This morning's show featured guest, Former Cook County Illinois prosecutor and LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) spokesperson Jim Bierach who called for the legalization of drugs for those addicted.
Leap has among it's members, Judges, Police Chiefs, and other law enforcement officials who for years have been on the front lines of the the "drug war" and arrived at the the same conclusion. We have lost.
In fact the Drug wars cause more harm than good.
Mr. Bierach's presentation on the "Morning show" was flawless. It is obvious he has "studied" his subject and has much experience dealing with the issues.
So what are Preston Scotts final words when Mr. Bierach is finished with his segment?
He thanks the man for coming on the program ending with,
he (Preston Scott) respects his views and they are very well articulated
“good man ( Mr. Bierach) to come on the program.......utter idiocy from a very bright man.”
We became convinced that Mr. Scott was an "expert" in the field (we can only assume from his experience as a preacher and talk show host) when he made comments such as:
1. Marijuana leads to harder drugs?
2. Fear of the law keeps people from doing drugs just as fear of the law keeps people from getting into pedophilia?????????
3. The war on drugs was going really well until Bill Clinton came along (paraphrased)
But then the Clinton's ARE responsible for all the evils that have ever been perpetrated. "It's the economy stupid"
But looking at a few theories (because the facts are all over the map) may lead us to see the wisdom in LEAPS logic:
1. There are a number of studies arguing for and against Marijuana as a "gateway drug". Just as their are arguments over the existence of an "addictive personality". Unfortunately there are many variables that cloud the picture. Example many people have used tobacco or alcohol prior to using cannabis. Does that mean that tobacco and/or alcohol are the true gateway drugs? See: Gateway Drug Theory
There are also individual difference that may lead one person to become dependent on a substance while another does not. The most obvious example is Alcoholism which is classified by both the
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the American Medical Association as a disease.
Money Magazine Breaks down the most expensive addictions as follows:
The 5 most expensive addictions
- Alcohol. Estimated annual cost: $166 billion. Binge drinking hits the unemployed harder on a per capita basis -- 10.4%, vs. 8.4% of employed people. It is most prevalent in small metropolitan locales, rather than big cities or rural areas. The $18 billion spent on alcohol and drug treatment last year represented 1.3% of all health care spending.
- Smoking. Estimated annual cost: $157 billion. The tab includes $75 billion in direct medical expenses, with the rest in lost productivity from ill patients missing work. Given the low-tax (or no-tax) underground cigarette economy on the Web and on Indian reservations, it's unlikely that sales and usage have dropped much over the past decade, official government statistics notwithstanding.
- Drugs. Estimated annual cost: $110 billion. Like alcohol, illicit drug use is more prevalent among the unemployed. Most addicts are also heavy drinkers, though only a small minority of alcoholics are drug abusers. Crystal meth has followed marijuana, cocaine and heroin as the drug of choice among the young set.
- Overeating. Estimated annual cost: $107 billion. Overeating increases the risk of many health problems, including heart attacks. Obesity causes 14% of attacks suffered by males and 20% of those suffered by females, the National Institutes for Health says, and fewer than a third of adults get regular exercise. The bulk of the $107 billion is the direct cost to treat heart disease, osteoarthritis, hypertension, gall bladder disease and cancer.
- Gambling. Estimated annual cost: $40 billion. Addicted gamblers often feel compelled to chase after bad bets with more money in the hope of winning back their losses. And some who catch the fever develop the need to periodically raise the betting stakes to keep the same thrill. Also, addicts often face job loss, bankruptcy and forced home sales, and they are at greater risk to commit crimes like forgery and embezzlement.
Note 4 out of 5 are legal. All are treatable (we will avoid the word "curable") in ways more effective than prison (we will offer those links at the end of the post).
2. Fear of the law keeps people from doing drugs just as fear of the law keeps people from getting into pedophilia?????????The statement defies logic and science. Were law an effective deterrent we would have no "drug problem" or "Driving while under the influence" problems.
As to law as a deterrent to "pedophilia" might I suggest this from the Mayo clinic,
"Fear of law???"A Profile of Pedophilia: Definition, Characteristics of Offenders, Recidivism, Treatment Outcomes, and Forensic Issues
3. The war on drugs was going really well until Bill Clinton came along (paraphrased)Ummm, just how well was that war going. Having done drugs and dealt drugs from Johnson to Bush II
I can't see where the war was having much success. I understand the popularity of Nancy Reagans "Just say No" but the truth is, it wasn't a very effective battle cry. See here.
It was alcohol and drugs that kicked my ass, not government intervention!
NOW THE PROBLEM BECOMES: When we debate intelligence and fact with biased emotional denial based on what we "delude" ourselves into believing we turn a blind eye to the damage our failure to take our blinders off has on not just the individual, but the whole fabric of society.
See Links:
3-7-08
AMERICA-Land of the Free???
4/3/08
Free Florida from the Good Ol Boy Prison culture
Links to the Wfla Broadcast referenced http://wflafm.com/pages/morningshow.html
http://wflafm.com/cc-common/mediaplayer/player.html?redir=yes&mps=main_player.php&mid=http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/30355/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/30355/3909/richmedia/Legalize_Drugs_-_Jim_Gierach_LEAP.mp3?CCOMRRMID=15281144&CPROG=RICHMEDIA&MARKET=TALLAHASSEE-FL&NG_FORMAT=newstalk&NG_ID=WFLAFM&OR_NEWSFORMAT=&OWNER=3909&SERVER_NAME=www.wflafm.com&SITE_ID=3909&STATION_ID=WFLA-FM&TRACK=
Consider asking an individual to be a guest on your program. Allow him to talk on the topic you requested. Then call him an idiot while demonstrating your own ignorance. You demean yourself and
your cause. One listener, Shay, in an e-mail called Mr. Scott on his comments re: MR. Bierachs .
"idiocy." Mr. Scott belittled him also.
Your guest was right Mr. Scott. He had you outgunned with the facts which made it easy for him to defeat your ego.Add to Technorati Favorites
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