HOW I SEE IT: I say no to legalization of drugs
Published: May 2, 2009
America will gain increased tax income if drugs are legalized, but life will change.
Consider:
* Every generation will be destroyed, as with tobacco and alcohol, while illegal drugs will grow in almost every backyard and household/office flower pot.
* One illegal drug might be approved to alleviate the agony of dying people.
* Security and medical forces will collapse with rises in crime, new diseases and soaring death rates.
* We will need to advise how our guns are made, annually inspected and ownership controlled.
* Peer pressure will render pointless the teachings of parents, educators clergy and society.
* Quality of air, water, food and critical industries will be further compromised.
* Our military will be forced to function with increasingly unclear heads.
* Effectiveness of our legislatures and justice systems will diminish, as prisoners are freed.
* We might require officials, et al, to submit to random drug and alcohol tests, or face arrest and/or firing/impeachment.
* Employees might demand “druggie” breaks, along with currently allowed smoke breaks and alcohol lunches.
* All official and private vehicles should be equipped with alcohol/breath-testers and sensors, for all operations, for all occupants, for every re-start.
* All entrants to official buildings must submit to drug breath-tests/inspections, as we now do for metal/weapons, etc.
* Pharmaceutical companies and the media will profit greatly with false promises and advertising.
* Enemies will reap greater drug income and increased power from America’s further decline into drug-induced stupor and financial impotence.
* Our borders will become legally meaningless, as they are at present.
McElwain is a retired colonel in the U.S. Air Force.
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
I really have to wonder about the mental facilties of the writer. He says “When illegal drugs are legalized, illegal drugs will be growing in every backyard…“ Which “other” illegal drugs are he referring to? Since said drugs were “legalized,“ he can’t bring himself to understand the difference between “legal” and “illegal.“
One also has to hold the OpEd Editor suspect for allowing such a rambling, which has NO foundation or facts attached, to be published in an informational instrument. Is there NO LINE of credibility that can’t be crossed in that neck of the woods? There’s a certain level of “quality” missing here. Is this the best you can come up with? No wonder newspapers are closing left and right.
Daniel B. McElwain Jr. confirms that he is clearly intellectually and morally bankrupt.
NOTE: I have never used any illicit drugs and I have never committed a crime or have been arrested. However, I use the deadliest drug in the U.S. (nicotine). At least I can be honest about my substance use. As for our colonel, hyprocrisy is the name of his game.
1. Daniel B. McElwain Jr.: Study after study has shown that most individuals who have used illicit drugs have never experienced the devastating negative effects that you are fantasizing about.
2. Daniel B. McElwain Jr.: If you believe that the founding fathers would approve of our drug war then you certainly confirm your ignorance concerning our constitution’s meaning (and why the founding fathers risked their lives in the first place to break away from the government of England). Based on their choice of substances, the founding fathers (Jefferson and Franklin included) would be committing felonies if they lived in the 21st century. They would refer to the drug warriors of today as the real criminals (and they would be correct in their assessment).
3. Daniel B. McElwain Jr.: Feel free to defend your failed drug war with lies and misinformation. Billions of dollars and decades later, illicit drugs are as cheap as ever. Hundreds of thousands of people are in jail for non-violent drug “crimes.“ Your drug war (and your rationale for receiving government welfare funds to keep it going) is a complete fraud.
4. Daniel B. McElwain Jr.: “Security and medical forces will collapse with rises in crime, new diseases and soaring death rates.“ Oh really? Fact: The cause of most drug related violence and death in this country are: 1. An underground market (created by our drug laws) that has become increasingly violent. 2. Unknown purity of illicit drugs (which is a direct cause of our drug laws and the resulting underground market) - which results in many cases of overdose.
5. Daniel B. McElwain Jr.: An increase in the transmission of blood bourne diseases due to the efforts of drug warriors to prevent intravenous substance users from obtaining sterile needles.
6. Daniel B. McElwain Jr.: The claims (counter to every scientific study that has been published) of ignorant, lying drug warriors (like yourself) that the availability of sterile syringes causes increases in substance use.
7. Daniel B. McElwain Jr.: Have you ever read about our disastrous experience with alcohol prohibition?
I am sure you are familiar with this time in history. This makes me wonder if you just ignore evidence that runs counter to your distorted perceptions.
(I have been a social worker for the past 15 years. Most of my clients have used illicit substances at some point in their lives).
Your views are quite disgraceful sir.
Yea, yea, I should have proof read the numbers in my comment..
(I am sure there will be some drug warrior imbecile whose first argument will be: “Man, you cannot count..therefore the drug war is valid.“).
Daniel B. McElwain Jr. confirms that he is clearly intellectually and morally bankrupt.
NOTE: I have never used any illicit drugs and I have never committed a crime or have been arrested. However, I use the deadliest drug in the U.S. (nicotine). At least I can be honest about my substance use. As for our colonel, hyprocrisy is the name of his game.
1. Daniel B. McElwain Jr.: Study after study has shown that most individuals who have used illicit drugs have never experienced the devastating negative effects that you are fantasizing about.
2. Daniel B. McElwain Jr.: If you believe that the founding fathers would approve of our drug war then you certainly confirm your ignorance concerning our constitution’s meaning (and why the founding fathers risked their lives in the first place to break away from the government of England). Based on their choice of substances, the founding fathers (Jefferson and Franklin included) would be committing felonies if they lived in the 21st century. They would refer to the drug warriors of today as the real criminals (and they would be correct in their assessment).
3. Daniel B. McElwain Jr.: Feel free to defend your failed drug war with lies and misinformation. Billions of dollars and decades later, illicit drugs are as cheap as ever. Hundreds of thousands of people are in jail for non-violent drug “crimes.“ Your drug war (and your rationale for receiving government welfare funds to keep it going) is a complete fraud.
4. Daniel B. McElwain Jr.: “Security and medical forces will collapse with rises in crime, new diseases and soaring death rates.“ Oh really? Fact: The cause of most drug related violence and death in this country are: 1. An underground market (created by our drug laws) that has become increasingly violent. 2. Unknown purity of illicit drugs (which is a direct cause of our drug laws and the resulting underground market) - which results in many cases of overdose.
3. Daniel B. McElwain Jr.: An increase in the transmission of blood bourne diseases due to the efforts of drug warriors to prevent intravenous substance users from obtaining sterile needles.
4. Daniel B. McElwain Jr.: The claims (counter to every scientific study that has been published) of ignorant, lying drug warriors (like yourself) that the availability of sterile syringes causes increases in substance use.
5. Daniel B. McElwain Jr.: Have you ever read about our disastrous experience with alcohol prohibition?
I am sure you are familiar with this time in history. This makes me wonder if you just ignore evidence that runs counter to your distorted perceptions.
(I have been a social worker for the past 15 years. Most of my clients have used illicit substances at some point in their lives).
Your views are quite disgraceful sir.
What kind of fascist is this guy? He sounds like a member of the Gestapo, and clearly knows nothing about…....well, anything. Sir, if you want to take your crazy xenophobic attitude and spread it around, go to someplace in the world where all due process and personal freedoms don’t exist. Some of us here in America actually believe the intent of the founding fathers and that our rights are inalienable. This includes the right to put whatever we want into our bodies as long as the rights of others are not infringed. Every marijuana user I know is an intelligent, thoughtful proponent of freedom. Let me ask you, since you are clearly such a whiz-bang expert, how many people have died with marijuana being the proximal cause of death? The answer is ZERO in the 4,000 years of recorded history where we know marijuana has been used. To boot, it’s not a drug. It never has been, and it never will be. It doesn’t even fall into the FDA’s definition of what constitutes a drug. It is a medicinal herb, and so are lots of other plants that grow out of the ground. It was available in every pharmacy in America until 1937. Abraham Lincoln even talked about the joys of relaxing with hemp cigarettes on his porch in the evening. It is safe and nontoxic. it is not addictive. It alleviates pain. It alleviates depression. It energizes. It relaxes. It lowers blood pressure. It lowers eye pressure. Prohibition emerged as a way for William Randolph Hearst to consolidate his huge newspaper pulp industry because he saw higher quality, easily renewable hemp paper as a threat. There was also the racist backlash against black and hispanic farm laborers who cpould work extra long hours as they used Marijuana to energize their efforts. Of course, the argument then, as now, was that these people were stealing jobs from the white status quo. And I love your immigration prejudice. Tell me, Colonel, how long jhave your ancestors lived here? An extension of your argument would force you and all your relatives to moves back to Europe, assuming you are a white man. But we all know that race doesn’t matter, but I’m sure when we peel back the layers of your crazy argument, we will find some unusual ideas about race, too, because you imply it. It’s disgusting in this day and age to see someone so woefully deprived of intelligence and common sense. So let’s just shut the borders down, right? And what about the Pennsylvania tomato farmers who cannot grow crops any more because of the federal crackdown on immigrant labor. This pattern is repreated all over the country with all kinds of crops. And then you probably will complain about the price of food going up. The legislators in this nation are stupid, and retired colonels who think they are being good little citizens while they blindly follow their orders from said government prove, inbdeed, that they themselves cannot handle the personal responsibility that comes with freedom. You would rather have the rights of others taken away so you can live your delusions in peace. As I see it, you are the kind of scourge that makes this country stink. And if it smells like a skunk, which it does indeed, then it’s a skunk. Good day!
Colonel, you are completely wrong and I feel sorry that an educated military officer would buy into such fearmongering drivel!
Let’s dispel a few of your assertions:
“Every generation will be destroyed?“ Funny, alcohol (the first intoxicant) has been used for thousands of years - yet the world still turns. Ditto for cannabis and opium. It all comes down to responsible use. Some people are weak, most are not.
“One illegal drug might be approved to alleviate the agony of DYING PEOPLE.“ I assume you are referring to cannabis? First, we already use powerful opioids like Fentanyl (roughly 50 times stronger than Heroin) and Dilaudid (twice as powerful as morphine) as legal palliatives. Then, who are you to dictate what may alleviate a dying person’s pain? If a non-toxic, non-addictive plant like cannabis can be used, then I am all for it!
“We will need to advise how our guns are made, annually inspected and ownership controlled.“ Really? I thought the government already does this! Ever hear of the “Assault Weapons Ban?“ People who don’t like weapons have been trying to get them banned for decades.
“Our military will be forced to function with increasingly unclear heads.“ As an (retired) officer, I can’t believe you would say this! I served, too. I NEVER used the most common “military drug:“ alcohol, because it prevented me from being the best soldier I could be. Same with tobacco. Our military consists of proud volunteers - you don’t have to tell us that being intoxicated on any substance hinders our performance! Even when legalization occurs, our military will continue to be the best on Earth. And besides, do you really believe that some personell don’t abuse LEGAL drugs?
“We might require officials, et al, to submit to random drug and alcohol tests, or face arrest and/or firing/impeachment.“ Gee…where have you BEEN? This is already rampant! Next thing you know, they’ll be strip-searching our children on suspicion of Advil possession…oh, wait!!!
“Enemies will reap greater drug income and increased power from America’s further decline into drug-induced stupor and financial impotence” Prohibition ENSURES that cartels and criminals are the ONLY groups who PROFIT from drug sales.
Colonel, you should have stayed in retirement - your “arguments” are truly pathetic and easily debunked…
Thank you Colonel Nostradamus. But you left out, cows and pigs will fly, the seas will boil, and it will rain toads. Wow! ,just ludicrous. Re-legalize drugs and give up the nannystate.
I think you guys have been spoofed, this is so over the top absurd, it has to be a joke. Pharmaceutical companies and media benefiting profit from false advertising? This is the only country in the world where they can advertise and we all know ads aren’t false and miss-leading in America. I’m sure we all know how bad it would be to alleviate a dying persons pain. I also don’t see how crime goes up when one of America’s most predominant crimes is suddenly not a crime.
I’m sure of it, it was a joke. I could not stop laughing at the paper this morning.
Right. Lets just keep things the way they are. The drug war is working so well.
If drugs are legalized, how will illegal drugs grow in almost every backyard and flowerpot? Why would we need to advise how guns are made? How would water, food, and critical industry quality be compromised? Why would we require officials to submit to random drug tests if drugs are legal? Who in their right mind would allow “druggie” breaks, given that alcohol isn’t allowed by almost all employers? If drugs are legal, why would official buildings require drug screening to enter? How would this render our borders legally meaningless? And how are they legally meaningless at present?
Advertisement