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Travel Alert: Mexico Unsafe Thanks to War on Drugs

The drug war in Mexico is going so horribly wrong that the State Department is warning Americans who may be thinking about traveling there:

Travel Alert

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Consular Affairs

This information is current as of today, document.write(Date()+".") Fri Oct 10 2008 19:36:27 GMT-0400 (EDT).

Mexico

April 14, 2008

This Travel Alert updates information for U.S. citizens on security situations in Mexico that may affect their activities while in that country.  This supersedes the Travel Alert for Mexico dated October 24, 2007, and expires on October 15, 2008.

Violence Along The U.S.-Mexico Border
-------------------------------------

Violent criminal activity fueled by a war between criminal organizations struggling for control of the lucrative narcotics trade continues along the U.S.-Mexico border.  Attacks are aimed primarily at members of drug trafficking organizations, Mexican police forces, criminal justice officials, and journalists.  However, foreign visitors and residents, including Americans, have been among the victims of homicides and kidnappings in the border region.  In its effort to combat violence, the government of Mexico has deployed military troops in various parts of the country.  U.S. citizens are urged to cooperate with official checkpoints when traveling on Mexican highways.

What a disaster. If there were anything remotely effective about the war on drugs, don’t you think that trying this policy for several decades would have produced a better outcome than this? I mean, look at it. Seriously, just watch what’s happening. Is this the result you’d get from a drug policy that worked?

Ever since President Calderon took office a year and a half ago and began trying to crack down on drug trafficking, everything has gone to hell. It gets worse everyday because using war to attack the drug supply is a terrible policy that destroys everything except the drug supply. What other conclusion could you possibly reach given what’s taking place right before our eyes?

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Legalize.

We have to be scared or stupid, whichever it is, wouldn't it be simple, to just legalize the stuff? The money would stop rolling out of our hands to the drug gangs . And then any adult could buy what ever he/she wanted and not have to deal with outlaws. Damn that sounds too simple, I guess we would need to appoint a "blue ribbon panel".

Money seldom follows Truth

Easy and logical it would seem to legalize. Some might argue even essential to human rights. But there is too much money in prohibition. With all the economic uncertainly today, government needs to fund this drug war to keep their prison machine alive, and prosperous.

If drug war reformists don't act quickly, I'm sure this Mexican drug war violence will spread north. And with increased tention amoung the illegal drug economy, users will be further vicimized as the source.

Now is the time to legalize some drugs to bring a truthful and equitable future. Otherwise I think this future militarization will make George Orwell seem like child's play.

No, drugs are still quite illegal in Mexico

There have been voices of reason in the Mexican government. But their military is heavily subsidized by our war on drugs.

Yes and No

Yes, their govt is going after the big fish drug cartels. No, most police, especially the federales, do not waste their time with people carrying small quantities of any drug.

Boring Home made Wine

Home made Wine sucks. It so sad thinking there are really countries legalizing it.

Reap What You Sow

    consfearacy

The Depression of the early 30`s put an end to alcohol prohibition and gave life to " Drug " prohibition. Folks in the Southwestern U.S. pushed Congress to outlaw marijuana in an attempt to push Mexicans back into Mexico. It`s public record. It was a immigration/jobs issue. Sound familiar? Racism and bigotry at its best. How much does a bag of hypocrisy cost? The southwestern U.S. gave us marijuana prohibition. Wonder how they like it now? Is the dog biting the hand that feeds it? You reap what you sow.

Tobbacco may have contributed to Illegality

I think it wasn't just racism that lead to Marijuana becoming illegal. I think the Tobacco companies had something to do with it too. Lets see which would I rather smoke a cigarette that causes Lung Cancer, and other respiratory problems, and allegedly diminishes nervousness, or one that makes me happy, and cause a feeling very close to euphoria or peace. There's a reason the Native Americans call it the peace pipe in the movies I've seen. In my opinion the Tobacco companies knew that Marijuana was too tough for them to compete with, so they helped to make it illegal. it took one depression to get rid of Alcohol Prohibition. Hopefully if there's a depression, instead of the recession everyone is predicting, it will lead to the end of drug prohibition.

i am on probation for

i am on probation for growing cannabis to stop the severe nausea and migraines from a whiplash traffic accident. i am right and the legislators and cops are wrong for bothering me in any way whatsoever for doing so.

Maybe in this new Great Depression that will last for around ten years time we will nationally grow a brain and force out the self serving drug warriors who steal little children from crying mommies who smoke pot with their husbands.

Cannabis does not hurt pregnant mothers who smoke, cannabis does not impare drivers who smoke as evidenced by multiple driver simulator tests and many national, federal studies. Why do we have drug warrior legislators who tell us it does. Here in Iowa Sen C Grassley, great name, pukey politics, tells me cannabis will hurt my lungs. Really? will it do that while it stops lung cancer at the same time? Dr Taskin has been used by DEA to tell us cannabis causes lung cancer and when he did the 63,000 subject study to pound it down, he became convinced CANNABIS STOPS LUNG CANCER. its on youtube. go see him destroy the dea liars with science. a real scientist will change his mind when the data disproves his beliefs. Dr Tashkin changed his mind and so should Grassley.

Re: i am on probation for

Would you mind answering the following questions?

--What led to you getting caught growing marijuana? (Were you making money on the side selling mj while treating your pain?)

--How much mj were you caught with?

--I'm also curious how much time did you serve in jail before seeing the judge?

Thanks in advance.

canabis

Marijuana is not the great cure everything it is made out to be. My daughter used
pot and it definitely impaired her ability to drive. It was like being drunk. My
daughter does not use alcohol, hates the taste of it. But she did use pot. And it got her into a shit load of trouble. She had smoked about four joints. She got in my car and in short order, while impaired from the marijuana, had an accident that resulted in two people being killed. She was convicted with being under the influence and with vehicular homicide. Had she not used marijuana, she would not now be in prison, and I am being sued for well over a million dollars. I have to file bankruptcy and I will lose everything because my daughter smoked marijuana. Don't tell me it does not affect one's ability to drive. How about paying my debt for me?of marijuana.

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