Opinions - Reasons for countries following US style drug war tactics

[Heretic.Ape.]

Just curious to hear peoples thoughts on what seems to be an increasing trend of other countries taking on US style Drug War tactics even though these tactics are so obviously flawed.
Discuss.

[Rehab Quitter]

if your refering to England, BHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR

nowt but fucking sheep that seems to be getting more Americanised every day

[Coconut]

"Follow the leader" mentality, I would say.

Governments are unable to get a bit of cop on because they are too busy attempting to protect their own interests and stay in the United States' favour.

I don't believe that they actually fall for the DEA's irritatingly warped logic.

[aerozeppelin123]

The reason is sadly that most people genuinely believe that these measures are worth implementing and they believe all the crap politicians spout out about 'cracking down' on drugs. Whereas people such as those on this forum probably think quite deeply about the policies and what the implications and outcomes are, most simply see the harms that prohibition causes and lump it all together as 'the drug problem'. Then politicians come along and say let's fight against this problem, and you can see how it's superficially attractive. Drugs = Bad, Bad things = fight against. As such politicians know they can win votes with this kind of approach, as most people want to see 'something being done' and don't think about it long enough to consider what the end result is. Although there is a slowly growing minority that believe otherwise and they will eventually become a majority I believe, it will just take a long time.

Reputation Comments on this post:

	Good post
	Right indeed.

[Lunar Loops]

Well, rightly or wrongly, a lot of other counries in the world look to the old superpower of A for leads on a lot of issues. Of course, as c0c0nut stated, countries are unwilling to go against US policy for fear of what it may do to their relationship with them. Like it or not, the USA has effectively become the self-appointed police force of the globe (look like you are about to make a decision that will not approve of and pressure will be applied).

There is also a large element of "We've been stating this for so long and we've ploughed so much money into the problem that we can not possibly admit we are wrong now".

With the United States of Europe looking more and more likely, the scope for freedom of thought and legislation is going to become even less (one of many reasons SWILL tells me that he will be voting against the Lisbon treaty in the Irish referendum).