So I was just tooling are thedea.org website and was looking a the page on alternative possibilities to prohibition. Am I the only one that thinks his grand idea of controlled legalization is completely insane? Big brother to the max. Just the possibility of having social services aware of my drug use would ensure that I continued to buy them (if I used them) from illegal sources.

http://thedea.org/thealternative.html

No, I'm sure you're not the only one, but I for one, don't agree with your negative stance on controlled legalization. The idea sounds like a far FAR better idea than prohibition. What's insane is the current system. If taking "drugs' was legal, then why would I care if "big brother" is watching? Let em watch. I hope for a society where people don't have to be so secretive about everything. I look forward to a future where I, and every user can get along perfectly well with everyone in society. Give a friendly hello to the police. I don't have anything against police, or the government, and why should I? Oh, that's right.... because they would potentially destroy my life just because I choose to peacefullly use a certain substance. But, if the government relented its incredibly destructive stance against users, then what problem would I have with the government? I would see them as a friend, I would be much more willing to work together in society. But now people are forced to be so secretive because the government itself will literally kidnap a user, maybe invade their home, wreck their stuff, and throw you a hole. Obviously, users are going to have some negative feelings about a government that would do such a thing to them. That controlled legalization thing would put a whole new level of trust and co-operation between people and government.

Co-operation is a good thing. But, unfortunately, the general public, and it seems law makes as well, don't accept the idea that drug use can be a legitimate spiritual, and/or useful practice. Apparently, they'd rather call all users criminals and punish and punish and punish to no end..... even though it doesn't seem to work. People would rather judge uses and be disgusted by the very thought of "drugs" rather than open their hearts and minds in the spirit of co-operation.... such as the "controlled legalization" idea would provide.

Without education drug abuse is deadly. I've had so many friends who believed myth after myth about drugs and would be so dumb with their use. People who thought lsd could make you think your orange juice for life (!?). People who didn't know that if you had a tolerance to heroin and stopped for a few days that the next time you shot up you had to use less (!?).

Most of these problems would be solved by real drug education and legalization. There is no safer alternative. With legalization safe and regulated sources of drugs would exist instead of the black market. With education people should need some course to learn about what drugs are and how they effect the body. Right now most drug users don't know shit about the substances they use. People on websites like this and who research on erowid or whatever tend to be an exception.

I don't know exactly how far the regulation should go but right now prohibition is FAR worse.

The problem is convincing the public that legal drug use would equal less harm to society and individuals. If you can't convince the public that nothing will ever change. Unless of course the US goes totally bankrupt and can't afford the drug war anymore.