12-11-2008, 12:46 AM
Making and keeping drugs illegal suits many industries and other interested parties.
As Mark said there is a whole prison/police industry there because of it. Especially when you factor in privatized prisons. Some one has to fill those cells. It is not a hotel so they don't come of their own volition. There are only so many serious crime than can be permitted so victimless crimes need to be invented. Prisons are a growth industry. Please read Timothy Leary's auto biography for the plans that were already in place then to expand prisons despite opportunities to reduce recidivism and crime in general.
And as Peter said not all drugs are regarded equally. Some are more acceptable in this society than others. Ephedrine is given to many factory workers in the 3rd world to keep up their energy and output. Amphetamine type drugs were given to some German soldiers (and I believe US soldiers now) to make them feel energised and bulletproof.
If you manage to get through the education system intact and still want to expand your mind, watch out!. Those drugs are banned. Historically, drugs were used in religious rituals to have spiritual experiences, vision quests, enlightenment and such. Unfortunately, in the US there is more emphasis on Protestantism and its work ethic (coffee anyone?) and the Eucharist is the only ritual involving drugs. Even then it is sometimes non alcoholic wine. You can't have people expanding their mind, thinking for themselves and asking difficult questions. This leads to chaos (change) and we can't have that. If you can't cope you can use alcohol to numb you and go to sleep and be quiet. Or valium. Or anti-depressants.
Drugs and drug laws are such a very useful tool for social control. It is used to divided the working class. Pot was used by some Mexicans and some African Americans as their drug of choice. It was basically free grew everywhere and grew like a weed. Hence the name 'weed'. So racist stereotpypes were used to demonise this drug and these people. Decent folk use alcohol or Coca cola.
It is also no coincidence that Harry Anslinger married into the Du Pont family. This was at the same time that Du Pont had invented their new synthetic textile 'nylon'. Until that time hemp had been the textile of choice for ropes and broad cloth and would probably have continued to be so except that it was outlawed and replaced with....nylon and other synthetic materials indistrially produced. So much for competition in the open market place. Same for the pharmecuetical industry. They manufacture the THC component of cannabis at great expense and trouble (so you don't get the stone) but you can simply grow it yourself. Anecdotal reports indicate that the natural herb is more efficacious than the manufactured chemical.
There is of course a huge amount of money to be made from anything in the black market such as drugs. Since pot is so easy to grow it makes it impossible for the government to tax it. Also, other drugs such as cocaine and heroin and amphetamines are quite cheap to produce. It is only because of the black market that these are so expensive. It gives a huge amount of undeclared money for those black agents and agencies to use as they wish. All this would disappear with a sane drug policy - that is if it were dealt with as a personal and health issue not as a criminal issue.
So, for people who might want to think out side the box, enjoy their life, have spiritual enlightenment, be self sufficient, or just have a bit of fun you had better think twice or you could end up in the slammer with Butch McDick as your cell mate and never be able to get a decent job again with a criminal record. Better to just keep your head down, don't rock the boat, get on with your work and have a quiet beer afterwards. Be silent, consume, die.
As Mark said there is a whole prison/police industry there because of it. Especially when you factor in privatized prisons. Some one has to fill those cells. It is not a hotel so they don't come of their own volition. There are only so many serious crime than can be permitted so victimless crimes need to be invented. Prisons are a growth industry. Please read Timothy Leary's auto biography for the plans that were already in place then to expand prisons despite opportunities to reduce recidivism and crime in general.
And as Peter said not all drugs are regarded equally. Some are more acceptable in this society than others. Ephedrine is given to many factory workers in the 3rd world to keep up their energy and output. Amphetamine type drugs were given to some German soldiers (and I believe US soldiers now) to make them feel energised and bulletproof.
If you manage to get through the education system intact and still want to expand your mind, watch out!. Those drugs are banned. Historically, drugs were used in religious rituals to have spiritual experiences, vision quests, enlightenment and such. Unfortunately, in the US there is more emphasis on Protestantism and its work ethic (coffee anyone?) and the Eucharist is the only ritual involving drugs. Even then it is sometimes non alcoholic wine. You can't have people expanding their mind, thinking for themselves and asking difficult questions. This leads to chaos (change) and we can't have that. If you can't cope you can use alcohol to numb you and go to sleep and be quiet. Or valium. Or anti-depressants.
Drugs and drug laws are such a very useful tool for social control. It is used to divided the working class. Pot was used by some Mexicans and some African Americans as their drug of choice. It was basically free grew everywhere and grew like a weed. Hence the name 'weed'. So racist stereotpypes were used to demonise this drug and these people. Decent folk use alcohol or Coca cola.
It is also no coincidence that Harry Anslinger married into the Du Pont family. This was at the same time that Du Pont had invented their new synthetic textile 'nylon'. Until that time hemp had been the textile of choice for ropes and broad cloth and would probably have continued to be so except that it was outlawed and replaced with....nylon and other synthetic materials indistrially produced. So much for competition in the open market place. Same for the pharmecuetical industry. They manufacture the THC component of cannabis at great expense and trouble (so you don't get the stone) but you can simply grow it yourself. Anecdotal reports indicate that the natural herb is more efficacious than the manufactured chemical.
There is of course a huge amount of money to be made from anything in the black market such as drugs. Since pot is so easy to grow it makes it impossible for the government to tax it. Also, other drugs such as cocaine and heroin and amphetamines are quite cheap to produce. It is only because of the black market that these are so expensive. It gives a huge amount of undeclared money for those black agents and agencies to use as they wish. All this would disappear with a sane drug policy - that is if it were dealt with as a personal and health issue not as a criminal issue.
So, for people who might want to think out side the box, enjoy their life, have spiritual enlightenment, be self sufficient, or just have a bit of fun you had better think twice or you could end up in the slammer with Butch McDick as your cell mate and never be able to get a decent job again with a criminal record. Better to just keep your head down, don't rock the boat, get on with your work and have a quiet beer afterwards. Be silent, consume, die.
"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it." Karl Marx
"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.
“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.
"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.
“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.