# Raise Doping Penalties! **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 23, 2011, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raise-doping-penalties/572328 "2011-02-23T07:30:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chupacabras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Chupacabras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chupacabras)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2011, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raise-doping-penalties/572328/1 "2011-02-23T07:30:44Z")
I’ve been hearing a lot lately about these drug wars south of the border (I’m a US citizen), such as in Mexico and Columbia. A lot of these cartels’ funding is coming from drug money in the US. So, as a gesture to help patch up old wounds still existing from the Bad Neighbor Policy and maybe in the interest of the government actually doing something that will help the nation, should the penalties for doping be raised? For instance, raise the penalty for possession from a misdemeanor to something higher? Maybe even a felony, but not sure how the Congress would take to that. Think about it! ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2011, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raise-doping-penalties/572328/2 "2011-02-23T07:48:54Z")
It’ll also help fill America’s dangerously underpopulated prisons. ---
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2011, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raise-doping-penalties/572328/3 "2011-02-23T09:42:12Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > It’ll also help fill America’s dangerously underpopulated prisons. Heh. Thread over, Alessan wins. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2011, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raise-doping-penalties/572328/4 "2011-02-23T09:50:10Z")
If you want to create an even bigger profit motive, then yes. If you want a strategy that works, however, just legalize it already. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2011, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raise-doping-penalties/572328/5 "2011-02-23T09:53:14Z")
Please, we are just finally getting marijuana possession decriminalized for those of us who would like to use it for medication … please don’t start putting us back in prison. If it is legalized, then the dope smugglers from south of the border will have to find some other way to make money, just like the mob post prohibition. ---
**Author:** ![3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/47e85d/32.png) [@3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3_20_59_or_bust)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2011, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raise-doping-penalties/572328/6 "2011-02-23T17:14:02Z")
I thought about it - it didn’t take long. We can’t afford the drug laws we already have. Building more prisons and cutting education funding has been going on for the last few decades. It doesn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2011, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raise-doping-penalties/572328/7 "2011-02-23T19:09:02Z")
It’s a terrible idea that would only make the drug trade more profitable. It’s an attractive area of crime because drugs are expensive, and they’re expensive because they’re illegal. The stricter the penalties, the greater the money. **Chupacabras** also wrongly believes the federal government controls all drug laws. The government gets involved in breaking up drug rings and importation, but things like possession are handled at the state level. You’d need to get all the states together, which isn’t going to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raise-doping-penalties/572328/8 "2011-02-23T20:55:37Z")
> [@Chupacabras](#): > > Think about it! Well, _somebody_ should, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Chupacabras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Chupacabras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chupacabras)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2011, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raise-doping-penalties/572328/9 "2011-02-23T20:58:15Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > The government gets involved in breaking up drug rings and importation, but things like possession are handled at the state level. You’d need to get all the states together, which isn’t going to happen. I didn’t realize that. Thanks for pointing that out.