PsilocybinMike said:

Well respect them or not, be it the DEA or local police, there truly are some neighborhoods and cities that ARE dangerous directly because of the meth/crack/heroin trade. I don't think gun slinging reckless maniacs belong on the streets because any innocent person at any time could get caught in the crossfire of that shit.

Somebody has to do it, I don't have kids but how would you feel if your son or daughter had to walk home from school afraid of catching a stray bullet over some drug related gang activity?

I agree with you in a sense though, it would make more sense just to legalize and regulate it and that would pull the rug out from underneath the violent, murderous black market organizations who thrive off prohibition. I don't respect the fact that regardless of what is right or logical these agents will go after whoever, whenever, wherever at the drop of a hat because "it was an order".

Times seem to be changing though, slowly but surely..

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Yeah, all that violence that you're talking about is happening because of prohibition, not in spite of it.  When is the last time you heard of alcohol gangs shooting it out in the street?  Prohibition.  It creates a lawless, underground market, in which disputes are settled by violence and in which the drug is so expensive that people have to steal to get money for it. 

KrishnaDreamer said:

true. i don't defend the dea in any way.

if the majority of people thought like us, there wouldn't be a need for the dea.

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Quote:

In Spain the possession and use of cannabis in public places is classed as a misdemeanour under public health laws and is punishable by fines and confiscation. Trafficking is a criminal offence.

However, the right to consume marijuana and grow plants for personal consumption in one's private property is protected under the Spanish constitution. In practice one can still be denounced for doing so by neighbours or ill-wishers, and the burden is then effectively on the user or grower to prove that the material is for personal use only.

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Gastronomicus said:

If I came across a DEA agent in the desert, parched, starving, inches from death, rambling in a delirium about his 2 year old son and newborn daughter I would piss on him and slit his throat and smoke a joint while I watch the vultures pick his bones.

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fapjack said:

It was the drug use coming back from Vietnam, the drug use here at home from the counter culture folks, the blacks in the inner cities, and pretty much anyone else Nixon didn't like.  Reagan made it a lot worse though during his presidency, but it was never just about 1 drug.  Its a way for them to fuck with people they don't like.

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