by Harry Windsor

Created on: February 19, 2009   Last Updated: March 07, 2009

The war on drugs hurts everybody because no one has made the terms of the conflict clear. There is a huge lack of clarity in presenting the two obvious issues here: 1. What is the reality of drug use today? and 2. In an ideal world how would government and society like to see the landscape as far as drugs are concerned?

Until both these questions are answered realistically and truthfully the 'war on drugs' remains just an idea, a catch-all phrase that implies a huge effort to solve the 'drug problem' but offers little in the way of real achievement. To deal with the first question, the media, establishment and public (on both sides) distort the current situation leading to a general sense of confusion. It is presented by some as an evil that stalks the nation and by others as a relatively harmless recreation - liberal sympathisers versus the fascist state

The first thing to realize is that the word 'drugs' is essentially meaningless due to the breadth of substances it covers; these should be dealt with individually according to their effects. To lump them all together is essentially to alienate a lot of pot smokers who would enthusiastically join in the 'war on heroin and crack' if such a thing existed. As it is many in the establishment fail to realise how widespread recreational drug use is. It can be hoped that now the US has a president who calmly admits to taking drugs while younger, a shade more perspective can be added to the debate. The fact is that people who enjoy drugs such as marijuana, ecstasy or hallucinogenics are often as opposed to the heavily addictive and destructive 'hard drugs' (i.e. heroin, crack cocaine, methamphetamine) as anyone else; but it is obviously hypocritical for them to do anything but oppose the war on drugs as it is presented thus distorting the popularity of some of its aims.

This brings us to the second question: what do the government hope to achieve, in an ideal world, from the war on drugs? If the answer is the complete eradication of all illegal substances, well that's not a practical or even feasible aim. Nor in my mind should it be. People are always going to be attracted to drugs be they alcohol, coffee and cigarettes (the anomalies in this debate), medicinal drugs (many of which can be abused) or illegal drugs. The very idea of a society where no member is living a 'chemically enhanced' life is an unattainable dream.

As far as illegal drugs are concerned, the war on drugs is inconsistent. Ignoring for now my personal

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