Satellites Take on Crime Busting Along the Border

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Kudos to you for an informed, well reasoned and direct response! All I want is for people on both sides to be honest with their motivations and arguments. I tire of the "duuude, hemp is like a _natural_ fiber, man, why does the man keep it down" and the "legalizing pot would destroy western civilization - think of the children" arguments that typically get trotted out and don't help resolve anything.
I do understand your perspective on legalization. In fact, I personally wouldn't care if cannabis were to be legally regulated. But then I'm also not one of those hysterical right-wing nut jobs that seem to be hell bent on destroying any positive connotations about being "American", of which there are many, to the rest of the world.
And to be fair to your disclosure, I myself have never smoked (anything), often have a caffeinated soda for lunch, and only drink alcohol rarely (am too old to hang out at parties/bars by now). I do take a drug, but it is a prescription stimulant for a medical condition.
Cheers.

joe of AL 5:34PM May 20, 2009

Drug cartels do not smuggle drugs- they use commercial shippers- 18 wheelers, cargo
containers, around the clock. Military and drug opposition are equally matched.
Border guards are paid, and business is business. American military intelligence
is defenseless in financial, commercial, entertainment wars.

unlisted number of CA 1:06AM May 20, 2009

Disclaimer: I use drugs.
I drink caffeine in tea, but avoid caffeinated fizzy drinks. These are designed to be addictive to turn a profit by having very high levels of caffeine and sugars. That said, I do get caffeine withdrawal symptoms if I don't have a cup of tea for 24hrs or so - a headache behind the eyes is the main symptom.
I smoke cannabis, unfortunately with tobacco, as is usual in the UK. I do not smoke cigarettes at all, never have, never will. I do experience cravings for a spliff when I go without, but this is due to the nicotine from the tobacco. Even though my concious mind knows a cigarette would kill the cravings, my subconscious craves a "spliff". I am trying to smoke pure cannabis spliffs more frequently, but this is expensive, due to black market prices, and difficult when friends all smoke cannabis with tobacco.
I occasionally drink alcohol, but not as much as I used to. It is so occasional in fact that I can't remember when the last time was I even had a beer! Probably at new year. Alcohol has always effected my memory quite strongly, so it isn't much fun to drink - I can rarely remember anything other than getting to a pub/bar/club after a night out. Even a couple of beers at a lunchtime will mean I have patchy recollection of what the topic of conversation was, for example. Cannabis is much more enjoyable for me.
I do not do cocaine, and don't fancy the sounds of the effects. I might try ecstasy (MDMA) one day, but the crap it gets cut with is disconcerting.... black market effects again. Tried the tiniest bit of speed (amphetamine, not methamphetamine) when I was really drunk once, but had such a little bit it had no noticeable effect.
Apart from cannabis, I essentially don't do any other illegal drugs, but I do think all drugs should be legalised, regulated, and populations provided with accurate information. Adults should be able to what they like in a free society, as long as it doesn't directly hurt or grossly endanger others. Addiction should be treated like the medical problem it is, not by the criminal "justice" systems.
The advocacy of drug legalisation is not a hard and fast way of telling if people use drugs. Joe, you are so very perceptive that someone advocating drug legalisation does enjoy a smoke, but anyone who has a modicum of intelligence, more than a passing knowledge of history, and actually speaks to people outside their social circle realises that drugs being illegal do no one any favours, except law enforcement and those who benefit from the current status quo (alcohol industry, etc.).

Common sense of 11:20PM May 19, 2009

To be taken seriously, all posters asking for the lagalization of drugs need to put a "Disclaimer: I use said drugs".

joe of AL 9:46PM May 19, 2009

Prohibition of alcohol didn't work in the 20s, so why on earth might prohibition of drugs work now? It clearly doesn't, as the war on drugs has been raging for years, and there are absolutely no signs of any benefits for the average person.
Law enforcement and related industries are booming from the war on drugs, but the average person? Not in the slightest. And woe-betide you actually wanting an experience that isn't alcohol or nicotine based!
The solution is simple: legalise all drugs. Legalisation along with regulation would destroy the drugs black market, and in turn put a major brake on the related crime, from junkies robbing people and properties, to horrific offences like people trafficking. And it would free up a massive amount of money that could otherwise be spent on sensible projects at home. Or tax rates could be lowered - something that Americans (well, anyone) always like the sound of.

Common sense of 6:25PM May 19, 2009