Sorry I am late on this thread...but I just ran across it.
To: rlb21079, Reardon Metal, and others with posts pointing out the insanity of the drug war.
By virtue of this board, I just wanted to say that I am glad that not only I am affiliated with so many intelligent traders, but also with people like you guys. You also know a truth that an extremely large group of otherwise very bright people don't understand.
While Libertarians probably don't have the strength, your vote for the right candidate will always help. Further, just by posting these articles for members to read will hopefully give people a pause just long enough to enable them to step back from the picture that they are seeing (as created by our government) to realize what's going on: The drug laws are killing and harming the people of this country in far more significant ways than any pharmocological feature of any drug which the laws were intended to stop.
Ever wonder why you don't read about "drug-related" crime in our history books (for the period prior to 100 years ago) even though every drug now illegal could be purchased then in clean, measured form for pennies?
It is surprising given the "facts" purported by our government that since crime and gangs and the "epidemics" that drugs supposedly now create didn't exist back then.
Yes, there were some addicts, but for the most part, either society or education contributed to them ridding themselves of their addiction (like cigarettes are frowned upon today with 35% less people smoking today than in 1960), or they were able to live out a reasonably long life with their addicitons (or regular use), without (i) being killed by drug-crime, (ii) poisoned by unscrupulous drug sellers, or (iii) jailed for unreasonably long terms (only to get out as a drug felon who no longer can get hired for any job or get financial aid for any school, effectively destroying the remainder of their lives and likely forcing them back into addiction and/or crime) -- all horrible repercussions from drug use due only to the LAWS.
Yep, those drug laws sure our doing our country a wealth of good!! Zero-tolerance is definitely the answer!