Forum Discussing Legalizing Drugs

[MedicalNeed]

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Thursday's public forum featured former Orange County, Calif., Superior Judge Jim Gray. Gray talked about why he believes the current drug laws have failed America. Students For Sensible Drug Policy President Stephen Duke said he will be listening closely.

"It's a good thing to have him out here to educate the students and also the community about why he feels, from a judicial perspective, that our drug laws have failed," said Duke.

Gray has spoke around the world and even wrote a book about why he believes the war on drugs has been a failure.

"All of these drugs are more available for children today than alcohol, why? Because the illegal dealers don't ask for I.D.," said Gray.

Gray said drugs should not be illegal on the federal level but more so regulated on the state level.

"To treat marijuana like alcohol for adults, regulate it, control it. Yes it's a good side benefit to tax it, but remove these monies going to bad people," said Gray.

An undercover detective with the Fayetteville Police Department Drug Task Force said he does not support Gray's views on legalizing any drug, particularly marijuana. The detective said it is a gateway drug to drugs like m*th and c*caine. The detective says current law puts bad people in jail.

"Yes I acknowledge marijuana can be addicting. It certainly can have it's harms, but today the worst most harmful things about marijuana is jail. That's something you can't cure yourself from," said Gray.


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Website:Forum Discussing Legalizing Drugs - News Story - KHBS NW Arkansas

 

[kaitlinpg]

Why is it truly so hard for some of these cops to get the facts straight. I would think that they would respect someone who had been in law enforcement for years. I have been debating with a cop some on a forum called topics and this guy has just been down right nasty calling us human trash over and over because we chose something different then say alcohol. I wonder if it's just because they are trained to think like that or are they afraid that they might lose there job if it were legalized?

 

[free2blaze]

Why is it truly so hard for some of these cops to get the facts straight. I would think that they would respect someone who had been in law enforcement for years. I have been debating with a cop some on a forum called topics and this guy has just been down right nasty calling us human trash over and over because we chose something different then say alcohol. I wonder if it's just because they are trained to think like that or are they afraid that they might lose there job if it were legalized?

I have been on the Topics forum also and tried debating this with likely the same person as you, maybe not but he was a very rude person, yes it is there job to reject anything to do with legalization, and there job does depend on drugs being illegal, if you think of people like judge Jim Gray who is now a retired judge or all the former police officers involved in LEAP it becomes obvious that it is there job as a law enforcement officer to do everything they can to protect there job, I have alot of respect for Jim Gray and believe he is a very intelligent man with the stance he now takes on the issue, as for LEAP I am not too sure because they are largely an ex police officers group and I have a problem trusting a group of police officers retired or not, that is just me, I feel I could have more respect for them if they would step up while still an active officer but we all know that will not happen,
but anyway hey welcome to 420 magazine, this is a great forum.

 

[Brinna]

...I have alot of respect for Jim Gray and believe he is a very intelligent man with the stance he now takes on the issue, as for LEAP I am not too sure because they are largely an ex police officers group and I have a problem trusting a group of police officers retired or not, that is just me, I feel I could have more respect for them if they would step up while still an active officer but we all know that will not happen...

I can certainly understand the roots of your mistrust. However, I don't think we can paint every member of law enforcement with the same brush. LEO's who are still working generally do not speak up for the same reason so many of us pee in a cup to satisfy our bosses: we need to keep our jobs. That said, there are many currently serving police officers and judges who are vocal members of LEAP. And, in my book, LEAP has done more for the cause of ending prohibition, than many more "comforting" allies because they can speak convincingly to those who have not already made up their minds that weed is friendly.