[Paleopsych] drug war

[Michael Christopher]

>>The person who first puts cocaine into the body 
of a child is not much better than those who captured 
children into slavery in past centuries.<<

--Putting alcohol or tobacco into the body of a child
is just as evil (at least in health terms), but who
would support the death penalty for people who sell
them? We seem ruled by emotion on the drug issue,
incapable of dealing with drugs according to their
health impact, forced to adopt a schizophrenic
attitude toward legal and illegal drugs, and unable to
think of the issue in terms other than punishment.
Punishment may be a kind of social catharsis, but it
doesn't seem to solve problems. 

Drug addiction of all kinds will be cured by medical
understanding, and eventually anti-addiction drugs.
Resorting to "hard-line" attitudes only reflects our
social alienation and anger, which has made just about
everyone harder in their mindset and solved very
little. Even criminals talk of "getting tough" on
other criminals. It's hardly enlightenment on the
issues that matter. 

I'll say again, if you believe the death penalty for
cocaine dealers makes sense, apply it to tobacco and
alcohol dealers as well. See if it works. 

Michael



		
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