Global war on drugs 'has failed'

[sandinista]

Stupid inhabits every region on earth, with the possible exception of Antarctica where Holy Darwin is quick to pass out awards.

Thats kind of avoiding the question. Sure stupid may be everywhere, but the draconian drug laws and the "drug war" in particular is an american invention. The "drug war" will most likely exist until the US stops it. The US is really the main focus here. If drugs (or weed) were legalized federally in the US, I know canaduh would soon follow. As would Mexico and most other american countries. I take it from your response that, even though you may say "stupid is everywhere" you are agreeing that the US public is stupid.

[Geoff]

Stupid inhabits every region on earth, with the possible exception of Antarctica where Holy Darwin is quick to pass out awards.

Thats kind of avoiding the question. Sure stupid may be everywhere, but the draconian drug laws and the "drug war" in particular is an american invention. The "drug war" will most likely exist until the US stops it. The US is really the main focus here. If drugs (or weed) were legalized federally in the US, I know canaduh would soon follow. As would Mexico and most other american countries. I take it from your response that, even though you may say "stupid is everywhere" you are agreeing that the US public is stupid.

Unless you can construct a set that includes "everywhere", but excludes the US, then yeah, stupid can be found there as easily as anywhere else. Why try to twist it?

[Ian]

Being wrong on one minor issue does not a stupid person make.

I know people who don't favor legalization. That doesn't make them stupid. Of course, if I were the sort of person who looks for excuses to hate people I already hate and call them stupid, I suppose disagreeing with me on marijuana legalization would make some important difference. But IMO, it's not that big enough of an issue for me to hang a "you're stupid" label around their neck.

[Hermit]

I really don't think it has much to do with the electorate.

Got any evidence to back your thought up?

in 1969, only 16% percent of voters in the USA supported legalization, according to a poll by Gallup. according to the same source, that number had risen to 36% by 2005. More recent polling indicates that the number has risen even further since the financial crisis of 2007-2009: in 2009, between 46% and 56% of US voters would support legalization (link)

It is electoral suicide in Australia to oppose TWoD. In the first place, the pot smokers of yore were a very, very tiny minority, with over 90% of the population regarding the stuff as the end of civilisation. Secondly, even most of those who saw no harm in smoking pot - and maybe hashish - regarded any other drugs as "hard drugs" the use of which needed to be rooted out by any means.

I love that "gateway" idea. Beer is a gateway to wine is a gateway to rum is a gateway to Everclear?

Almost all heroin users started on mothers' milk. Makes you think, huh?

[Robert_S]

Stupid inhabits every region on earth, with the possible exception of Antarctica where Holy Darwin is quick to pass out awards.

Thats kind of avoiding the question. Sure stupid may be everywhere, but the draconian drug laws and the "drug war" in particular is an american invention. The "drug war" will most likely exist until the US stops it. The US is really the main focus here. If drugs (or weed) were legalized federally in the US, I know canaduh would soon follow. As would Mexico and most other american countries. I take it from your response that, even though you may say "stupid is everywhere" you are agreeing that the US public is stupid.

The US happens to occupy a position of power in the world right now, so our smart, stupid, pretty and ugly happen to have a disproportionate effect on the world.

Being wrong on one issue does not a stupid person make.

I know people who don't favor legalization. That doesn't make them stupid. Of course, if I were the sort of person who looks for excuses to hate people I already hate and call them stupid, I suppose disagreeing with me on marijuana legalization would make some important difference. But IMO, it's not that big enough of an issue for me to hang a "you're stupid" label around their neck.

Stupid and smart can occupy the same brain.

However, I think we maybe ought to be a little quicker to say "Don't be stupid" to intelligent people stubbornly holding on to opinions in the face of massive evidence and well reasoned arguments against them.

[Ian]

in 1969, only 16% percent of voters in the USA supported legalization, according to a poll by Gallup. according to the same source, that number had risen to 36% by 2005. More recent polling indicates that the number has risen even further since the financial crisis of 2007-2009: in 2009, between 46% and 56% of US voters would support legalization (link)

Last November, voters in California defeated Proposition 19 by barely 7%. 46.2% of voters voted in favor of it. Legalization came within single digits of happening in the country's biggest state.
Not bad for a mid-term election year, when voters tend to be much more conservative. I think we'll be seeing similar propositions in other states in coming years.

[sandinista]

Being wrong on one minor issue does not a stupid person make.

The problem is, it's not a minor issue. It's a huge issue.

I know people who don't favor legalization. That doesn't make them stupid.

No, only makes them stupid if they don't have a reasonable explanation for their disagreement with legalization. I have yet to hear a valid argument against legalizing marijuana.

IMO, it's not that big enough of an issue for me to hang a "you're stupid" label around their neck.

Not sure where you come up with that. It's one of the biggest issues facing the world right now. Drugs, the drug war, etc have influence on so many other things. If you think it is a minor issue you haven't thought about it much. The drug war and the criminalization of certain drugs has bearing on almost all of societies problems in one way or another.

over 90% of the population regarding the stuff as the end of civilisation.

and that...is stupid.

The US happens to occupy a position of power in the world right now, so our smart, stupid, pretty and ugly happen to have a disproportionate effect on the world.

yes, and the stupid seem to be winning, especially if the claim is that the electorate is the reason the war on drugs continues.

However, I think we maybe ought to be a little quicker to say "Don't be stupid" to intelligent people stubbornly holding on to opinions in the face of massive evidence and well reasoned arguments against them.

That's where the stupid comes in that I was referring to with Ian above. It has nothing to do with disagreeing on an issue. It has to do with evidence and well thought out reasoning.

[Hermit]

over 90% of the population regarding the stuff as the end of civilisation.

and that...is stupid.

Yes, it is, but the reason I mentioned this stupidity is your claim" "I really don't think it has much to do with the electorate." It plainly does.

[sandinista]

over 90% of the population regarding the stuff as the end of civilisation.

and that...is stupid.

Yes, it is, but the reason I mentioned this stupidity is your claim" "I really don't think it has much to do with the electorate." It plainly does.

Only if I agree that your claim that 90 percent of the population regards illegal drugs as the end of civilization is correct. I don't agree with that at all. Do you have any evidence to back that up?

[Hermit]

over 90% of the population regarding the stuff as the end of civilisation.

and that...is stupid.

Yes, it is, but the reason I mentioned this stupidity is your claim" "I really don't think it has much to do with the electorate." It plainly does.

Only if I agree that your claim that 90 percent of the population regards illegal drugs as the end of civilization is correct. I don't agree with that at all. Do you have any evidence to back that up?

Are you taking my statement literally in order to avoid having to address the issue I had with yours?

[sandinista]

over 90% of the population regarding the stuff as the end of civilisation.

and that...is stupid.

Yes, it is, but the reason I mentioned this stupidity is your claim" "I really don't think it has much to do with the electorate." It plainly does.

Only if I agree that your claim that 90 percent of the population regards illegal drugs as the end of civilization is correct. I don't agree with that at all. Do you have any evidence to back that up?

Are you taking my statement literally in order to avoid having to address the issue I had with yours?

Generally when someone states a numbered statistic it means they have something to back it up.

[Robert_S]

Generally when someone states a numbered statistic it means they have something to back it up.

54.23% of the time actually

[Robert_S]

The US happens to occupy a position of power in the world right now, so our smart, stupid, pretty and ugly happen to have a disproportionate effect on the world.

yes, and the stupid seem to be winning, especially if the claim is that the electorate is the reason the war on drugs continues.

However, I think we maybe ought to be a little quicker to say "Don't be stupid" to intelligent people stubbornly holding on to opinions in the face of massive evidence and well reasoned arguments against them.

That's where the stupid comes in that I was referring to with Ian above. It has nothing to do with disagreeing on an issue. It has to do with evidence and well thought out reasoning.

Actually, stupid on the marijuana issue only has to be a few percent of the population to make all the difference in a close national election. And many pro-legalization people, even smokers and eaters of delicious brownies do not see the issue as anywhere near the top priority.

[sandinista]

54.23% of the time actually

And many pro-legalization people, even smokers and eaters of delicious brownies do not see the issue as anywhere near the top priority.

Then they haven't considered the ramifications, also do you have any evidence of this?

[Robert_S]

Then they haven't considered the ramifications, also do you have any evidence of this?

I did, but a cop was following me, so I ate it.