Actually, if the numbers are correct and the Heroin is the problem why we are losing this war, there is one really easy way out of it with additional advantages:
Legalize the stuff!
I am not saying this because I am a liberal on drugs politics, but from a sheer reason point of view, of the lessons learned as well as user myself as from e.g. The Prohibition...
I feel that you *never* will be able to supress any substance with law enforcement/military force where there is enough demand from the customers, it will *always* find its target and we are just wasting efforts and ressources.
I personally do not know one junky that des not want to get off the stuff and lead a normal life, but in the current circusmstances he is occupied 90% of the day to raise the dough for his next shot.
If someone really *wants* to use the stuff and kill himself, let him.
Legalizing:
- you drop the price of the illegal substances a tenfold, money goes out of this business. As it is onnly profitable because of the skyhigh prices because of the illegal status it wont´t be run any longer if it looses it´s skyhigh profits.
- you will rapidly find out which politicians/law enforcement members have been involved, you will have those also out of business
- you get a hand on doing true prevention and health care as addicts do not have to hide anymore but can openly search help
- you stop a highway for STD´s/Hepatitis transmitted through sharing needles, the cost just for those illnesses is enormous for society and the helth care system
- with a legal alternative (e.g. buy it in the pharmacy) you create tax income, which then you can use to fight the problems that might arise (as we do with Alcohol and Tobacco)
- Most important, probably: 2ndry crime, all those gang wars about selling territories, robbings, burglaries, etc. will almost certainly disappear as e.g. a junky who can buy his stuff legally can go to work and perform as any other person as long as his supply is granted (this goes for heroine, not for all drugs). I have no exact number, but I have the hunch that the lifes lost due to 2ndry crimes connected to drugs are more than those lost due to use.
- Lot of judicary resourcs and prison space will suddenly become free for the serious stuff, not to speak of the money saved for society.
And if we then even can win the war against terror taking the money out from under enemy...
Where is the problem?
I do not think it will happen (even if I feel Schwarzenegger is on the right track with his intent to legalize Weed in California), simply because of the money raised that (I am sure!) also goes into the hands of many State agencies, US and other nations politicians, etc., who all of cause do want nothing more than that to contine...
My 2c
Rattler
