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Subscribe to RSSA vicious drug war has come to the island home of 4 million Americans, which is being used as a transshipment point to the East Coast. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez reports.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The raids begin before dawn. Fierce knocks followed by shouts of “Policía!” rattle neighborhoods while a helicopter hovers overhead.
On this day in late September, heavily armed agents swarm otherwise peaceful-looking homes throughout the island.
In Toa Alta, outside of San Juan, one suspected drug trafficker surrenders without incident. Amazingly, no neighbors wander outside to see what’s going on. They must already know — or would prefer not to.
By 8 a.m., 16 people are in handcuffs, facing charges that include drug trafficking and money laundering.
The arrests are part of "Operation Overtime." U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations special agents, working with officers from the Puerto Rico Police Department and San Juan Police Department, launched the initiative to combat drug trafficking in the Caribbean.
This is a war on American soil.
The murder rate in Puerto Rico is higher than in any U.S. state — and it’s roughly six times the national average. The island — best known for its stunning beaches and rich history — is home to roughly 4 million American citizens.
The island’s police superintendent, Hector Pesquera, told NBC News that more than two-thirds of the homicides are tied to the drug trade.
Luis Romero Font, 60, and his wife Marie Jane Rodriguez, 57, know the pain that comes with the incessant violence. Their son, Julian, was murdered during a robbery in April 2011.
He had just celebrated his 20th birthday.
Luis Romero Font and Marie Jane Rodriguez remember their son, who was killed last year in San Juan. Puerto Rico's murder rate is now roughly six times the U.S. national average.
"I try to focus my thoughts away from the negative, away from what I don’t have, and I try to remember what I did have,” his mother told NBC News. "That’s what sustains me."
'A hero had died'
Julian was stabbed to death as he walked down the street with his girlfriend. The robber cut him three times as Julian lunged to protect her.
"A hero had died," his father said, choking back tears. "I am very proud of him. I am very saddened … [by] this huge weight I have to continue bearing."
The teenager who killed Julian made off with his cell phone — a valuable tool that is often stolen for drug traffickers to communicate with each other.
In memory of his son, Romero Font, a telecommunications company CEO, has become an activist, starting his own group called "¡Basta Ya!" meaning, "Enough is Enough!"
"Puerto Rico cannot survive with this horrendous crime wave," he said.
Violent crime has been a part of life on the island for decades — ever since the 1980s when Colombian cartels began to thrive here.
But the last several years have seen a dramatic spike.
According to the Puerto Rico Police Department, there were 1,016 murders in 2010. That number rose to 1,136 in 2011.
Outgoing Gov. Luis Fortuno credits a police crackdown for reducing homicides in certain parts of the island by 22 percent so far this year. But he stresses it’s not enough.
He told NBC News that he feels ignored by the federal government and that he’s "banging on Washington’s door" for more help.
Federal agents and local police are cracking down on drug trafficking in Puerto Rico. NBC News speaks with an ICE agent and the island's recently appointed police superintendent, and tags along on a raid.
"We are American citizens," Fortuno said. "And we deserve to be protected."
Puerto Rico’s governor-elect, Alejandro Javier Garcia Padilla, was not immediately available for comment.
Earlier this summer, federal agents arrested dozens of workers at Puerto Rico’s main airport who had allegedly helped smugglers move cocaine to the mainland.
Drug seizures rising
According to ICE, agents have seized 22,000 pounds of illegal drugs so far this year. That’s up from 13,961 pounds in 2011 and 9,275 in 2010.
The street value of the recovered cocaine alone totals $250 million, ICE said.
Since Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, once illegal drugs reach the island, they’re unlikely to face further U.S. customs inspections on their way to the mainland.
"I think the cartels are smart," said Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas. "They realize we're putting all of our efforts on the Southwest border (with Mexico) and we're not paying attention to the 'third border' — the Caribbean — so now they're exploiting that."
In June, McCaul chaired a hearing on Capitol Hill that focused on the increased drug smuggling in Puerto Rico.
"We have no strategy for the Caribbean," McCaul told NBC News. "There is no comprehensive plan."
He said that hopefully would change quickly as Washington learns more about the problem. In July, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano visited the island and promised to study the issue, adding that an increase in aid to Mexico did not come at the expense of the Caribbean.
A senior homeland security official told NBC News that since then, the department had conducted a comprehensive review of the situation in Puerto Rico and planned to focus on "quality over quantity."
The official, who asked not to be identified, said any future manpower surge would likely be "modest" and the department’s priority would be to increase efficiency among the officers already on the ground as well as resources outside the island — instead of simply pouring more money into the operations.
The increased cooperation would help prevent the flow of illegal weapons to the island as well as illegal drugs from the island, the official said.
Police department 'broken'
The drug-trafficking crackdown comes as Puerto Rican police fight to reclaim the trust of residents.
The 17,000-member force is the second largest in the United States. In a report last year, the Justice Department accused officers of engaging "in a pattern and practice of misconduct that violates the Constitution and federal law."
According to the DOJ’s findings, the department was "broken in a number of critical ways," including repeated instances of civil rights violations and illegal searches and seizures.
In 2010, the FBI arrested dozens of law enforcement officers on the island for allegedly providing protection to drug dealers.
Earlier this year, Hector Pesquera, the former head of the FBI's Miami division, was named superintendent of the Puerto Rico police. He told NBC News that weeding out corruption within his department has been a priority — and he’s seen progress.
"We have streamlined our procedures to work on the internal affairs cases,” Pesquera said. "We're getting rid of the backlog that existed. The word out there is clear: 'If you commit a transgression, you're going to be terminated.'"
For now, Pesquera said he and other Puerto Rican leaders are simply asking for a shift in federal resources. He said he realizes the difficult fiscal position the U.S. is in, but "we should not be begging for assistance."
Luis Romero Font, the activist who lost his son, agrees. He’s pushing the U.S. government to help stop the violence.
"When you lose a son, it’s like losing a huge part of yourself," he said. "Either [the U.S.] stops this now, or this crime wave will become something that infects Florida and the rest of the U.S. down the line."
So away from the tourists, the raids continue. America’s "third border" — the place known as the "island of enchantment" — remains at war.
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Leave a Comment:
only if Americans change their drug habit. ... there would be no need for anyone to send drugs in.
Instead of wishing for things that will never happen we could just legalize drugs instead. Then there would be no need for violent drug cartels ;)
Legalization makes sense, so it won't happen.
And our current administration is seeking to make Puerto Rico a state! This is what you voted for- good job!
Yes, it's just HORRIBLE how the Latinos are forcing the drugs on the "Yankees." BTW, that's sarcasm. I'm not sure you'd actually get that.
The cartels are much smarter than Congress. Congress could put them out of business in a heart beat.
"And our current administration is seeking to make Puerto Rico a state! This is what you voted for- good job!"
So what? They've been a US territory for decades and are considered part of the USA already so why shouldn't they be a state? And yes I voted for that so thanks for the "Good Job" LOL
You mean buy our drugs only from government approved drug dealers, like Pfizer? Thats what this is all about, protecting the interests of Big Pharma and Big Alcohol. Why do you think the medical marijuana clinics are under such fierce attack from the Justice Department? The attack started just after three big Pharm companies filed applications to make THC pills for medical treatment. If you can grow this stuff in your back yard, why should anyone buy it from them? If you can get high without getting sick the next morning, beating your family and have enough energy to go to work in the morning, why should you spend all your money on Jack Daniels or Budweiser? Come on people. Whether you use drugs or not, your tax dollars goes to support this drug war. Your money has paid for the deaths of 50,000 Mexican citizens since 2006. Your money has ruined the lives of thousands of harmless pot smokers. YOUR MONEY does this because you allow it too.
Carlo. "Your money has paid for the deaths of 50,000 Mexican citizens since 2006. Your money has ruined the lives of thousands of harmless pot smokers. YOUR MONEY does this because you allow it too."
PLEASE teach us how to make it stop. I, as an American tax payer, do not want to fund the deaths of any Mexicans and I don't want to ruin the lives of thousands of pot smokers. As a matter of fact, this is the first time that I've been told that my tax dollars are directly contributing to this atrocity. Please, please, won't you help us?
the legalization of canabis will not happen there is to much money involved think how many cops,dea agents,lawyers,prisons and what ever else is connected to the cause why it would cut lots of money loose for real use say to pay the debt but its a big employer to keep it illeagal so I don't see it being legalized any time soon
Let each state make its own drug laws. Drug-addled citizens will eventually gravitate toward states like WA, CO, OR, CA. High crime and unemployment will follow. Employers will leave these states in search of responsible, drug-free workers. The drug-free states will enjoy low unemployment and crime (no need for concealed carry). Families would have a clear choice about how they want to live.
Give states the chance to set their own laws. Keep the federal gov't small. Less is more.
Money does flow south for drugs but after that it is the Mexican cartels that decide what to do with it. So far they have proven to be a very cruel people to other Mexicans not because of the money but because of their greed. Some Mexicans are worse than the Taliban when it comes to destroying the lives of their fellow citizens, the Taliban do it for religious beliefs but these Mexicans do it for greed and to please themselves. They kill more, are more cruel, less discriminate on who they kill, torture and use children for their advantage. This isn't because of American money but a learned and chosen violent and cruel nature.
America had its day with mobs, etc. but their cruelty was nothing like you see from Mexicans. And yes they had money also just not the Mexican culture!
Pro-Freedom...a pretend patriot.
Good job! As a thinking conservative, all I have to say is you lost for a reason. Good thing you are doubling down on losing!
Dr. Noo "Drug free states will enjoy low unemployment and crime...". Like the alcohol-free states in the Middle East, right?
cocaine and MJ were legal in this country for 125 years; during ww1, the government even paid farmers to plant MJ, so they could use the hemp for rope(it still grows wild along many railroad spurs ),
Cocaine was used in medicine, and of course coca cola(after ww2 the government made them change to a purified cocaine leaf, only one company licensed in the U.S. to process it(their factory is in California), when I was a kid, if someone had a stomach problem, they would go to the local drug store and buy Paregoric(1% cocaine solution), knocked out the virus right away, it was outlawed but replaced with Codeine a synthetic cocaine(not real healthy) at 20 times the cost. It is illegal in the U.S., because it benefits drug company's.
The US does NOT want to win the war against drugs, period.
THis isn't an article!!!!!
I think the Subject should be HOw to create a new consumer protection agency that provides consumers with some type of recourse from corporations that are manipulating consumers on an everyday basis!!!!!!
I don't condone violence but these organiozations are literally disrespecting individuals to the point to which we want to cause harm to these manipulating organiuzations!!!!!
Why do we want to cause harm?>????
Because the goverenment PROTECTS CORPORATIONS after they ROB AND STEAL FROM CONSUMERS!!!!!BUt, let a Consumer rob or steal from one of these corporations and watch how fast the government run to their assistance by to place that individual in jail!!!!!!!!
THE BBB is not worth a DAMN!!!!!
Excuse me language....
IF the GOVERNMENT CAN Not provide the same protection to consumers after being robbed by these organizations then citizens need to take matters into their own hands!!!!!!!Until this government place measures into the system that prevent these robberies from occurring the CITIZEN HAS A RIGHT TO TAKE ACTION!!!!So until FEDERAL government does it's job and protect us citizens we will begin to take it upon ourselves to protect ourselves and prevent from being robbed by these companies.
What in the Heck is THE USE OF THE CONSUMER PROTECTION AGENCY IF THEY AREN'T PROTECTING US??????
If an individual takes money from out of your pocket you will do anyuthing in your power to protect your assets including hurting the individual.
WHat is the difference when it come to corporations?????>??
PLAYA.....
"And our current administration is seeking to make Puerto Rico a state" Hey moron. Both Obama and Romney agreed to abide by the PR election. The only tyhing thats going to change is they will start paying Fed Taxes. We need more drug dogs at the airports since the main way they get drugs to the US is by air.
The administration is doing NOTHING to make PR a state. PR itself were the ones who voted for statehood. All Obama did was say he supports whatever PR decides. However, as long Republicans have control of the House, it will never be more than wishful thinking. PR votes overwhelmingly Democrat.
So please, get your facts straight and quit trying for the cute one-liners.
Clearly you've never had a family member addicted to a controlled substance and had the pleasure of watching their life go to hell. Legalize weed? Sure. Legalize cocaine, meth, heroin? @!$%#tiest idea ever. You'd have a 10 fold increase in addicts which would literally destroy an already broken health care system.
(this coming from a guy who was a former cocaine and painkiller abuser)
Chris:
I have had several families members addicted to painkillers and some of them have overdosed and died. Don't just assume things please.
Addiction is not a good thing but making it illegal solves nothing. We should have drug rehab programs for users instead of prison sentences. And legalization does not lead to an increase in users.
Sounds like he says it's up to the people of Puerto Rico to me. After all they have to ask for statehood and then Congress grants it.
How you gonna blame Obama for this guy?
In the election just finished in a two part question 54% said they were unhappy with the current relationship. Then 500K left the second part which gave then 3 choices ( statehood, Independence or sovereign alliance) blank. So neither Obama or Congress is going to do anything. (Obama actually can't do it only Congress can)
Satanick
I'm sure not in your corrupt circles Satanick. Another mindless, pathetic post.
That is absolute bunk. There is not a nation on this Earth who has or is considering legalizing drugs. They all know the cost to society that would occur.
I spent 3 years addicted to coke and 7 years addicted to painkillers. I got hooked on coke because a girlfriend had some one night for me to try. By the time I was finally off of it, I'd spent close to $40,000 (my entire severance check). The 3 weeks or withdrawals weren't much fun either. Once I got started on the pain killers, life was great. Until I started coming up with excuses why I needed my prescription refilled early. When that wasn't enough, I started dropping across the border to Tijuana to fill up my bottle there. Then I got the ultimate hookup and the place in TJ I got my pills let me call in and order from them. So every week I would call them up, order a bag of 250 Neopercodans which they would then FedEx to my house. When I finally ran out of cash, I was spending $1000 a month. And the withdrawals from that were literally the worst thing I've ever gone through.
I have a mother who is still addicted to meth. She'll never get clean till she dies. She's tried and tried but when you live and work with people who make the sh*it, it's impossible.
And you think making it easier to get a hold of these drugs is a good thing?
throwing people in prisons just so they can come out better criminals sure don't help.
Chris from Yucaipa 3 quick things:
1. You don't get withdrawals from coke. Lethargic and depressed aren't withdrawals.
2. Prohibition didn't keep you from getting a hold of drugs.
3. How would going to prison with rapists and murderers have helped you to deal with your drug problem?
@Derek- a non-pretend aszhole. You're half the patriot I am because I actually care about this country. All you did was follow the other lemmings in your mindless way.
Puerto Rico is a hellhold away from the tourist areas and resorts. We should give them full independence and cut all welfare checks and investment. Let them have their full freedom.
In the last election they passed a referendum to become a full-fledged state. I'm not sure what the process is from here on out, but I wonder how statehood will affect this story...
It won't, any more than all of our mainland "border" states. As for all of the comments in Thread #1, forget it. If you want to cut PR loose, then you would have to do the same for every other "border" state, North, South, East, and West. But then you would just be creating new border lines and still have those same border entry zones. I live in St. Croix USVI and we have the same drug raids here. Satanick and SteveYo are closest to a solution. Legalize all drugs and tax the hell out of them. Prohibition didn't work for alcohol and we learned our lesson there. Remember that the majority of the cost of your liquor these days is federal and state taxes. Same goes for tobacco. Do that for every form of drugs (perscription as well as "recreation") and you will either see a huge drop in their usage or a huge increase in crime to pay for those same drugs.
And Seven2Seven, have you spent much time in the non-tourist areas of PR? If not, then you fail to realize that most of PR is a much better place to live than many parts of the US Mainland. Of course, I guess it depends on your definition of "hellhold" (the word is actually "hellhole").
anti-trust, kind of depends on to which parts of the U.S. you're comparing with PR. Much of Puerto Rico is a dangerous mess, though some parts are okay. The cruise ship business and cheap manufacturing is all that keeps it afloat, and now drug cartels.
Out of the 12 U.S. territories, Puerto Rico is the one we'd most like to see change hands. Doubtless that'll ever happen. Most of the people are Spanish white, which the growing U.S. hispanic mob of 48 million won't want to lose from its political ranks. There really never was a reason for Spain to cede PR to the U.S. in the Spanish-American War, thought it did serve as a useful threat to Castro/Cuba during the Cold War.
Can I point out that Roosevelt Roads Naval Station might have been a major strategical location in terms of drug enforcement operations? While I can't/won't go in to details, I would like to suggest that maybe, just maybe, that now-closed naval base had a hand in limiting the influx of drugs? Because since the naval base's closure in 2004, it seems that there might possibly be a spike in such illegal activity, now that there are no nearby operations to slow down the drug runners now. You know, it's just a theory... but quite coincidental, wouldn't you say?
I agree, I remember reading an article awhile back that they have neighborhoods the FBI won't even go in.
the Puerto ricans they don't get well fare if u don't know what u talkin about please don't and u don't know how many Puerto ricans the are disables,sick and dead for fighting for E.U.
Maybe if we did something with the drug pandemic within our borders the Cartels would not
be getting rich and many lives would be saved.
Four more years...
@ BajaCory
Nice job. It only took the 4th post for some dimbulb to make it political.
We could legalize drugs! That would take the money away from the blackmarket.
@Jay - I think politics does play an important factor on the subject of drugs. Legalize or not Colorado and Washington made their decisions. States rights!
So do alcohol and tobacco products wire557, so what's the difference?
Pols find that voters are much easier to "control" when they're drugged. A dumb electorate means power and money to the political elite. The answer then is "yes", let's legalize all drugs.
"Bullsh!t. You can't take coke, heroin or meth safely. It ain't possible. You're 99% guaranteed to become an addict on that stuff at some point. Which means you'll still be locking people up anyway."
But they can get the drugs now so whats the difference and why do you have to lock up drug addicts, we don't lock up alcoholics? Why not try to help them break their addictions? Yes we would have money for that if it wasn't all wasted on the prohibition, war on drugs, waste of time, BS.
The War on drugs isn't working its time to try a different approuch.
that's right, the war on drugs does not work. the simplest answer is to legalize marijuana and decriminalize all other drugs. decriminalizing drugs does not mean the war on drugs would be over. it would only mean there would no longer be any criminal repercussions in using hard illicit drugs that kill. the war would shift from a criminal/law viewpoint to a health issue. help these addicts to quit, help them to find services to help them quit. make no mistake, it IS a health issue, not a matter of whether it's a crime or not. junkies are addicted beyond anything criminal penalties can cure. marijuana itself is a harmless, non-toxic substance that is one of the healthiest alternative out there to alcohol, prescription drugs, tobacco, and all other illicit drugs. in fact, marijuana has is proven to help addicts quit hard drugs...so when marijuana is legalized nationwide, our health issues regarding illicit hard drugs will be considerably less than ever seen...in fact, legalization of marijuana is crucial in the war against drugs.
"Bullsh!t. You can't take coke, heroin or meth safely. It ain't possible. You're 99% guaranteed to become an addict on that stuff at some point. Which means you'll still be locking people up anyway."
I call bullsh!t to your bullsh!t. You're 99% guranteed to only find out your successful neighbor uses one of those drugs if he or she gets in trouble.
That's why 100% of the people you know who do those substances are problem users. In reality, the number of problem users is a subset of total users only higher than the subset of problem alcohol users due to the adventurous nature of people who choose to break the law.
Why do people think we have drug pandemic within our boarders? It is the demand for drugs within our boarders that creates the pandemic of drugs. The demand for drugs creates supply of drugs. That should be simple enough to understand.
dimmmmmm-bulbbbbbbbbbbb, WOW, shyttttttttttttt fer brainz yu gottt, heeeey boyeeeeee!
I see that drug-free head of yours believes that 100% of people who've used hard drugs are problem addicts. Like the President, and many other successful people.
That's just how silly I sound:)
@!$%#, wire's most likely a druggie and doesn't even know it. alcohol is a psychotic drug. caffeine is a psychotic drug. tobacco is a psychotic drug. sedatives are psychotic drugs. cold medicines are psychotic drugs. stimulants and depressants. and there are countless substances out there that cause psychosis. gasoline is one of those...wouldn't hang out at chevron's for too long if i was you.
wire, I'm not sure you're following our conversation here. You've made a claim, and I'm evaluating it.
I want you to learn from this, so I'm taking your claims at face value.
The past 3 US Presidents have weed use in common that they admit to, current Pres used hard drugs, previous one refused to talk about it (means he used, or feels some odd solidarity with users). So 2 of the past US Presidents used hard drugs, and last 3 smoked weed.
Either hard drug use correlates positively with success, or (more likely) it's far more commonplace than you want to admit.
Give up the willful ignorance, wire.
We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.
Benjamin Franklin
by the way, a few of Bush Jr.'s former classmates say they witnessed him snorting cocaine during his college years.
I respect your response. It candidly represents the logic behind the 40-year prohibition of drugs.
wire557:
Actually, those aren't rumors and they are known as facts. There is no "allegedly" about it. I could also produce a list of 200 famous people who were contributors to society that smoked weed. The notion that if you smoke weed you must be a burned out space case loser is a stereotype propagated by stoner movies and government propaganda.
Gee, that sentence speaks volumes as to your mentality. Couldn't you have used some other word besides "boy" to describe the POTUS? Would you have called Bush a "boy"?
Bet not.
Actually, I have seen the video of them admitting to their drug use. I can't give a link or don't care to. I know what I have seen and it wasn't from "political enemies".
OK. So, what is your first hand experience with people who have smoked weed? What did you observe?
Yeah, buddy, well when weed finally gets legalized across the country (and that's when, not if) you won't have a bustin', bitch-slappin', John Law callin' leg to stand on. But, if in the mean time you want to be a total prick (no doubt about that) and ruin people's lives (over draconian drug laws) that have not had any effect on yours, well...that is your right.
For now.
It really seems like you just have a stick up your ass and HATE hippies like Nixon did.
Damn them hippies!
The death, crime and atrocities brought by illegal drugs dealings, will continue forever and there is no possible solution but legalizing.
Legalization of weed in some states (like Washington and Colorado) would kill the organized crime and greatly reduce overall crime if most states vote for legalization (but only on weed). The only problem is that hard drug users are not very interested in weed.
Should we legalize every other drug together with marihuana? I honestly don't think so. But the drug-dealing business relies on the "illegal" part, where their profits come in. Once marihuana is legalized in every state, organized crime will still rely on other drugs for profit.
We can see through history that our government made the "mafia" strong and powerful -even before the widespread drug business -with the "prohibition" laws restricting alcohol.
wire557:
Is that the best you can do? Call me a cry baby? Pathetic.
FYI- I'm not on any drugs (except ones prescribed by my dialysis doctor).
I reread your 3.12 post and you still haven't answered my question. I specifically asked about weed which you did not expound on. Do you understand the inquiry now or is your rage blinding your mind?
I never plead anything from you nor will I ever want to. You are a lost cause. You say you worked with addicts which implies you would have a certain degree of humanity in your being but all I see is hatred and a very high degree of immaturity.
If anyone belongs in a prison uniform it's you with your @!$%#ed-up attitude. Actually, a straight jacket would suit you better and you should be placed in a mental institution. You seriously need help.
Go ahead and rant and rave about my post because it really won't matter for I will be putting you on my ignore list because you aren't here to discuss anything except to vent anger and be a horse's ass.
PGFY.
funny, that's what they told the drunks and alcohol brewers back in the '20's. and we all know what happened. even funnier is the fact that you used to be able to get a doctor's prescription for whiskey during prohibition of alcohol. sounds strangely familiar...history repeats itself. legalization will come worldwide.
wire, you're right... I meant to say the 40 year war (yes, prohibition has been going on much longer) on drugs is prosecuted with the same level of critical thought that you display on this board.
Look, people say a lot of stuff on the internet, and maybe you're a nice guy in real life. But online, you're just a guy with a lot of anger who doesn't make much sense.
you actually don't. that's the problem here.
what? millions have died over the decades as a direct result of prohibition. forget the fact that humans won't stop doing drugs. think about the law itself. peoples' lives are destroyed, from young people scarred with a criminal record for the rest of their lives to the old granny on medical marijuana. and there was absolutely no reason for it. it's easy to say, jesus christ, just say no, dammit! but even jesus did drugs. did he not turn water into wine? it's enmeshed with humanity. humanity will never give up on using substances that effect their minds. and it's bitterly ironic that the most illegal substance is one of the most harmless substance on earth...a "drug" that doesn't kill, yet many thousands have died over that one "drug" because the law makes it illegal and harder to get, therefore the profits are immense and the only way to protect that is through violence, because it's unregulated and uncontrolled. the only way to stop people from using drugs right now is through violence from the police and the government. why continue this foolishness when we can really change things for the better? the cost on society far outweighs any dangers that could conceivably come from legalization. (for-profit prisons, lobbyists, politicians, police state, families destroyed, children growing into the next generation of criminals because they grew up without parents, etc. etc.)
"Prohibition will work great injury to the cause of temperance. It is a species of intemperance within itself, for it goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation, and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A Prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded."
-Abraham Lincoln (1809-65) U.S. President.
Speech, 18 Dec. 1840, to Illinois House of Representatives
it's not that important. in fact i haven't smoked any bud for a couple of weeks now. the people with chemical problems would be those addicted to caffeine and tobacco and alcohol and prescription drugs. i don't even drink coffee. don't smoke cigarettes. drink moderately, maybe 3 times a month. i do admit that sometimes i can go overboard with smoking marijuana. however, i don't put anyone in danger. i don't do other drugs, haven't done any other drugs since i was in high school. and i'm 34 now. with a family that i support on my own. in the house that i pay for. with the cars that i paid off. by being an honest hardworking, taxpaying citizen of our great nation. i earned the right to smoke a bowl or two without being persecuted. i have no wish to do other drugs and indeed, i hate to drink alcohol as well. it's actual poison, which is why our bodies go through hangovers...telling us that we poisoned ourselves. what's important is making sure our fellow american citizens do not suffer any longer under a outdated, dogmatic, failed policy over a harmless plant that's been around longer than humans. making sure the rest of the world doesn't suffer. for christ's sake, the taliban funds themselves with all the poppies they grow over there, and our own soldiers help protect their crops (as a goodwill gesture to local farmers so we can "win them over"). legalize it, regulate it, and make sure criminals or terrorists do not profit from it, and ensure the safety of millions.
no need to. i'm just fine. besides that, my state legalized marijuana. my home state decrimalized marijuana since before i was born. call it a new beginning. call it the first day of your life. the status quo is turning against you. but you have to take that first step. i can't do it for you. wait, my state just did it for you. nevermind then.
no, you're not making sense. you're demonizing a plant that's non-toxic and one of the most least dangerous substance on earth as science has shown. you're demonizing people who simply smoke a bowl or two. and people have been smoking the herb for thousands of years. wonder how mankind could have made it so far if it was so dangerous then. actually i don't wonder, i know why. it's not dangerous. your answer to non-violent recreational users is to violently punish them. yeah, that makes sense.
“In strict medical terms marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume. For example, eating 10 raw potatoes can result in a toxic response. By comparison, it is physically impossible to eat enough marijuana to induce death. Marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within the supervised routine of medical care.
[DEA Administrative Law Judge - 1988]”
keep lapping up the government propaganda. i know it's blissful.
don't worry, i understand a little bit about not making sense from prohibitionists. even dea judges can understand a little of that.
yeah, what an expert. if wire's such an expert, he'd know that legalization of marijuana is crucial in the war against drugs, because studies show it would be a better alternative to alcohol, hard drugs, and prescription drugs and have shown to help addicts quit. not only that, marijuana isn't even more addictive than a can of coca-cola. so they could stop smoking marijuana and be completely drug free. with legalization, there will be a drop in illicit hard drug use and misuse of prescription drugs and alcohol. yeah, a real expert, here.
as well as a drop in crime rates nationwide. not to mention help balance the budget. how much has been spent on the war on drugs? how successful has the war on drugs been? hmmm...18 states with legal medical marijuana regardless of how the federal government classifies it, and two states with legal recreational use of marijuana, and prescription drugs that are actually opiates, meth, and even worse man-made poisons. good job, war on drugs. clap...clap.
With the drugs, gangs, trespassers, crime, rising prison populations, over-burdened courts, ran-over border agents, new & improved pestalence-disease, over-flowing schools, north-bound stray bullets, ECT., ECT., ECT. I would say mexico has allready DECLARED WAR ON AMERICA! Time to MINE the BORDER & RELOCATE OUR TROOPS ON IT!!
Or of course,.. end the failed "War on Drugs"
Either,.. or......
Legalize pot & see a 50%+ drop in cartel 'Beaner-Bucks'! Also see a 65%+ savings on hometown law enforcement costs!!
@Vindicator111111, that is exactly my point. It seems Lessismore is contradicting himself or herself by calling for legalization of drugs. The so-called pot is a "gateway drug" to other drugs, and people who advocate legitimization of drugs tend to overlook the social impact of drug epidemic in our society. People commit crimes because they are under the influence of drugs. In addition, criminal behavior is often the means by which people support their drug habit. Men and women engage in prostitution as a way to support their drug habit. Gang violence, too, is associated with drugs activity. So, society pays a big price because of prevalence of drugs. Legalizing drugs seems to me the dumbest thing we as a society would do
noooo....prohibition of pot caused it to be sold on the black market along with other hard drugs. everybody growing up heard everything about smoking marijuana ever since middle school for christ's sake. so nearly every adventurous soul out there looks around for some, and finds a dealer who has more than just marijuana, because it's illegal and he sells illegal @!$%#. one day this dealer says, "man, i got some @!$%# better than grass...wanna try this @!$%#?" and the rest is history. legalize marijuana, take it out of dealer's hands, take it out of the cartel's hands, give licenses to only local growers in the local market.
Ask yourself why the cartels don't offer aspirin.
There's a lot of economic ignorance in the status quo approach that you guys are advocating.
Most, not all criminal behavior associated with drugs ends with legalization. It must, because there are no longer high expenses associated with procuring the drug, and no profit margins for a criminal enterprise/cartel.
AP:
WRONG! Alcohol has been determined to be the "gateway drug". Marijuana is NOT a "gateway drug".
http://www.naturalnews.com/036541_alcohol_gateway_drug_marijuana.html
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/07/05/study-the-gateway-drug-is-alcohol-not-marijuana/
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/07/06/alcohol-the-real-gateway-drug/
Here's one article that suggests it's actually environmental:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16639367/ns/health-addictions/t/study-questions-gateway-theory-drug-abuse/#.ULGpeu_NmSo
So what drug was Nixon on?
Society pays an even larger price because of prohibition which has failed miserably and cost tax payers over a trillion dollars. Gee, I wonder how much we could save society if we ended prohibition and spent those tax dollars on more education and rehabilitation?
Actually, the dumbest thing as a society we could do is to continue this abomination called the "war on drugs". Legalize pot and decriminalize all other drugs. Take the criminal element out of drugs and treat addicts as medical patients and not as criminals. Laws or incarceration do nothing to help a person addicted to drugs.
Maybe try to bone-up on the facts because the lies the government have been telling you for the past 4 decades are being debunked with current research and studies.
According to the DOJ’s findings, the department was “broken in a number of critical ways,” including repeated instances of civil rights violations and illegal searches and seizures.
Coming from the administration that passed, and has defended, the NDAA. Lol.
Except of course,.. the "War on Drugs", has absolutely nothing to do with the NDAA Act.
It's not relevant.. It simply doesn't apply..
That's why i'll be laughing my a$$ of when local law enforcement from both states give the fed's the bird on national tv.
Sadly,.. I don't think the issue will ultimately be resolved until the SC rules on the matter....
I don't think Satanic has the faintest idea what's in the NDAA 2012, for all like him, beware, NDAA 2013 is coming soon. Boowaahahaha!
Morons.
Now back to the article. There are less than 1 million hard drug addicts in the US. There are over 30 million pot smokers. Maybe legalizing marijuana would free up some some law enforcement, to concentrate on the hard drugs. Take some DEA, wasting their time on pot cases that will never be prosecuted in Washington and Colorado, and transfer them to Puerto Rico.
K1200RS, Thank you for the opportunity to show off and be a nit-picker.
NDAA does sort of apply to the drug war in that it authorizes government spending for bullets. I think that's all though. It was really long, I might recall something else later. If I do, I'll come back.
Nothing new here , i lived there on the 80's until the mid 90's and it was pretty much the same. The amount of drugs that go through the island every year for the past 20 years is enough to feed half of all the addicts in the US mainland. With almost 1/2 of the police and airport people corrupted and only 2 ,maybe 3 coast guard boats patrolling the island , it is certainly to be expected.As much as i love the island , I will never go back until it becomes a state and the federal govt. send the national guard and clean up the "caserios" or the "hood" areas , which are full of parasites who live from welfare ,glorify the drug culture and actually protect the kingpins.
doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is insane. A new approach is needed not just throwing money and resources away. alcoholic prohibition made the mafia rich and powerful and the drug war has made the cartels rich and powerful. we should do the same thing with all drugs not just alcohol and tobacco which more people die from than all other drugs combined.
Prohibition is the superhighway for cartels.
The Obama administration has so enabled and encouraged the drug cartels that it is no wonder that they are branching out and refining their operations. Mister Obama is thick with the AFL-CIO and they are tied to his presidency but neither of them are for working Americans. The drug cartels are thriving in the US under Obama/ Holder. If you doubt me just google "DEA most wanted." They are wrecking America.
The DEA....speaking of wastes of taxpayer money....I never seem to hear any right-wingers talk about THAT one, even though it is by far the largest of all. Here's how many people the DEA has stopped from doing drugs over the last 40 years:
@C. Moakler
LOL thats right its all Obama's fault LOL like their wasn't any cratels before him. You're just a hater admit!
Let's be honest here, no Presidents are more responsible for the cartels than Nixon and Reagan. They were the ones who started the War on Drugs and ramped it up respectively. Alcohol prohibition provides a clear example that prohibition is what enables criminal syndication to spring up around outlawed crimes which have no victims. You want to get rid of the cartels then you have to legalize. Now granted, Obama has continued the status quo, and certainly Holder did provide the cartels with weaponry so both are of course guilty too. All in all, the problem is caused by both parties because neither one will do the intelligent thing and end prohibition. That's just one of the many reasons I no longer vote for anyone but third party candidates.
The drug cartels are successful because there is a booming market for illegal drugs in the US. We either legalize drugs so that those that sell drugs are able to utilize the police and judicial system to protect themselves, or we continue to listen to Nancy Reagan and tell everyone to say no to drugs.
well, nancy reagan sure didn't end the war on drugs. just wishing everyone would "just say no!" is just like faith healing, that's for sure.
i don't think this country needs to make it a state. we can't take care of the 50 that we have now. the politicans that vote for this are the same ones that voted for the weed to be sold in the two states and their was some money put in their pockets to start with.
Puerto Rico has been a commonwealth territory for 100 years; the U.S. has 12 of 'em, including Washington, DC. The statehood vote has gone back and forth for 50 of those years. It's inevitable. And it'll all be about power politics in Congress, as much is these days, sadly.
You don't know much about the voting process, do you? It wasn't politicians who voted for any of that.
"the politicans that vote for this are the same ones that voted for the weed to be sold in the two states and their was some money put in their pockets to start with."
Dude the PEOPLE voted for it not a few politicains. DUH!
So who do you think would put money in their pockets? The smokers or the Cartels that would want it defeated?
This comment and all the others you have made on this thread shows how little to nothing that you know about Puerto Rico. PR became a Commonwealth Territory in 1952 and that is clearly not a 100 years. And of all the times that a plebicite on status has been held here never before have they agreed to statehood and this time it depends on how you interpret the results. And Puerto Rico was not cede to the US it was taken away from Spain without compensation.
And as to Puerto Rico being a jump off place for the distribution of drugs in the states. it would be wise to know and remember that without DEMAND in the USA there would be no shipping from Puerto Rico to the USA.
The Government of the USA has an obligation to the US Citizens living in Puerto Rico and those living in the States to help stop the cartels here in Puerto Rico.
Just like Puerto Ricans have been serving with honor pride and distinction in the US armed forces since 1898
I served with several Puerto Ricans in the early seventies.
OK...I guess I have to point this out again....no one is going to kill someone to steal his cell phone to sell something.....when there's no money to be made doing it...I'll let you figure the rest out, because I'm tired of saying it.
Clearly you don't realize that killing is nothing more than a regular activity for some people... something to do. It doesn't matter if the motivation is for a cell phone or just to do it for the sake of reputation.
"StandUpJokeOff
Clearly you don't realize that killing is nothing more than a regular activity for some people... something to do. It doesn't matter if the motivation is for a cell phone or just to do it for the sake of reputation."
Clearly you don't know the defference between a Drug runner needing an untracable cell phone to conduct illigal business and a serial killer?
The difference is this: if he was just in the business of killing, no one would protect him, hide him, provide him with money, etc. It's the drug cartel that has prevented him from being arrested a long time ago.
A year ago, every single citizen of Puerto Rico had to have birth certificates and SS numbers reissued because of the wholesale theft and use of those documents by illegals in the US.
The federal government has known for a long time that the island is a hot bed for criminal activity that preys on both the islanders and the mainland citizens of the US and they have failed to act in a timely manner concerning any issue, because everything always points back to Mexico, and protecting the Hispanic vote was this administration's priority.
And before the comments start, the Bush admnistration wasn't any better. Mexico is our enemy, the parasite we refuse to acknowledge that is sucking our country and resources bone dry.
I'll give the U S Government credit for one thing they sure don't give up easily. Nixon started the war on drugs in the 70s and since it's beginning it has been a total loss for America. Untold billions and I suspect trillions have been spent on drug enforcement with 100 % failure. There are just as many drugs on the streets today as their were in the 70s when this war started and they are now cheaper and more potent. Where I come from we call that a good old fashion Ass Thrashing. That doesn't even include all of the numerous thousands of people killed and injured. What a waste of resources for no gain. Now we want to open a new front on this looser war on drugs in Puerto Rico. Horses learn faster than we do.
seriously? i did not even read the article- just the head line. i was raised in the caribbean. it has always been the chain through which drugs are moved from south and central america up to the states. not a news flash. oh, and the US bought puerto rico from spain for strategic reasons more than 100 years ago. puerto ricans are as much american citizens as anyone else on here. even if they vote to cede, they cannot do so any more than angry red states can. i also saw a comment on here about it being a @!$%#hole away from the tourist areas. yeah, most places are like that; even your own hometown. puerto rico does not exist to be a pretty, exotic getaway for spoiled, racist, white people. ( i am white) it is where many thousands of people live, work, raise families and are buried for generations going back to the amerindians. yeah, they have their problems like everywhere else.
well said!
Allison, they are not considering succeeding, they are considering formal statehood and they have been US citizens since 1917. Unemployment is over 14%. I think PR has much to gain by becoming a state. I also think the US would have more to lose.
really? even though they helped us fight the revolutionary war of 1779? helped us gain our independence? i say if they helped us even back then, they deserve american citizenship, which is more than i can say about a hell of a lot of americans!
azureblue, i was just commenting on an earlier post . someone commented that PR had voted to cede, which is ridiculous. i know they have been vying for statehood for a long time. i'm from the USVI but i now live in the states. personally, i think the difference between territory status and statehood is six of one and half a dozen of the other. i get riled up by the ignorance people spout on here, much of it thinly veiled racism.
The answer is obvious... We need to get these users on prescription drugs.
LOL so which big phar company do you work for? :-)
Big Phar are the biggist herion drug dealer in the world. They have a different name for it but its the same addictive drug in pill form.
This is exactly what drug companies are thinking.. America is a sick obsessed control freak out to make cash.. look at all these killings across our world because of our sick obsesssion with breaking the law.. Legalize and live another day
We can give you more information because this is under investigation"
80% of the cocaine goes to "WHITE SUBURBIA, USA" the biggest consumers in the world!!! The problem is not PR is the USA!!!
vindicator, as you write, your wife and daughter, are desiring to have it, with a real man, a black guy or Latino. That's the future for white girls. Deal with it.
Yes, lets make PR a state, that way they can share in the great wealth of the US.
It would appear that the drug smugglers are smarter than our politicians and law enforcement officers. WOW-What a surprise.
The drug problem will never be solved. Wherever you have people in government you will have corruption and drugs will always get through.
Countries with no drug laws have no problems... the countries that make and sell us drugs have no drug problem. Americans are educated and smart and will not do drugs just because they are there.. those that do drugs need help with their disease not a crime.
Abe:
Not everyone who does drugs has a problem or needs help. People who have problems with addictions need help. And that would include addictions to anything from sex to drugs to food to the internet, etc.
I do agree it should be viewed as a medical issue and not a criminal one.
Puerto Rico has a long history with the USA, it is a very beautiful Island and they very beautiful people. If it wasn't for the drug problems, then it would be paradise. These Puerto-Rican deserve our protect and money aid 100%
Yes.
Hawaii is nicer and more beautiful , but yes too that too.
Most of them believe their better than mainlanders and are imho more racist which makes them ugly.
No, for reasons given above.
No, they do not wish to become a state and their already sucking up enough tax dollars . The naval base there was bombing on one of their islands v-something and all the moochers wanted them to leave , without closing the base of course.
They want their cake and they want to eat it too.
Sorry ,(if the truth hurts) but one of my best friends in puerto rican we retired together and served together twice. He lives in FL and even he said he has no intentions of ever going back to P.R once his parents die.
No Drugos Gringo!!
People want drugs to be legalized? lol Man, our society is continuing down the rotten path of he!! Yea, that is all we need, whacked out drug addicts on every street in the US. Where has our country gone?
Ask the bankers?
There is too much money at stake, too many benefits to an elite few. We can win 2 WWs ,end the cold war with russia, topple iraq, invade Iran, even kill bin laden, but a few drug cartels keep proving to be too much? RIGHT. This will not change
i can agree with punishing those who support the cartels. however, most marijuana in america is american grown and earns more than corn and wheat combined. most american recreational marijuana users do not support the cartels. the prohibitionists do by enabling the cartel's ability to make profits off marijuana and other drugs.
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=2735017&page=1#.T6caZMVI5ZM
I live in a small town in central PA. The Puerto Rican kids, who are all living in subsidized housing by the way, have the most expensive phones, were designer clothes, the girls have 100-buck hairdos....hmm, wonder where all that money comes from?