Charlie Shrem finally got out of prison after spending 2 years in prison for a victim less crime. He was operating an exchange that got caught in the web of the silk road, a market place where user could puchase drugs.
There was no victim, the only people prosecuting Charlie was the government. He was kidnapped and put to jail 2 years ago and finally just got released.
Criminalizing Drug
Albert Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing something over and
over again and expecting a different result
It has been proven that criminalizing the consumption and sales of drugs has done nothing to help the countries that uphold such laws.
The United-States have been notorious for spending millions of dollars on their "war on drug". Over three decades later, it is clear that it is time to change direction.
Reducing violence on the street
It's hard to quantify drug related crime, but between 25% to 50% of crimes are related to drugs.
Just like Al capone took over the business of making alchool during the prohibition era, street gangs and dealers are doing the same today.
Prohibiton create artificial scarcity which makes the prices sky rockets. Gangs are ready to figh hard for the right to control very lucrative territory. They cannot go to court if they have a dispute, they have to use force and violence. Prohibiting drugs only make our street more violent.
Police Militarisation
The war on drugs has transform peace officer into military squad that raid people homes and conduct illegal search in hope to find drugs. There is tons of reports of abuse from police who use those reason to harras, steal properties and take away citizen liberties. For example, when the police become a highway robber.
Health problem don't need prison
The United-States has the highest rate of incarceration per habitant in the world. This makes it harder for real crimes to be taken to court. From simple possession to selling and producing, anyone remotly related to drug is a criminal in the current state of affair.
To avoid pre-trial detention which can last many months until a judge can see the case and under intimidation from the prosecution attorney, people caught in this web often plead guilty to offenses they haven't commited to avoid long jail time.
Purchasing and consuming drug is not a crime, it is a health problem.
Drug users don't need prison, they need health facility and support on a volountary base. Kidnapping people because they want to put somehting inside their body is against liberty and freedom.
Steem is a social platform where everyone can get his voice heard. Let's use it for freedom and liberty and stop victim less crimes.
Smoke on!
People should be able to put whatever they want in their body!
I Remeber seeing a popular vice article on the matter, long time ago though.
I love Vice journalistic approach
Stop the war on drugs!
This is non-sense and it need to stop
Great post Alex. Glad to see you've moved to Steem; I recognize you from youtube. Keep up the good work man.
Thanks! Glad to see you here too!
Alex great work here. The war on drugs was a problem for most inner city inhabitants. I think the one thing that is often overshadowed in any discussion on drugs was the asset forfeiture laws in place that allowed police departments all over the US to enrich themselves on the very crimes they enforced. Truly ridiculous.
Exactly! They are more often enforcing road block going to mexico (with the money) then from mexico (with the drugs) So they don't want to seize the goods, just seize the money. This is totally insane..
I was really pumped up when the Liberals (Canada) announced they'll legalize weed next year. I hope it lives up to the expectations. I love that they announced it on 4/20 too, the guys get the joke.
What a surprise when I heard that too. Harper increase jail time for marijuanna grower but the next prime minister makes it legal. Looking forward the advancement of freedom