Why should anyone be arrested for possessing any drug?

[Comrade Grumpy]

The question is inspired by the poll showing miniscule (6%) support for jailing pot smokers.

Someone suggested not arresting them would empty the prisons, but that's not really the case. There are probably "only" about 40,000 people doing time for pot crime, out of about 350,000 imprisoned drug offenders.

But why should anyone be arrested for possessing (or using) drugs, absent harm to others?

Why not get the cops and the criminal justice system out of it and treat it like a public health issue?

I'm going for a walk, but will check in in a few minutes.

[msongs]

1. because thousands of parasites live off the arrest/prosecution/imprisonment of drug users

and Eric Holder is at the top of the list

[Comrade Grumpy]

2. It would seem to be out of line with notions of freedom and personal responsbility.

[zerosumgame0005]

3. the simple answer is

racism. the basic reason all these laws were passed

[LadyHawkAZ]

4. Short answer: $

The drug war is keeping an awful lot of people profitably employed.

[Comrade Grumpy]

5. Heroin and meth should be legal. Criminalize people only when they harm others...

...or, arguably, themselves.

Use heroin. Not a crime.

Use heroin, go driving and hit somebody. A crime.

Use meth. Not a crime.

Use meth, neglect or abuse your kids. A crime.

Use cocaine. Not a crime.

Use cocaine, to the point where you're in the grip of cocaine psychosis. Not a crime, but maybe an involuntary commitment.

[OnionPatch]

7. It's that simple, really.

I'm not sure why this concept is so hard for some people.

[Blue Owl]

6. Private Prison Profiteers need their human merchandise

n/t

[Comrade Grumpy]

8. There have been about 5,000 drug arrests since I posted the OP yesterday. Just sayin'.