Drug Market places and civil society action

With all the new emerging drug market places its quite obvious that drug policy has failed. It could be argued that these market places have their own civil society and thus could be in a position to provide a self regulated market

Anyone have any thoughts on this


Comments


[4 Points] guest20253:

its quite obvious that drug policy has failed

It's not like we couldn't get drugs before DNMs. One thing for sure, it got way easier now. And yes, the main reason for that is society and people who weren't afraid to start such thing.

As drug society gets larger, there's going to be a bigger demand for various drugs all around the world. And what it does, it provides an average person with quality drugs (most of the time it's better than the shit you get from streets) and reliable information about them. That is, I believe, main reasons why we're keep growing and we got to the point where as you said "society could be in a position to provide a self regulated market".


[5 Points] Theeconomist1:

I think ever since the Harrison Stamp Act, the market for illicit items has been self-regulated by necessity. This is true for any goods that are illegal. If the government makes it illegal and thus there is nothing for them to regulate, markets will sprout and regulate themselves. I think the DNM is just a technological extension of what happens with anything illicit - alcohol during Prohibition, most drugs in the early 1900's, etc. Organized crime is a good example of a framework created to facilitate illegal markets - gambling, alcohol, prostitution, etc. Whenever there is a mutually beneficial transaction, someone will be there to facilitate it.

So I think the DNMs provide a powerful tool to facilitate the natural tendency to form markets wherever the demand exists. Its the same as to what the internet provided retailers in the late 90's onward - Amazon, Netflix, etc. So I'd say its not so much that the technology has arrived to make self regulating markets possible, its a tool that changes the dynamic and how business is done. Self regulating markets have been possible for a very long time. But i get where you are coming from. Great topic!


[3 Points] None:

Drug policy, internationally, is a failed system. It doesn't help addicts or the public. It only helps law enforcement. Our use of the darknet markets is a form of civil disobedience. Just because we're not marching in the streets or starving ourselves doesn't mean we're not the Martin Luther King's or Gandhi's of our age.


[3 Points] orbiterr:

But the authorities themselves from US and EU already admitted that the War on Drugs and drugs policy is not effective. From late '70 they spent a billions of dollar for this war and as they say now the volume of drugs have never been higher, the prices of some drugs are lowest than 10 years ago. This policy is not only ineffective but it makes damages. Violence (drug cartels kill peoples, the same on regular streets), kingpins earn millions as always., But the worst for me personal is ruins life of normal peoples who have been busted for buying or posses small amount of eg. weed or even other drugs - just for personal use. Those peoples are real victims. In my country we have still very restricted drug policy. 3 years ago my colleague (35 years old - family, kids, good job) have been busted (2nd time) with 0.8g - yes 800mg of weed and he went to jail for 9 months... There was a National TV report and article in newspaper of his story, because i think for everyone this is crazy !! And what - just 2 years after his story, some states in US legalized weeds !! Weed was legal before in NL and some time ago in Czech Republic as well. Uruguay is next. Officials did not learn from 20' alcohol prohibition. Probably they know exactly that this have no sense and partly admitted but this is all about the money, Nothing else. I have seen an interview with ex-dea officer. He was 20-some years (or more - do not remember) undercover on the streets. He is retired now and he created an organization for peoples who want drugs legalization. Organization has few thousand members - only ex-cops. He explained that only cops especially from drugs related units have more credibility and convictions than any others. They touch and they saw all this no sense battle from inside/ best perspective. Can't find the link in my YT history but it is worth to watch. And the interesting part of his interview is how this whole Drugs War started. Any way - recommend to find and watch.


[2 Points] StuffyKnows2Much:

their own civil society

Just wait till Agora shuts down and steals everybody's coins. You'll have suicide threats and people offering $1,000,000+ bounties for the admin's tortured corpses just like before.