Just Wow, I was going to comment that my church doesn't have those types of services but reading that I guess I should be glad we don't, Sad indeed,
Bob

The reason the black community strongly supports drug prohibition is that they are awash in the side effects of widespread drug abuse: wasted lives; widespread crimes of violence induced by loss of inhibitions; economic devastation.

You can argue that the damage done by prohibition is worse than the consequences of private use. There's a reason a majority of Americans, white and black, find that argument silly. It's because we are surrounded by the damage done by widespread use of intoxicants (including the legal ones, like alcohol).

I am witness to the devastating effect of psychoactive drugs – alcohol included. When I was a young child I was in an auto accident where a drunk plowed into a station wagon filled with two families. A parent of one family was killed immediately. A parent of the other family suffered crippling injuries that took nearly a decade to remediate.

When you inform me that programs to reduce drug use-alcohol included - are worse than the effects of drug use, my reply is: what bridge in Brooklyn are you trying to sell me?

Another point is that when we have such devastating effects with a legal psychoactive drug such as alcohol, that does not encourage me to believe that legalizing drugs will have a better effect. Say what you will about the Volstead Act, alcohol use did go down during the Twenties.

The problem with the Volstead Act was that prohibition of a drug that an estimated 90% of the population used - and most did so responsibly- made the Volstead Act honored more in the breach than in the observance, and thus not good law. By contrast, we do not have 90% of the population using speed, for example.

There are problems with drug prohibition, but I am skeptical about legalization.

The reason the black community strongly supports drug prohibition is that they are awash in the side effects of widespread drug abuse

Well yes. But evidently prohibition doesn't solve the problems of addiction and adds massive crime to the mix. About 1/3 of black fathers are in the criminal justice system leading to family breakdowns.

So let me see. Subsidized crime. Family breakdown. And still the kids find it easier to get illegal drugs than beer.

In any other reality that would be considered a failure.

And let me add that in places that have legalized we find that drug use is lower than in places that haven't, generally.

I also read (I should have saved the link) that the average age of heroin uses is going up in a place where drugs have been legalized. That means new users are not being recruited.

In addition you confuse the effects of prohibition with the effects of drugs.

Was it alcohol that caused gang warfare in the 1920s? If so why don't we see gang warfare over alcohol these days. After all it is more freely available.

Let me add that before drug prohibition started in 1914 there were no drug gangs in America. Perhaps you can explain that.

Hint: it is not the drugs. It is the money.

In fact illegal drug gross profitability closely tracks drug war spending. The more that is spent on the war the more profits for the gangs. The harder the war is fought the better for the gangs.

The Opium Trade
"If the trade is ever legalized, it will cease to be profitable from that time. The more difficulties that attend it, the better for you and us."
-- Directors of Jardine-Matheson

http://www.ctrl.org/boodleboys/boddlesboys2.html

the Black Community supports the drug war

Is that true? Or is it the leadership of the Black Community that supports the drug war?

I should add that these black leaders are not unanimous:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/7115406.html

Another point is that when we have such devastating effects with a legal psychoactive drug such as alcohol, that does not encourage me to believe that legalizing drugs will have a better effect.

Legalization will not solve the drug problem. How could it?

It will solve a crime problem. (mostly) See prohibition, alcohol.

The NIDA says that the drug problem is about 50% attributable to genetics and the other 50% to some unspecified "environmental" factor.

Addiction Is A Genetic Disease

Now how in the heck are police going to fix human genetics?

And check out a recent California poll on legalizing marijuana:

http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2010/jul/29/new_california_poll_has_prop_19

***QUOTE***

The Public Policy poll found that 62% of Democrats supported the proposition, as did 55% of independents, but only 37% of Republicans. Among ethnic groups, support was highest among African-Americans (68%), followed by whites (53%), and Hispanics (47%). Only among Asians was there more opposition to the measure (43%) than support (29%).

***END QUOTE***

From the UK re: Holland:

The average age of heroin users in Holland is 40 and rising. The average age of heroin users in the UK is 25 and falling. Why do you think that this is the case? Do we have anything to learn from Dutch drug policy?

http://www.thehempire.com/index.php/cannabis/legalise_cannabis/drugs_crime_and_prohibition

"Hint: it is not the drugs. It is the money."

Of course it is! Heck, it's 2010...so maybe we should call it a "jobs program"?

You tell me if it matters that some are playing above the table, and some are playing "under the table", so to speak.