Smack and weed seized in Evatt

Tooks said:
“No junkie just has $7k worth of gear and a ‘sum of cash’ just lying around. Most likely a dealer/user.”

The 3 dope plants would be valued by the Keystone Cops at $2000 a piece regardless of the size/maturity/etc. Let’s say he had a gram of smack. I dunno what the street price for that is but lets say half of the figure used by the Keystone Cops, which is $500-600 per gm. A sum cash? C’mon, that could be the last $20 being saved for a packet of smokes.
We can see the AFP mafia unit, oops, I mean err, media unit, quote figures which are usually double the street price to make their “busts” seem on par with those of Crockett and Tubbs.
I do not use drugs nor do I drink alcohol but I don’t care if you do.
What you do without causing harm to others is your business.
This insane “war on drugs” mentality has had it’s time just like it’s implementor, Richard Nixon.

Jethro said :

Gerry-Built said :

Fender said :

At a cost of $70,000 pa for incarceration, plus the cost of police and court resources isn’t it time society started thinking about a new approach to drug prohibition?

Yeah – let’s just give up on consequences altogether while we’re at it… it isn’t working, so we might as well give up and surrender to law-breakers, right?

Wouldn’t an end to prohibition actually ruin the business model of the law breakers?

Damn right it would.

Imagine the carnage as all those formerly gainfully employed bikies, drug dealers, importers, distributors, Mr Bigs, members of Drug Squads, Customs, lawyers, the judiciary, prison guards and officials, Emergency Department doctors and nurses et al suddenly appear in the unemployment statistics!

No wonder governments are terrified of decriminalisation.

Fender said :

Nowhere does is mention the guy being charged with supply. Only possession. His dope plants were probably pretty scrawny from him having smoked most of it and who knows about the smack. Sure, he is probably a scumbag. Heroin has a knack of turning its users into scumbags after a while. His offences need to be put into perspective here. I’d rather my tax dollars go towards Naltrexone rather than incarceration if he is indeed an addict. Many people use heroin without becoming addict but sadly most do succumb.

No junkie just has $7k worth of gear and a ‘sum of cash’ just lying around. Most likely a dealer/user.

I’d be happy for heroin to be available to addicts by doctor prescription, or at least see such a trial.

Or legalise all drugs and let nature take its course.

Jim Jones said :

Tooks said :

Fender said :

Hmm, 3 dope plants and a bit of gear. Must be a big-time crim this dude. Lock him up and throw away the key I say!
At a cost of $70,000 pa for incarceration, plus the cost of police and court resources isn’t it time society started thinking about a new approach to drug prohibition?

So police should only go after “big-time” crims? Drug laws aside for a moment, aren’t you pissed off that this drug dealer is earning a good living while (presumably) not paying tax and is probably in govt housing and on the dole (assumptions I know, but probably true)?

Jealousy is more important than coherent drug policy?

Childish, innacurate remarks are more important than coherent drug policy?

Nowhere does is mention the guy being charged with supply. Only possession. His dope plants were probably pretty scrawny from him having smoked most of it and who knows about the smack. Sure, he is probably a scumbag. Heroin has a knack of turning its users into scumbags after a while. His offences need to be put into perspective here. I’d rather my tax dollars go towards Naltrexone rather than incarceration if he is indeed an addict. Many people use heroin without becoming addict but sadly most do succumb.

Tooks said :

Fender said :

Hmm, 3 dope plants and a bit of gear. Must be a big-time crim this dude. Lock him up and throw away the key I say!
At a cost of $70,000 pa for incarceration, plus the cost of police and court resources isn’t it time society started thinking about a new approach to drug prohibition?

So police should only go after “big-time” crims? Drug laws aside for a moment, aren’t you pissed off that this drug dealer is earning a good living while (presumably) not paying tax and is probably in govt housing and on the dole (assumptions I know, but probably true)?

Jealousy is more important than coherent drug policy?

Jethro said :

Gerry-Built said :

Fender said :

At a cost of $70,000 pa for incarceration, plus the cost of police and court resources isn’t it time society started thinking about a new approach to drug prohibition?

Yeah – let’s just give up on consequences altogether while we’re at it… it isn’t working, so we might as well give up and surrender to law-breakers, right?

Wouldn’t an end to prohibition actually ruin the business model of the law breakers?

+1

Gerry, mate, come now. It’s fears like yours that are holding society back from genuine and educated discussions about issues like drug use, suicide and abortion. You’re scared of new ideas, but that’s ok. Dont close your mind to the possibility that drug policy in Australia may be ineffective and outdated now days.

To inform yourself better have a look at what a few South American countries are doing, and what Portugal has already done re drug policy. Portugal now has 40,000 less people a year in prison, AIDs and Hep C rates have dropped, people seeking drug rehabilitation has gone up and less crime overall has been committed? Is that not something you would be interested in here.

Times are a changing my man.

Tooks said :

Fender said :

Hmm, 3 dope plants and a bit of gear. Must be a big-time crim this dude. Lock him up and throw away the key I say!
At a cost of $70,000 pa for incarceration, plus the cost of police and court resources isn’t it time society started thinking about a new approach to drug prohibition?

So police should only go after “big-time” crims? Drug laws aside for a moment, aren’t you pissed off that this drug dealer is earning a good living while (presumably) not paying tax and is probably in govt housing and on the dole (assumptions I know, but probably true)?

Shop lifters who take a lot less still go to court…

Fender said :

Hmm, 3 dope plants and a bit of gear. Must be a big-time crim this dude. Lock him up and throw away the key I say!
At a cost of $70,000 pa for incarceration, plus the cost of police and court resources isn’t it time society started thinking about a new approach to drug prohibition?

So police should only go after “big-time” crims? Drug laws aside for a moment, aren’t you pissed off that this drug dealer is earning a good living while (presumably) not paying tax and is probably in govt housing and on the dole (assumptions I know, but probably true)?

Fender said :

Hmm, 3 dope plants and a bit of gear. Must be a big-time crim this dude. Lock him up and throw away the key I say!
At a cost of $70,000 pa for incarceration, plus the cost of police and court resources isn’t it time society started thinking about a new approach to drug prohibition?

or you could pack their gear in a bodyboard bag and send them off to Bali. That would also ‘fix’ the problem