War on Drugs

[Floki]

I don't mind Russel Brand, sometimes I think he is a bit of an idiot but after watching this, I have started to like him more.

After watching this, many of you will agree of what he has to say and I am glad he got the better of Channel 4' Jon Snow (not The Bastard of 'Game of Throne')

http://xposethereal.com/russell-bran...7-minutes.html

What are your reviews?
Do you agree?

[MayaX]

I love this guy and I am agree with him... !!!!

[Davidontour]

Brand does talk a lot of sense, though he can be a loose cannon in an interview situation. He isn't perhaps the most coherent spokesman for liberal views but at least he's making an effort. One of the main reasons that young people are so disengaged from politics is it's general conservatism and unwillingness to genuinely engage with relevant social issues.

Subjects such as drug use, sex work and euthanasia are generally treated as criminal justice issues when they in fact require open minded regulation within a realistic framework. The billions spent on the 'war on drugs' in particular is a global scandal, given the ubiquity of their use amongst the general population and the hypocrisy of a situation where alcohol consumption is encouraged yet relatively innocuous drugs such as cannabis are criminalised.

The subject desperately needs to be tackled in a realistic manner and fair play to Brand for bringing it up. His attitude is refreshing, as is the fact he is one of very few celebrities to admit to visiting escorts.

[betty boop]

Brand does talk a lot of sense, though he can be a loose cannon in an interview situation. He isn't perhaps the most coherent spokesman for liberal views but at least he's making an effort. One of the main reasons that young people are so disengaged from politics is it's general conservatism and unwillingness to genuinely engage with relevant social issues.

Subjects such as drug use, sex work and euthanasia are generally treated as criminal justice issues when they in fact require open minded regulation within a realistic framework. The billions spent on the 'war on drugs' in particular is a global scandal, given the ubiquity of their use amongst the general population and the hypocrisy of a situation where alcohol consumption is encouraged yet relatively innocuous drugs such as cannabis are criminalised.

The subject desperately needs to be tackled in a realistic manner and fair play to Brand for bringing it up. His attitude is refreshing, as is the fact he is one of very few celebrities to admit to visiting escorts.

Well said, unfortunately there is far too much invested in "the war on drugs" for there to be a rational approach to the problem. Look at the report commissioned by the UK govt. but immediately hidden and villified cause it went againt what the Govt. wanted, it stated that alcohol was more dangerous than cannabis and Mdma, it went on to say that the main problem with drugs like Herion was not the drug but what was added to it to increase profit. I am afraid that nothing will change in this area till there is a sea change in both political and medical thinking. Good thread btw..

[Davidontour]

Well said, unfortunately there is far too much invested in "the war on drugs" for there to be a rational approach to the problem. Look at the report commissioned by the UK govt. but immediately hidden and villified cause it went againt what the Govt. wanted, it stated that alcohol was more dangerous than cannabis and Mdma, it went on to say that the main problem with drugs like Herion was not the drug but what was added to it to increase profit. I am afraid that nothing will change in this area till there is a sea change in both political and medical thinking. Good thread btw..

Absolutely agree. There are parallels with the sex work issue in that there are considerable funds invested in largely ineffectual prohibition attempts, rather than the adoption of a realistic policy accepting that both sex and the need to temporarily escape reality are basic human functions which cannot and will not be eradicated.

[warmcome]

the war on drug users has caused mayhem all over the world.
i'm pleased to say that medical cannabis is now available in Ireland (at last) :

http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0711/630149-cannabis/

[dublinky]

There's also another important point in this interview that people talking about it are missing and that's how Jon Snow was trying to manipulate the interview so it wasn't about drugs policy but a sensationalist crazy celebrity. It failed miserably even though he kept trying to push his agenda and this really shows mainstream media for what it is today: sensationalism.
There is no real discussion of anything in the news, everything is just opinion pieces from people who aren't qualified to talk about a subject or random nonsense to grab people's attention. It's really starting to bother me now and is only getting worse.

[Jiberjabber]

Well said, unfortunately there is far too much invested in "the war on drugs" for there to be a rational approach to the problem. Look at the report commissioned by the UK govt. but immediately hidden and villified cause it went againt what the Govt. wanted, it stated that alcohol was more dangerous than cannabis and Mdma, it went on to say that the main problem with drugs like Herion was not the drug but what was added to it to increase profit. I am afraid that nothing will change in this area till there is a sea change in both political and medical thinking. Good thread btw..

That's been happening all across the world ever since Nixon first funded a similar commission and then vilified all those involved when he didn't like the findings. Having a tough stance on drugs helps get stupid (dangerous) people without any real worthwhile policies elected, it's one of the default goto campaign issues for diverting attention.