Fractelle,

Yeah every time you want to back pedal, just pretend you were joking. If it works for you then by all means. Where have I talked about conspiracy? I merely observe the over-emoting, over-validating, everybody gets a prize mentality I see in you, which happens to conjure up images of the feminist talking stick.
BTW: Drugs isn't a feminist issue.

Fractelle to US “Prohibition and the war on drugs clearly don't work. Do you have any suggestions as to what may work?”

How do you know it has not worked?

Because their has been no peace-accord?

The war on cars speeding has “failed” too, because people still exceed the speed limit.

Because some fools use illegal drugs?

I am not sure how far we should go to protect the foolish from themselves but I see a lot of politicians, trying to ensure intelligent electors, as well as the fools, do not use carbon producing products and services because they think that carbon might be bad (although the science on that as a fact is doubtful)

Because the numbers who do take drugs are more than those who would take drugs if it were legal?

If there were unrestrained use of drugs do you think we would end up with more drug users and junkies on the streets, stealing to buy their legally obtainable junk (drugs and their side effects are a severely limiting factor in the ability to earn a living) than we have today?

In fact you have no evidence to suggest the war on drugs has failed anyone.

I went on the net and looked up “cannabis health” (the ‘entry’ drug for many into the abyss)

This is a SA government site

http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=240&id=2012&np=158

read the bad effects and then tell me cannabis is safer than tobacco
but some quotes

“Cannabis contains more harmful tars than tobacco - one joint can equal about 8 cigarettes.”
“Cannabis users can become dependent on it, and cannabis dependence is much more common than people used to think.”.
“Teenagers who use cannabis regularly are much more likely to suffer from depression.”

More can be found on http://www.mhca.org.au/documents/MHCACannabisfinalLR.pdf

AMA http://www.ama.com.au/youth/code/cannibis.html

Whatever way you look at it, it is not true that “cannabis is safer than tobacco”, that is political spin promoted by those in favour of its unrestricted use.

So you think the war on drugs has not worked? What do you think would happen if cannabis was legalized?

And whilst you are about it, consider these groups

Amphetamines including ecstasy

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/amphetamines?open

Amphetamine psychosis, which includes hallucinations, paranoia and other symptoms similar to schizophrenia. This can lead to behaviour dangerous to the person and to others.
The need to use other drugs, such as sleeping tablets, to balance the effects of amphetamines
Aggression and increased susceptibility to violent rages.

Heroin

http://alcoholism.about.com/od/heroin/a/effects.htm
Infection of the heart lining and valves.
Liver disease.
Kidney disease.
Pulmonary complications
After awhile, the tolerance level to the drug rises to the level that heroin use in any amount stops producing the euphoric effect the user once experience altogether. When this occurs, the addict continues to seek and take the drug just to feel "normal." They become physically dependent upon the drug.

Cocaine

http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=240&np=158&id=2031
When the levels of cocaine in the body start to decrease, the euphoria produced by cocaine will lessen, and the user can start to feel nervous, irritable, tired and depressed - this is the 'crash'.
When a user starts to crash, they may have a craving to take more of the drug straight away to prolong the euphoric effects.

So which ones of these beauties (above) do you think the war on drugs has failed us with and which should be legalized?

Col Rouge you could say the same about legal drugs, like coffee, cigarettes and alcohol. Because a certain proportion of people have bad effects doesn't mean everyone has them. The war on drugs forces addicts into criminal activity and into robbing or assaulting you and me for our valuables, which risks our lives. If an addict is thrown in prison, that is a huge financial expense on our prison system. Then they leave more dependent than ever on breaking into our homes as a way of life. Young people have nowhere to turn because drugs are illegal and are driven underground and encouraged to conceal their use. Then they resort to crimes because they can't be open about it. Meanwhile police at all levels are bloated to deal with these problems which is costly to monitor and police and once legal drugs are continually added to the banned list as well as traditional remedies and ceremonial drugs.

I hope you realise you are quoting a government website, which has an interest in negative propaganda about the effects of these drugs and wants to provide you and other Victorians with many reasons why they should be illegal and why they need more of your money for police forces.

When Scuba diving people can experience Nitrogen Narcosis, leading to divers deciding to just dive down deeper and deeper to the bottom of the ocean.

People break their legs skiing.People eat too much fat and have heart attacks.

People jump out of planes and bungi jump.

People lose hearing from loud music.

People drink and get violent.

Drugs have a risk involved, as do many fun activities. In fact drugs are so much fun, people will always find a way to procure them and pay for them, regardless of the legality. Chances of being caught are low for most, lower for the rich and famous.

'How do you know it has not worked?'
Because drugs are freely available regardless of how much the police sieze, or how many dealers they catch. May I turn this question around Col. What IS actually being achieved?

'Because the numbers who do take drugs are more than those who would take drugs if it were legal?'
I think pretty similar numbers would take drugs regardless. Just those who take them would possibly take more, and pay less, and be sure of the quality of what they are ingesting, and be more able to seek medical treatment if they developed a problem.

The only drug you mentioned I haven't used is Heroin. Of the others, the order in mind alteration (highest to lowest) I would say is
Marijuana,
Ecstacy (Though in a better way than alcohol, no aggression)
Alcohol
Cocaine
Speed

The order of hangover (worst to best) I would say
Alcohol
Ecstacy
Speed
Cocaine
Marijuana

Cocaine, believe it or not is actually one of the mildest drugs, and that's why the rich can use it and also function easily. It helps doctors, lawyers and bankers do crazy hours, and makes celebrities think what they are saying is interesting.

What the government should really be doing, is creating a super drug, a soma if you will. With limited hangover like Coke, and euphoria like ecstacy, and the government controlling it's use, it would do wonders for society, and kill the market for other highs.