The War on Drugs is a failure

To rebut this round, I will match my opponent’s tactic, by using bold lettering when quoting him. “ However, it was offered within the context of reassuring me that the rates of usage of dangerous narcotics might increase as a result of ending the WoD, and that there are very likely cases in which the harmful effects of these narcotics was prevented by the WoD. It is therefore somewhat nonsensical as a response.”I had trouble understanding where my opponent was coming from here. If he wishes to see these stats as reassuring him that the rates of narcotics might increase given the ending of the WoD, then so be it. The stats show the frivolous attempts by the WoD to halt drug trafficking. Given that the WoD only intercepts 15% of narcotics being imported presents us with the fact that these efforts might as well not exist. 85% of narcotics still make it into the United States. I will attempt to take this 85% from the micro to macro scale to display fecklessness of the 15%. The drug network is very similar to a large business. Let us say a narcotic addict (Harris) wants to buy heroin. Harris knows many small time dealers, but there is a particular man that he likes to buy from(Max). Max buys from Erik who gets larger quantities of heroin from which he pushes to small time dealers. Erik then may know two main drug dealers for the town. These two dealers get the largest amount of heroin from regional narcotraffickers. From these regional narcotraffickers we can assume maybe one or two more stages until we reach the drug lord inside the United States. Even though the efforts of the WoD intercepted 15% of narcotics, Harris can walk outside and buy any amount of heroin that he wants ( given he can afford it) regardless of that seized 15%. Now that tree could very well have flaws in regards to the specific stages, but it is the idea that counts, the same conclusion applies give or take several stages I may have missed. Now we must look at this example and apply it to the goals of the WoD.Will you accept that the goals of the WoD is the following?- End the import of illegal narcotics - End the manufacturing of illegal narcotics- End the selling of illegal narcotics -End the use of illegal drugsAs seen in my example, no single one of these goals was achieved. Harris bought drugs that he is going to use. These drugs were manufactured and then imported. Now multiply this transaction by several thousand, and you get the number of transactions or “failures” that are completed every day within the United States. Since the WoD is unable to achieve any of its primary goals, the WoD is a failure. Even U.S. drug enforcer Gil Kerlikowske concedes the strategy hasn't worked."In the grand scheme, it has not been successful, Forty years later, the concern about drugs and drug problems is, if anything, magnified, intensified."“Laws do not affect human behavior.”I do not see why there is a need to make sweeping claims such as this. Of course laws affect human behavior. But I have been talking specifically about drug laws. I’m not going to waste much time describing how traffic lights and drug laws differ. I will leave you with this however. Harris can get drugs whenever he wants. It does not matter whether or not there are laws in place. You yourself had spoken about “addicts who have become desperate to obtain their drug?” Harris is desperate, it makes no difference to him that there is a slim chance of him getting caught with possession of drugs. Even more so with the dealers higher on the tree, there is such a high income incentive, that the chance of getting caught does little to hinder them. Of course they will be secretive about it, but none the less, they will still sell or use drugs. However, Jerry over there is not so desperate to run the red light. He has no mental and physical dependency to run red lights. He has no craving to just save a few seconds and run the red light. Now let us attach a desperation to this situation. Jerry is late to his job, and if he is late to work one more time, he will get fired. Now I can see Jerry maybe considering running the red light. The availability of drugs will always be there and it is open to those who want to use them. If they do not want to they do not want to. The WoD will never change the validity of that statement.“To be convincing, we are required to evaluate why a certain action is harmless. In order to demonstrate that drug use is “harmless,” my partner will be required to do something that is obviously impossible.”I was simply speaking of violent and non-violent crime. If you wish to debate whether or not you care if some junkie sits inside all day smoking meth, then I must say I will not partake with you. I for one, do not care. Again, the drugs are present and the users will use the harmful substance. I do not see where the WoD intervenes in this situation.“This is a mixture of hyperbole and unsupported assertions. In order to make this argument, my partner will be required to make the absurd claim that absolutely nothing good has ever, or can ever, result from any attempt to regulate, restrict, control or prohibit the manufacture, sale or use of any ingestible substance.”Given my example of Harris achieving his goal to use heroin regardless of WoD, I think I can safely say that any attempt to regulate, restrict, control or prohibit the manufacture, sale or use of any ingestible substance is useless."Their efforts to intercept drug trafficking makes no difference.”) Then later, he points out that, “The cons of the War greatly outweigh the pros.” Clearly, if there are any ‘Pros’ at all, then his earlier statement must be untrue. This is evidence of hyperbole, in my opinion."I feel I have properly shown that their efforts do not make any difference, especially given that drug use is still rampant 40 years and 1 trillion dollars spent later. I address my previous statement with this one: I do not see any pros.1. Laws cannot govern drug users2. The WoD cannot reduce drug useI hope I have properly addressed the two issues you have arisen. "Therefore, good governance requires that we support the modification of the WoD, but not it's complete abandonment. Therefore, the WoD cannot be considered a "failure."Funneling more money into the WoD will not prevent desperation and thus not prevent drug use. More money into the WoD will also not destroy the cash incentive for cartels so they will continue to manufacture, traffic, and sell drugs. These being the main goals of the WoD, it is in fact, a failure.http://www.huffingtonpost.com...