tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132273.post6314134217085005251..comments2023-05-01T11:44:04.490-03:00Comments on D for Disorientation: The fifth column in the Argentine War on DrugsPablohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08296074005654785159noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132273.post-27925097251063101012007-05-14T12:13:00.000-03:002007-05-14T12:13:00.000-03:00Pablo –Since miss cupcake raised the issue of the ...Pablo –<BR/><BR/>Since miss cupcake raised the issue of the inequities of social caste, whatever happened to the investigation and prosecution of the individuals involved in the trafficking of cocaine from Ezeiza to Madrid via diplomatic luggage on Southern Winds?<BR/><BR/> It was front page news for weeks (but came to light months after the actual bust), and highly-placed, influential people were obviously involved. <BR/><BR/>JohnSFOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04846379168854781828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132273.post-22333528121096645802007-05-14T12:04:00.000-03:002007-05-14T12:04:00.000-03:00Pablo –Leaving aside the recreational use of drugs...Pablo –<BR/><BR/>Leaving aside the recreational use of drugs, isn’t Argentina’s biggest drug problem paco – the exceedingly addictive and cheap chemical leftover from cocaine production. One government official has pegged daily usage at 400,000 doses/day.<BR/><BR/>Perhaps because its consumption has mostly been associated with youths living in poverty it hasn’t been regarded as much of a problem. But since its use is spreading to higher socioeconomic castes, it’s now more of a problem, of course.<BR/><BR/>JohnSFOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04846379168854781828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132273.post-60554951474058856662007-05-14T09:40:00.000-03:002007-05-14T09:40:00.000-03:00Mitigation, damage control and ultimately educatio...Mitigation, damage control and ultimately education are the more progressive and frankly more realistic options for governments anywhere in our modern society. <BR/><BR/>This is especially so since the law may have been created "equal" but not everyone is "equal" in front of those executing the law.<BR/><BR/>During my days working and living in Manhattan and Hong Kong (the Manhattan of Asia), I had witnessed well-heeled colleagues, acquaintances dabbling in the "good stuff". They had the financial capacity to get high quality drugs which they consumed in the privacy of their plush homes, private clubs or exclusive restaurants, away from the cops. These people were never caught let alone reprimanded. Meanwhile the poor sods snorting or inhaling in some dump were always the ones who got nabbed by the police and had to do time in prison/ correctional centres with rehabilitation facilities, etc. I'm sure prison is better used for real criminals and society is better served with people who are able to function as healthy and content beings without aid from substances.miss cupcakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06210998763456566715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132273.post-57886208644208916262007-05-13T20:55:00.000-03:002007-05-13T20:55:00.000-03:00I don't think the state should provide the drugs. ...I don't think the state should provide the drugs. However, if they weren't illegal, it would be possible for the state to control their quality, so that the secondary effects of the drug itself are not compounded with the effects of bad-quality ingredients. In fact, making something illegal increases its price, so making drugs legal might make good-quality drugs cheaper. If the result is <I>too</I> cheap, the state can burden the drugs with taxes — as it already does with cigarettes, for example.<BR/><BR/>The state should, indeed, try to mitigate the effects of drug abuse, in the same way it organizes e.g. courses to quit smoking and assists alcoholics (directly or by sponsoring private organizations with the know-how needed for these issues).<BR/><BR/>Those are just ideas off the top of my head. I don't claim to have a solution, but I think those who want to legalize certain drugs have identified the problem.Pablohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08296074005654785159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132273.post-10449254069904272662007-05-13T20:12:00.000-03:002007-05-13T20:12:00.000-03:00Pablo –What do you mean by “access to quality drug...Pablo –<BR/><BR/>What do you mean by “access to quality drug?” Are you implying some role for the state? “Pure” drugs of course usually come from diverting pharmaceuticals into the illegal market (this would almost always be the case, for example, with ketamine).<BR/><BR/>I think that the primary concern of society should be the collateral damage resulting from drug use. Accidents caused by drunk drivers are surely the biggest social problem with alcohol (ab)use.<BR/><BR/>JohnSFOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04846379168854781828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132273.post-57423226056311288472007-05-13T14:31:00.000-03:002007-05-13T14:31:00.000-03:00Good question. I'm not distinguishing soft and har...Good question. I'm not distinguishing soft and hard drugs, since <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_and_soft_drugs" REL="nofollow">the distinction is partly subjective</A> and I'm not prepared to deal with them separately. I leave that for the experts to decide, if the law has to be re-written. I don't think the Argentine Penal Code recognizes the difference either. That's another (huge) part of the problem.Pablohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08296074005654785159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132273.post-74516785711809040542007-05-12T22:35:00.000-03:002007-05-12T22:35:00.000-03:00Pablo -What drugs are you specifically talking abo...Pablo -<BR/><BR/>What drugs are you specifically talking about in your blog? Are you making a distinction between soft drugs (like cannabis) and hard drugs? Does the Argentine penal code recognize a difference?<BR/><BR/>JohnSFOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04846379168854781828noreply@blogger.com