XPost: talk.politics.drugs, alt.philosophy   
   From: pxhxz@cadence.com   
      
   In article  Manny Davis   
    writes:   
      
   >The drug war is a winner for the state and certain special interest   
   >groups. It is a loser for drug consumers.   
      
   Actually, it is a loser for the state.  It is only a winner for certain   
   special interest groups -- primarily illegal drug dealers (especially the   
   high level dealers) and banks who profit from money laundering.   
      
   The prison industry also gets some benefits, but it is a net loss to the   
   state and to society in general.   
      
   >I agree legalization would increase consumption, because of much lower   
   >prices. But it doesn't follow that the contents of the drug would be   
   >altered.   
      
   Also, the increase in consumption would level off pretty quickly, and then   
   drop to a lower stable level once the novelty wore off.   
      
   Of course, and net increase in marijuana use would have a parallel net   
   decrease in alcohol use, which would also be a net gain to society.   
      
   -Pete Zakel   
    (phz@seeheader.nospam)   
      
   Chisolm's First Corollary to Murphy's Second Law:   
   	When things just can't possibly get any worse, they will.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)