPS/ANTIDRUG/argument/myths.html](http://www.sarnia.com/GROUPS/ANTIDRUG/argument/myths.html) > [http://www.mdle.com/legdrugs.htm](http://www.mdle.com/legdrugs.htm) \*\* Ok, here is the real stuff. These are transcipts of testimony before Congress by people who study this for a living. (Not that that makes them right on its own)… [http://www.ips-dc.org/downloads/addicted-testimony-socialimpact.PDF](http://www.ips-dc.org/downloads/addicted-testimony-socialimpact.PDF) This is from the Institute of Policy Studies. Anyway, your experiment has been done already, the results are in. Please read all of this, it is very informative and FACTUAL… If you don’t have time to read it all… jump down to this section, “SOCIAL IMPACT OF DRUGS & THE WAR ON DRUGS: Workable Alternatives Testimony of Mike Gray”. This covers exactly your proposition to the tee. ---
**Author:** ![Hibbins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ce73a5/32.png) [@Hibbins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hibbins)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-to-win-war-on-terror-end-war-on-drugs/91825/24 "2001-11-15T20:18:00Z")
Sorry, I had to comment on this little bit of rather skewed opinion. **occ** > [@](#): > > …the sheer number of alcohol-related incidents of violence as compared to those involving other drugs is staggering. May that not be reasonbly explained by the sheer number of alcohol users and abusers as compared to those involving other drugs? Also: **ElwoodCuse** has this gem: > [@](#): > > If marijuana growers gave as much money to political parties as Big Tobacco did, it would be legal in an instant. Ya think? I don’t. Though I’d bet that if big tobacco didn’t spend as much money on political parties it would quicly become illegal. Sentiment over the last few decades isn’t running toward a more open society. Rather it is tending toward a more closed and protected society. ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-to-win-war-on-terror-end-war-on-drugs/91825/25 "2001-11-17T22:08:00Z")
What Bush will do to end the Drug War is to declare illegal drug dealers terrorists. Thus the War on Terror will expand. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-to-win-war-on-terror-end-war-on-drugs/91825.md?page=1)