end the war on drugs

Okay, I had this idea, and I think it's a good one, and it takes care of both the War on Drugs (which nearly everyone thinks isnt working, except the GOP) and the high cost of medicine (which almost everyone thinks is unfair, except the GOP).

Here's the idea: legalize recreational drugs, with heavy regulation, high taxation, and fixed low(ish) prices. Republicans are always talking about how regulation is so horrible for business, and yet recreational drugs are one of the most unregulated businesses on the planet (making something illegal is not regulation, not for drug dealers, and not for CEOs). Anyone who wishes to deal in recreational drugs will have to be licensed (for a fat fee), and their product will have to conform to standards (and I mean for the purposes of consistancy, not dilution). There will be a heavy tax rate, but, by regulation, prices will be kept fairly low in order to make crime less necessary in order to get money to pay for the drugs with and to make the current black market unprofitable.

But you're saying, "Dave, we've heard all this before, it's not original."

Maybe this part will interest you: The manufacturing of drugs will be placed in the hands of the Pharmaceutical Industry. In exchange for this constant supply of money, Big Pharma will agree to have strict controls placed upon the prices of medicine. They will also cease and desist all advertising and marketing of drugs, especially for non-FDA approved uses.

Some rules:

• no R&D on recreational drugs.
• any new rec drug formula becomes property of the State.
• any pharma company found developing or colluding with development of new rec drugs is heavily fined and loses privledge of rec drug trade.
• selling drugs without a license becomes a really hard-time penalty.
• rec drug stores set up with same kind of rules as liquor stores: age limits, distances from schools, etc.
• the same kind of rules will apply to driving under the influence as now apply to drunk driving (yeah, I know...)
• much stricter penalties will apply for repeat offenders and those caught driving after they've lost their licenses for a DUI.

Naturally, there will be those who will oppose this idea on "moral" grounds, but I think that these people may be overcome through the use of the "lottery" arguement. I mean, gambling is considered to be both destructive and immoral, but how many states now have their own lottery*? And, in a way, doesnt the taxes paid on recreational drugs become a voluntary tax, much like the lottery, and with a very similar empty result?

Let's face it, the war on drugs has been a dismal failure, costing billions of dollars, and has almost nothing to show for it, except overcrowded prisons. Let's repeal the laws against it, declare amnesty for all but the biggest dealers (for instance, those who were busted on tax charges), and save ourselves billions of dollars per year, which we can then put to better use, like paying for pointless wars half way around the globe.


* And how many states passed lotteries under the guise of raising money for "education"? HA!