Drugs, Does an Answer Exist?
Legalize marijuana? Fire-bomb Columbia and other drug exporting countries on a regular basis? Seize the possessions of every drug dealer arrested, and force them and their families into poverty? Execute drug dealers and drug manufacturers who sell/manufacture drugs over a certain limit? Offer every drug offender six months of mandatory rehab after the first offense en lieu of prison?
Are any of these solutions?
My solution would be to legalize marijuana for a test period of one year. Tax marijuana 100% and allow only state licensed agents to grow, ship and distribute marijuana. Anyone caught selling without a license would get 15 years in prison. Distribution is 20 years in prison and growing would be a life sentence. They would be charged with not only drug offenses, but tax evasion as well.
It would betreated like alcohol, only people 21 and over could obtain it. If a minor is caught with it, the minor will get 6 months in prison mimimum, and the person who gave the minor the drug would get 1 year in prison, minimum.
The revenue from the marijuana tax would go towards rebuilding California’s infrastructure for the first two years, would go towards schools in years three through five and a third of the revenue from years one through five would go towards building light rail systems in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland and Irvine. If the program lasts only the one year (it would be put to a popular state vote as to whether or not to continue it) the revenue will all be spent on repairing highways, bridges and other state run infrastructures.
This has been a difficult issue for me for some time. The problem I have with the legalization of controlled substances is that the government, not only by legalizing and distributing, sends a message that condones their use, which can in turn proliferate their use. Can you picture all the clamoring, “Well the government made it legal that means its harmless!!” The citizenry of this nation will run ’till the wheels fall off with that one. It also doesn’t address our deadlier addictions like meth, cocaine, and heroin.
I think this is a great point, but what about the number of men, mostly minorities, spending long stretches in prison for marijuana? Whether you look at it from a justice angle or from a dollars/cents angle, it isn’t justified. The government could even justify harsh penalties for harder drugs and use part of the marijuana tax to pay for rehab. Practically, it might even eliminate billions of dollars from the budget spent on prisons, prisoners, etc. It’s not an easy decision to make, but would the government be condoning marijuana use or simply acknowledging that the citizenry already condone it?
I say we not jail anyone for the sale or use, but confiscate all proceeds involved in any transaction. I also believe we need to develop a different correctional system for drug offenders whether be users or distributors. We need to reduce recidivism and could offer treatment and offer trade occupations with monies confiscated.