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  #101  
Old 10-29-2015, 07:56 AM
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Default Re: Drug war thrad

A fine piece (by which I mean, of course, it agrees with me) by David Nutt* in The Grauniad:

Why are drugs illegal? You asked Google – here’s the answer | David Nutt | Comment is free | The Guardian

From the linkSo the short answer to the question “why are (some) drugs illegal?” is simple. It’s because the editors of powerful newspapers want it that way. They see getting drugs banned as a tangible measure of success, a badge of honour. And behind them the alcohol industry continues secretly to express its opposition to anything that might challenge its monopoly of recreational drug sales.


*Yes, he is indeed Deez Nutt: David Nutt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia :deeznuts:
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  #102  
Old 10-29-2015, 09:30 AM
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Default Re: Drug war thrad

Not sure why he points out how drug laws have been used as tools against ethnic minorities and political activists and such but then concludes by saying newspapers do it just to show they can. There's no money in that and I generally assume such things are about getting and protecting money and power.

I think it's mostly to get readers/viewers. They fearmonger about all sorts of stupid shit, and drugs are just another way to do that, and their association with criminal organizations just makes it that much juicier. And secondarily because it may line up with other political/business interests they may have, depending on the news org.
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  #103  
Old 10-29-2015, 10:19 AM
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Default Re: Drug war thrad

I think he is being careful to answer the question as simply as possible, giving the will of newspaper editors as the proximate cause of the prohibitive laws, and only suggesting we make the necessary connection ourselves between the manufacturers of consensus and the interests of the powerful.
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  #104  
Old 10-29-2015, 10:19 PM
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I read some of your foolish scree, then just skimmed the rest.
 
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Default Re: Drug war thrad

Lol wut?
I agree with erimir, his conclusion is a bit strange and not supported by data or the article itself.
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  #105  
Old 10-29-2015, 11:43 PM
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I read some of your foolish scree, then just skimmed the rest.
 
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Default Re: Drug war thrad

The Psychoactive Substances Bill in the UK is pretty hilarious and I half wonder if it's actually a troll bill as it both bans and then exempts most medicine, homeopathy, common psychoactive vices like caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine.
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  #106  
Old 10-30-2015, 12:28 AM
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Default Re: Drug war thrad

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  #107  
Old 10-30-2015, 12:29 AM
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Default Re: Drug war thrad

Quote:
Originally Posted by mickthinks View Post
I think he is being careful to answer the question as simply as possible, giving the will of newspaper editors as the proximate cause of the prohibitive laws, and only suggesting we make the necessary connection ourselves between the manufacturers of consensus and the interests of the powerful.
Even if that's the case, I still find that a strange tack to take. He introduces the notion that it's a badge of honor for newspaper editors in the last paragraph and without any evidence, which is not only leaving that connection unsaid, it's proposing a different motivation altogether which could then obscure that connection.

Also, as Ari said, the article already talks about the drug war's role in oppressing ethnic minorities and the alcohol lobby's opposition to cannabis legalization, etc. so it's not like he hadn't already made those connections.

It was overall a good article and I obviously agree with him in general, but I just found that part strange.
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