wilkes

Allegedly.

Most of them say "attempt too" meaning they probably has a large amount and the police assume that's what is going to take place.

These arrests usually result in be convicted of a much lower crime, normally a misdemeanor and sent on their way. The only way they typically get real time is if they have some sort of weapon.

Otherwise because the police raided someone's home that had a large amount and possible a scale, they charge with attempt to sell/distribute or traffic.

Again call it what you want. addict, thieves whatever how do you stop it ?

How do you stop the very first time taking herion, meth.

Secondly, how do you explain to someone if there taking pain meds the risks involved.

Lets say a 18 year old kid ( young adult ) what deterrence is there to keep them away from it.

Hangs,
What I don't see is a single charge of "at home minding their own business smoking dope not bothering anyone".

Hangs,
According to the article they are.

I'm not saying anything of the sort. Are you saying all 40 were drug dealers?

It's like an alcoholic, that's fine, stay home, but when you get in your car to go to the ABC store and you're still drunk, you're now a drunk driver and need to go to jail.

Hangs,
So you're saying you know all 40 also and all 40 are addicts. Again they were locked up for being a drug dealer. The law can't just go into a person's home and arrest them because the use drugs and are an addict.

We should create state farms and put these people there to work and get rehab. They can be productive while healing.

Intent to sell is a term used by law enforcement when someone has a certain qty of drugs in their possession, maybe some cash as well. They don't necessarily have to have been selling to be arrested and charged for intent.

Addiction will make you do things you thought you'd never do.

Locking someone up for having a disease is not the answer.

When I was in high school I didn't know anyone using drugs. Very few people I knew were using drugs in the 60's and 70's with the exception of pot. Now, Just about every young person I know is using drugs. So, the drug problem is getting worse.

Fins,
According to the article all 40 were charged for selling or possession with intent to sale illegal drugs. You say all 40 are addicts, unless you know all 40 personally you are making a very big assumption. And if you personally know all 40 you need to pick better friends. Again I'm ok if a person wants to lay around their house eating OxyContin like its candy, but when they start selling their drugs to buy more drugs, they're a drug dealer and need to go to jail. I'll wager that everyone of the 40 thought they going to meet another pillbilly the day they sold to an undercover officer, another pillbilly who may be the ones doing the robbing and stealing to buy their dope even if none of the 40 have robbed or stole anything.
So again all 40 are drug dealers and need to be held accountable.

The amount of wrong information in this thread is dangerous. Especially from one troll specifically. This thread started over 40 people that were arrested for being addicts. They weren't arrested while breaking into homes to pay for their addictions. They may have done that, but there is no evidence to charge them for it. They are in jail and resources were spent to bust them because they have addictions. So yeah, for the crimes they have been charged with, rehab would be a better use of money.

There's really no numbers suggesting that addiction is worse now that ever. If someone thinks before the 90's only marijuana was used, they missed the 70's and 80's cocaine. What is clearly on the rise is overdoses. That's because of the types of drugs being used now. You can give credit to the pharmaceutical companies for that. One of the worst things that happens though is separating alcohol and drug addiction as different things. They aren't.

On a related note, studies now have found that people with higher IQz are at more risk of becoming addicts. Also medical professionals are at a high risk due to stress. restaurant workers and teachers are close behind. This is contrary to the stereotype that poor and ignorant people are most of the addicts.

So how do you stop it in the first place ?

your thinking reactive, how do you stop it.

Again, no one is advocating that crimes be overlooked or some sort of soft stance on crime. In our judgmental, shoot first, take no insult, lock them up and throw away the key society, that's not going to happen anyway. The argument is that treating addicts, many who are highly successful and productive people, as criminals for simple possession or use is unwise. Addiction is a disease and should be treated in an integrated or holistic manner.

cowboy is correct. Forgiving a crime and helping someone to beat an addiction is two different things.

Addicts can and should get help, until they start violating the laws to further their addiction, then they need to be held accountable for their crimes.

So it is being too liberal to help someone with addiction issues?

I've helped a friend find treatment that would be covered by his insurance. This was not some resort in the woods, this was hard core treatment.

How do you think the CIA get the money for those illegal secret integration centers around the world? Illegal drug sales in the US.

The point I am making is what you are saying is what everyone has been saying for years. The reality is the more liberal we get on drug enforcement, the bigger the problem. We need to ostracize people who has a positive attitude about drugs. About the war on drugs; in reality there has been no real war on drugs. The war is on who supplies drugs.

Drug use and addiction has gotten worse since this supposed "war on drugs" began. Once we demonized drug use instead of offering help, the problem just continued to grow and until we help instead of locking them up, there is no hope. Addiction doesn't care about the consequences.