Looks like the Opium epidemic has been around a long time.

[gsd2053]

Israeli archaeologists uncover earliest known use of opium in the ancient world.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel...ent-world/amp/

And those pesky pot heads to.

1st high: Ancient Israelites at Biblical shrine used cannabis to spark ‘ecstasy’

https://www.timesofisrael.com/1st-hi...spark-ecstasy/

No wonder the Roman's were all like, "Jew low life Jews"

[Todd00000]

I wouldn't call it an epidemic. Only about 10% of drug users are addicts.

[kirkland]

And those pesky pot heads to.

1st high: Ancient Israelites at Biblical shrine used cannabis to spark ‘ecstasy’

https://www.timesofisrael.com/1st-hi...spark-ecstasy/

Makes you wonder about Moses and "the burning bush"

[kaiservontexas]

Humans have been using chemicals for good or ill throughout the entirety of our history. We have even used some things to the point of extinction. We have also lost some things a long the way, soma, which was another chemical utilized for religious reasons. Ain’t nothing new in the world.

[WillBrink]

I wouldn't call it an epidemic. Only about 10% of drug users are addicts.

I'm assuming that's sarcasm. At least I hope it is.

[joedirt199]

Yeah cause they can quit anytime they want. I deal with people who claim to be sober all the time. I ask how long have you been sober and they say 5 days or two weeks. My reply is you are not sober, you're broke and waiting on your next fix.

We have an out of control problem with homelessness now and the majority of them are of an age to still be working. They walk around stealing shit with backpacks and living out of tents behind walmart or on subdivision common grounds and conservation property. They only want help when their belly is empty or they are sick. Other than that they disappear back into the woods doing what they do. Drugs are a real problem and not a disease. They are a choice.

[WillBrink]

Yeah cause they can quit anytime they want. I deal with people who claim to be sober all the time. I ask how long have you been sober and they say 5 days or two weeks. My reply is you are not sober, you're broke and waiting on your next fix.

We have an out of control problem with homelessness now and the majority of them are of an age to still be working. They walk around stealing shit with backpacks and living out of tents behind walmart or on subdivision common grounds and conservation property. They only want help when their belly is empty or they are sick. Other than that they disappear back into the woods doing what they do. Drugs are a real problem and not a disease. They are a choice.

A choice every adult has the right to make just as for alcohol (which kills more people than all the illegal drugs combined by a margin...), the war on drugs has been a total failure by any metric, and availability today easier than ever. Hence, again, prohibition does not work, full stop.

What prohibition does do, it keep the billions flowing to LE agencies that need to go away, private prison systems, etc etc making many wealthy, not to mention the cartels, who exist for only one reason. If you history, you also know the mob became a thing during prohibition and were created due to prohibition thanx again to the gubment deciding it had the authority to dictate what adults did with their own body. They don't.

Drug laws are the problem. It's not rocket science, although some simply can't seem to manage reality there.

Econ 101: where demand exists, supply will follow, and no amount of laws will alter that.

Focusing on the demand side is the only effective way to ever lower drug use in this country. Throwing billions trillions at drug interdiction is a total failure, and everyone knows that.

Those I know who do that job, DEA, etc know it well, and have told me the figure that they prevent 10% of the drugs coming in, is wildly over estimated and a WAG at best it's as high as 10%.

[OutofBatt3ry]

I wouldn't call it an epidemic. Only about 10% of drug users are addicts.

not trolling...where did you get that number.

So 90% of addicts are functioning members of society?

[WillBrink]

not trolling...where did you get that number.

So 90% of addicts are functioning members of society?

Users don't = addicts. "Only about 10% of drug users are addicts" is no different then saying "Only about 10% of drug drinkers are alcoholics"

I don't know source of 10%, but point is not all users are addicts as not all drinkers are alcoholics.

[OutofBatt3ry]

Users don't = addicts. "Only about 10% of drug users are addicts" is no different then saying "Only about 10% of drug drinkers are alcoholics"

I don't know source of 10%, but point is not all users are addicts as not all drinkers are alcoholics.

The vast majority of people that drink...aren't alcoholics. I'll will agree to that.

The vast majority of people that do meth and opioids...do it all the time...

Lets go to the the typical Christmas party. They have a table of booze. You get what I'm saying. They didn't have a meth/opiate table at the Christmas party.