A second state in the United States has passed a law giving immunity from criminal prosecution to someone who is having a drug overdose or someone who reports a drug overdose by calling 911 for help. Here in New Hampshire someone overdosing from drugs will not be so lucky. Call for help and you’re risking imprisonment.
The State of Washington passed SB 5516, something that would be worthwhile to push for here in New Hampshire. This type of limited immunity does nothing to address the problems of addiction, crime associated with addiction, and crime associated with the black market supply of drugs. It is a good step in the direction of harm-reduction, though.
For a fraction of the cost of enforcement and imprisonment, treatment centers could be opened for opiate-addicted individuals. People could be given the drugs they need to survive with a plan to get them off of their addictions. They no longer would be out terrorizing neighborhoods with burglaries or worse to support their habits. They could get drug free. Black market drug dealers would wither when they no longer could count on returning customers. This would make it harder for people to start using in the first place. People not being addicted to hard drugs is a good thing.
Why don’t people in government realize this? The tough on crime approach to drug policing doesn’t work. It never will. Every drug arrest and drug investigation is a complete waste of time. If it were not a waste of time wouldn’t the non-stop stories of drug arrests have come to an end after 40+ years of doing the same thing over and over and over and over and over again?
The drug war does nothing positive and it does a tremendous amount of negative.
Police Courtesy Cards and preferential treatment, AZ voters and marijuana, convictions handed down in industrial accident that killed thousands of people over 25 years ago, and the world’s biggest hamburger record.
Can you make an argument that police officers were individually doing the right thing when they were enforcing laws relative to segregation? Were they individually responsible for their actions notwithstanding the fact that they were enforcing the law?
The Sentinel echo chamber is at it again! Misinformed “news” pieces upset their mostly statist readers, who, feeling threatened by our liberty-oriented beliefs, post vitriol in a desperate attempt to scare activists away from Keene.
The message is always the same – we’re not wanted, say they. They have their finger on the pulse of the community in Keene and the survey says, Free Staters go home!
Of course our experience outside the Sentinel’s echo chamber is completely different. Liberty activists regularly receive compliments from locals who appreciate that we are here. Horn honks, friendly waves, peace signs, and other nonverbal communications continually remind us to not listen to the Sentinel’s echo chamber.
1. On one night in Stratham, NH nine innocent people have been victimized by having their cars broken into and their belongings stolen. The last investigation I was part of having to do with precisely this type of behavior was a drug addict who needed money for heroin.
Guaranteed that these people were victims of drug prohibition as well.
3. A “prominent” physician is out arguing in Portsmouth, NH that people should support a “single-payer” health care system because it would improve the state of health care for all.
For a man who obviously has a great deal of intelligence, it is sad to think that he does not realize the violence that he is supporting while making this argument. It is also sad that he does not realize the conundrum in his logic:
If I have a *right* to health care… that would mean I have a *right* to his labor, or perhaps the labor of someone else to pay for it. Wouldn’t that make that person my slave?
I wish everyone could have health care in this country… I’m just not willing to support violence to achieve it. I hope you wont support violence to achieve it either.
As time passes, the singular thing remaining constant is change. As a blogger at Free Keene and a Liberty Activist, I hope to push ideas designed to ignite critical thinking over pushing limits. We strive to create interest, attract new movers, and generate discussion.
Keene is certainly changing, and it’s building momentum towards freedom, that will only grow as more activists move and more locals join us in working towards a more peaceful voluntary society. (more…)
The Sentinel echo chamber is at it again! Misinformed “news” pieces upset their mostly statist readers, who, feeling threatened by our liberty-oriented beliefs, post vitriol in a desperate attempt to scare activists away from Keene.
