Narcos, the Netflix series which, in its first two seasons, tells the story of the late Colombian drug lord, Pablo Escobar, and his fight against the Columbian government. He is portrayed by the excellent Brazilian actor, Wagner Moura. Narcos reminds me of many similar stories of organized criminals, such as the 1987 movie, The Untouchables, starring Kevin Costner, Robert De Niro, and Sean Connery, which is about the federal government's fight against Al Capone during the Prohibition era in Chicago.
When I was watching Narcos, I came to see Escobar as a businessman, selling a product (cocaine), albeit an illegal one, that had a huge demand. He was making so much money it was difficult for him to deal with the amount of cash pouring in. In spite of the public's demand for cocaine, governments around the world, especially in Colombia and the USA, deem it to be illegal. Should governments mandate what is in the best interests of their citizens? Maybe sugar should be illegal?
I worked for a company (see my blog post of 03/20/2016 - JES) that, during a period of time before my employment, sold an illegal product, alcohol. Then the government changed its mind and it became legal. Alcohol and cocaine have something in common. They are both drugs. So, why is one legal and the other illegal. It is what some call "line drawing."
The character, Walter White, in the American Movie Classic (AMC) series, Breaking Bad, discusses this subject with his brother-in-law, a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent, who gave him a confiscated Cuban cigar. Walter, on the other hand, is secretly engaged in the manufacture of methamphetamine, an illegal drug. "It's funny isn't it how we draw that line - what's legal, what's illegal - Cuban cigars, alcohol. You know, if we were drinking this (whiskey) in 1930, we would be breaking the law. In another year, it would be okay. Who knows what will be legal next year. It's arbitrary."
The character, Walter White, in the American Movie Classic (AMC) series, Breaking Bad, discusses this subject with his brother-in-law, a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent, who gave him a confiscated Cuban cigar. Walter, on the other hand, is secretly engaged in the manufacture of methamphetamine, an illegal drug. "It's funny isn't it how we draw that line - what's legal, what's illegal - Cuban cigars, alcohol. You know, if we were drinking this (whiskey) in 1930, we would be breaking the law. In another year, it would be okay. Who knows what will be legal next year. It's arbitrary."
Marijuana, another drug, is currently going through a transformation from illegal to legal. A number of years ago, it was discovered that the use of this drug can "treat disease or improve symptoms." Hence, in a number of states we now have what is referred to as "medical marijuana." If you can get a doctor to write you a prescription, you can legally buy and use it. Furthermore, a number of states now permit the recreational use of marijuana.
It is hopeless to believe the police can win the so-called "War on Drugs" since so many citizens are willing to violate the law. I remember an old expression, "If one person breaks the law, put him in jail; if everyone breaks the law, change the law." Better to end the war and try to regulate such drugs similar to alcohol and tobacco.
From a positive point of view, this change from illegal to legal frees up the use of the police to fight other types of violent crime, such as murders and robberies unrelated to illegal drugs. Additionally, the newly legalized drug companies would then be able to utilize the justice system to enforce their rights under the law without resort to violence.
From a positive point of view, this change from illegal to legal frees up the use of the police to fight other types of violent crime, such as murders and robberies unrelated to illegal drugs. Additionally, the newly legalized drug companies would then be able to utilize the justice system to enforce their rights under the law without resort to violence.
From a negative point of view, there will be abuse of a newly legalized drug. However, our society has been dealing with similar abuse regarding alcohol and tobacco for some time. Such abuse is inevitable. Some adult human beings are susceptible to making poor choices. This is part of living in a free society.
No comments:
Post a Comment