The War on Drugs and what it Looks/Looked like

[megas30]

They're looking at investing in facilities for the drug atics to get high in. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but where were these facilities during the crack epidemic?

Also, she made a perfect point that I didn't even think about. Now that the War on drugs has a different look, the people that were criminalized for it, will they be reinstated in society and their record wiped clean? Are they a part of this new package?

They won't do that. Take Canada for example, many young black males have criminal record because of weed. Now, the country is set to legalize weed, however, activists are saying the PM should drop those charges that are still affecting these young men today and the PM is basically saying 'no'.

Think about this, the West was built on free labour, after slavery ended they didn't know what to do, so the criminalization of blacks began. Under the American constitution, it says slavery is abolished unless you are incarcerated. There will always be something else to use to criminalize blacks. America needs that cheap labour. Capitalism does. Now, Trump wants to bring businesses back to American shores, yet banned immigration-- one of the major source of cheap labour--no wonder we see a new urgency for the criminalization blacks once again. Private prisons are the new plantations.

[JimRaynor]

JimRaynor(Mr Blacks-need-to-suck-it-up-and-move-on), what's your take on this?

During the crack epidemic people were getting killed in drug warefare, and their were crack houses and crackheads on the streets. So the black lawmakers of these cities advocated for much stricter laws of punishment.


What gang wars are going on over Oxycontin?

[JimRaynor]

They won't do that. Take Canada for example, many young black males have criminal record because of weed. Now, the country is set to legalize weed, however, activists are saying the PM should drop those charges that are still affecting these young men today and the PM is basically saying 'no'.

Think about this, the West was built on free labour, after slavery ended they didn't know what to do, so the criminalization of blacks began. Under the American constitution, it says slavery is abolished unless you are incarcerated. There will always be something else to use to criminalize blacks. America needs that cheap labour. Capitalism does. Now, Trump wants to bring businesses back to American shores, yet banned immigration-- one of the major source of cheap labour--no wonder we see a new urgency for the criminalization blacks once again. Private prisons are the new plantations.

That's because they still broke the law when it was illegal... During the prohibition if you were caught drinking or selling alcohol you could end up in prison, after alcohol was legal again it didn't change the fact that those folks still broke the law while it was illegal.

[The Big Dunn]

During the crack epidemic people were getting killed in drug warefare, and their were crack houses and crackheads on the streets. So the black lawmakers of these cities advocated for much stricter laws of punishment.


What gang wars are going on over Oxycontin?

come on Jim, don't argue that 30-35 years ago in American cities the politicians making these laws were all black. That defies reality.

[JimRaynor]

come on Jim, don't argue that 30-35 years ago in American cities the politicians making these laws were all black. That defies reality.

Not just politicians per say, but black leaders of their communities.

http://www.wnyc.org/story/312823-bla...eek-dismantle/

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_a...ed_by_the.html

[The Big Dunn]

Not just politicians per say, but black leaders of their communities.

http://www.wnyc.org/story/312823-bla...eek-dismantle/

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_a...ed_by_the.html

All I'm asking is that you not over exaggerate by making the claim that blacks lawmakers of these cities advocated for much stricter laws of punishment.

[JimRaynor]

All I'm asking is that you not over exaggerate by making the claim that blacks lawmakers of these cities advocated for much stricter laws of punishment.

The proof is in the pudding, click on those articles, those aren't exaggerations.

[megas30]

That's because they still broke the law when it was illegal... During the prohibition if you were caught drinking or selling alcohol you could end up in prison, after alcohol was legal again it didn't change the fact that those folks still broke the law while it was illegal.

People found guilty of consumption were pardoned. The ones who were guilty of smuggling across border lines, violent related crimes, and tax evasion served their time. We are talking about the consumers. People who have a record for smoking a joint, and not for people who are selling Marijuana, because under any circumstance selling without a valid licence, is still somewhat illegal because it becomes a tax evasion issue.

[BostonGuy]

I'm not gonna comment on the thread argument because I don't know all the facts.

However, I would like to ask a related question. From my life experience, whites seem to be disproportionately affected by the opiod crisis. I know of many kids I went to school have overdosed and died. I also see the obituaries of many young white people who have "died unexpectedly" - that's a euphemism for they died of an overdose. I also see the drug addled zombies stumbling around Boston - most are white and I don't see too many blacks in that state.

My question is, why aren't blacks affected similarly? Is it a cultural thing? I don't understand.

[GhostofDempsey]

I'm not gonna comment on the thread argument because I don't know all the facts.

However, I would like to ask a related question. From my life experience, whites seem to be disproportionately affected by the opiod crisis. I know of many kids I went to school have overdosed and died. I also see the obituaries of many young white people who have "died unexpectedly" - that's a euphemism for they died of an overdose. I also see the drug addled zombies stumbling around Boston - most are white and I don't see too many blacks in that state.

My question is, why aren't blacks affected similarly? Is it a cultural thing? I don't understand.

Likely because the opiate crisis began with prescription pain pills. Largely prescribed to white suburbanites. Abuse of prescriptions has spiraled out of control and the big pharma companies are getting rich filling orders to pharmacies that should have raised a lot of suspicion.

The pain pill addiction was too expensive to maintain, so enter heroin. A much cheaper high per dose and much easier to obtain. Problem is, heroin highs last about 30-60 minutes and then withdrawals kick in. So an average $8 fix of heroin gets costly when it becomes an hourly need. Fairly easy to slip into a $200 per day habit.

Blacks however, haven't been exempt. Opiate use has tripled among blacks too. There was a time when heroin actually decimated the black communities back in the 1950s - 1970s.