XPost: uk.legal, uk.politics.drugs   
   From: bliss@sfo.com   
      
   johannes wrote:   
   >   
   > Cynic wrote:   
   >> On Sat, 04 Apr 2009 09:11:26 +0100, johannes   
   >>  wrote:   
   >>   
   >>>> The prohibitionists' answer will be that we just need to do more of   
   >>>> what's not working. What's the definition of insanity, again?   
   >>> 'Not working' doesn't mean: Not working; that's too literal. It just   
   >>> means that some drugs might still get through.   
   >> But when "some" means sufficient to supply everyone who wants them and   
   >> can afford the black market prices, then "not working" is a perfectly   
   >> apt description of the prohibition.   
   >>   
   >>> Enforcement hasn't failed.   
   >>> Try smuggling drugs into far East countries, and it's well know that you   
   >>> lose your life at the gallows or firing squad.   
   >> The fact that people who are caught with prohibited drugs face   
   >> draconian punishments does not mean that the prohibition is working.   
   >> What it has in fact led to is that the price of goes up and the drug   
   >> smugglers who are not caught get very rich.  Incidentally, women are   
   >> stoned to death for committing adultery in some countries.   
   >   
   > The fact that there is prohibition will make anyone think twice before   
   setting   
   > up a drugs business. That reduces the number of traders and hence the volume,   
   > as indicated by fluctuating prices. The drugs police may lie low while they   
   > gather enough information to crush a wholesale operation. Then you get the   
   > sudden dearth of drugs on the street. Shows that a big raid has worked.   
   >   
   > Politically, it's a question of what we want. I believe that the majority   
   > are happy with the prohibition, to protect the more vulnerable and to   
   maintain   
   > reasonable standards of trust and well being. I would not deal professionally   
   > with any person if I knew that he/she was a drug taker.   
      
   	Facts disagree with the idea that big busts equal higher prices.   
   Despite ever larger busts the price of illegal drugs is moving down   
   only impeded by inflation.   
      
   	later   
   	bliss   
   generally   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)