Following a major rise in the number of drug addicts amongst the Israeli population, several members of the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) have called for the formation of a special anti-drug committee to consider legalizing the possession and use of soft narcotics.
They have described the existing anti-drugs mechanisms in Israel as ineffective and obsolete.
Knesset members argue that the traditional policies employed in the fight against drugs have not only failed to reduce drug consumption but also led to an alarming rise in organized crime.
Of course, here in the United States, neither our academics nor our political leaders are willing to even legitimately discuss options like this.
I notice that the language used is “legalizing the possession and use.” No mention of legalizing sales and manufacture, which makes me think this is really a conversation about what we usually call “decriminalization” in the US.
Good point, Ben. Still – at least it’s a discussion. Of course, they’d be hard-pressed to actually try true legalization with the U.S. dominating world treaty discussions.
Bah, Israel can do whatever they want, the US would never drop support.
Thanks, Pete! 😉
I agree with pt. Israel is perhaps the only country in the world which consistently tells the US to piss off. Any anti-prohibition steps Israel takes are most welcome and could have wide ranging effects. (I’m looking at you, Dianne Feinstein.)
I’ve spent time in Israel. The people are intelligent, (the women are stunning) but also hard-core right wingers who live for political arguments with “leftists”. To them, a right-leaning, heavy-handed authoritarian government is as normal as sand in the desert. They prefer “law & order” to the detriment of all individual freedoms, IMHO. Perhaps a leftover from their German heritage?
Bottom Line: I don’t know if they are intelligent enough for legalization, but I do know their right-winged political nature probably won’t let them proceed in that direction. You know, save the children and don’t support the terrorists by buying their drugs, etc.
Yeah,I hope it happens just announcing this will piss off certain conservative wacko circles,
Brick by Brick Prohibition starting to crumble a little bits.
FUCK YEAH.