Winning the war on drugs.

My research strongly suggests that the way to win the drug war is to focus on sequestering hard core addicts and other habitual users, as they are the weakest link in the drug business 'chain'. All other methods have been very expensive failures. Thoughts?

SigurdReginson said:

How do you recommend "sequestering" them?

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In a safe and secure hospital or clinical setting for a short period of time.

SigurdReginson said:

What does that mean, exactly?

How do we pay for that "setting?" What does their stay entail? How long is "a short period of time," and how do we know enough time has gone by? When are they ready for release?

People who abuse drugs have many different reasons why. Sometimes people are hooked instantly due to chemical addiction and just can't shake free. A large population of folks abuse drugs to self medicate and deal with their mental health issues (be it biochemical, or psychological, or both). Others do it to escape the crappy reality they have to endure every day with no meaningful help.

There have been systems that work that other countries have embraced... Why not utilize those? Sure, they aren't cheap, but they seem to work; they for sure work better than what we currently have.

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We transfer resources from ineffective areas of the drug war. I think 30 days in a safe, secure hospital or clinic is a good start. If they go back to using it's another 30 days, and so on. Of course some will go into treatment, most probably won't.

The drug business is like any other, product must be sold to the consumer, the user. Hard core addicts are the backbone of the money flow, consuming two-thirds of all illegal drugs sold. Sequester them for a time and the money flow stops. When this happens the whole drug enterprise collapses, from the coca leaf pickers to the gangs that sell the drugs on the street.

Every element of the drug trade will be quickly replaced by others if they are arrested or killed, from the lowest peasants, to the cartels, to the smugglers, the transporters, to the drug gangs the finally sell the drugs to the users. The only element that cannot be replaced are the users and addicts. Remove them from the mix and everything comes to a screeching halt.

Aussie Pete said:

That's one way, but I doubt that it would work. Sure, if there is no demand, there is no business for dealers. The problem is why people become addicts in the first place. It's primarily spiritual, although social pressures and ignorance play a part. If a person is spiritually satisfied (and that is achieved only by being born again) drugs lose their attraction. Physical addiction is much easier to resolve than psychological dependence.

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The point isn't to save the addicts from their drug use, but to save the country from the drug trade and the destruction it wreaks on our nation and those that produce the drugs. The addicts are already casualties, but are the element that provides the money that supports the whole enterprise. In that sense the addicts are the actual "head" of the beast, not the producers or cartels. Cut off the head and the beast dies.

Larnievc said:

Treat it as a public health issue rather than a criminal issue. Legalise and regulate it. You can’t get rid of drugs but it can be controlled.

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It is a public health issue, but also a crime issue. Addicts are notorious for stealing things, and prostituting themselves, to pay for their habit.

My plan focuses on interrupting the flow of money, which is much easier than trying to interrupt the flow of drugs. Without the flow of money the whole thing stops. Of course there will be the pill-poppers and casual users, a market that the cartels aren't really interested in. It's the hard-core addicts that use several times per day and pony up ten of thousands of dollars every year that we need to target. These addicts are well known to law enforcement, and to the local hospitals where they frequently turn up when they overdose ("frequent flyers" they are called). Detaining them for just a few days seriously interrupts the flow of money to the drug trade.

This article (which needs some updating) pretty well captures the problem, and effectively lends support to my plan.

The Hidden Economy of Drug Trafficking (rcg.org)

Larnievc said:

No no no. That has been tried for the last 40 or so years and has only made the Cartels massively wealthy.

Take the crime out of it, that stops the money flow. If you waved a wand and every current addicts was cured you’d have a new wave of addicts very quickly. Because the supply would still be their to temp kid into it.

Make drugs and alcohol the same legality and the problem of crime goes away because the substance is cheaper and less likely to be cut with with bleach.

When was the lasting anyone was guilty of alcohol supply crimes? Around the time it was legalised? Or was it around the time the alcohol pushers and dealers and smugglers went away?

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It's a race to the finish. Reducing the addicts reduces the drug supply and makes it very expensive. And no, it isn't easy to find more hard-core addicts, although it is easy to find casual and weekend users. However those customers don't pay the bills. The whole enterprise is built on hard core addicts that use several times each day and spend vast amount of money each year.

Just because a business some customers doesn't make it a viable business. You need repeat high-end spenders. These addicts are the low-hanging fruit of the drug war, and should be picked.

I watched a 'war on drugs' show recently. The addicts and users were milling around on a street corner waiting for their dealer to arrive. The cops were watching from nearby hoping to catch a sale going down. Both dealer and users were clever in hiding their transactions. Eventually the cops scored an arrest after many hours of watching.

What was telling is that this occurred early in the morning, was repeated around noon, then again in the late afternoon, and later in the evening as well, with many of the same customers present.

I was screaming at the tv, "Arrest the users you idiots". Leave the dealers alone. They will have no one to sell to. If you do arrest one another will be selling within the hour.

"No Virginia, there is no intelligent life on earth."