I have seen a few new adds that say drugs fund terrorists. That's a real half-truth at best. If we want to not give money to terrorists we should't use middle eastern oil.

I've seen a couple of these ads, and there is some truth to the idea that drugs fund terrorism. One example that I can think of immediately is Al Quaeda and heroine, but that's certainly not the only thing that funds terrorism. It seems to me that this ad is more about anti-drug propaganda and less about terrorism. It makes for a very effective ad campaign, which as far as I know hasn't been tried before, that focuses on the major fear of the day.

The ad makes a good argument for the legalization of drugs to stop terrorism.

This add ticks me off.

When the media and government spout stuff like this off, it is no wonder youth do not take them seriously on the topic of drugs.

Counterproductive, IMO. Kind of like my parents telling me when I was a kid just how awful pot is. Ruin your life. Later on, I used it. Was fine. Didn't ruin my life, didn't ruin my relationships, didn't ruin anything. Wasn't a gateway drug for me... just something to do sometimes. Quit it as easily as I started it.

Now... knowing that... what are kids today going to believe when they are lectured on the more serious drugs that will harm them? Not much... heck, they lied about pot, you know.

That's how I view this terrorism/drugs thing. Government and media crying wolf. God help the youth when something really DOES need to be said and is serious and it comes from the government and media... who the heck is going to listen to them???

And the government isn't even talking about a high dollar funding effort for terrorism from profits from the diamond trade that came out of Liberia and (for fear of butchering the spelling) a neighboring country. (ok, one try Burkina Fausa?) A European report made this claim and as far as I know there has been no official comment.

Is diamond jewelry also not acceptable for this reason. Should I have gone fake on my wedding ring?

Too true, but there are a lot of things that the government doesn't talk about in regards to spending our money responsibly. These ads aren't really about terrorism, though. They are just another tactic at trying to get kids off of drugs.

I'd rather see OIL=Terrorism ads. You know, show people driving their SUV's back and forth to work or to buy a cup of coffee.

and actually there was times (not that far) where the Us almost encouraged drug dealers to go on with their business....

example? easy: just need to remember Noriega who was a drug dealer and had the approbation of the us government....

I would have to agree that this is no end all - be all that it is presented as being. I would also agree with the oil supports terrorism, though I won't entertain car model arguments.

In my state, last year 162 methamphetamine labs were busted and only 44 of them could be linked to terrorism.

I hope you are not saying since it was only 44, that's ok then? Surely not.

There are many avenues (as mentioned above) that fund terrorism - naming one doesn't preclude knowledge or action upon others.

Agreed.

Furthermore, that "high finance" could be applied to the US economy, not just in moneys poured into the government mechanisms and justifiable tax relief, but in the form of monies NOT "subverted" basically cutting uncle Sam outta his fair share...

Weird puttin it in those terms... but as you allude, it appears that such ads are only underlining the shortsightedness of our country's drug-policy in general. Why are so many other more harmful things legal? If the argument is that you "have to draw the line somewhere".. it is clear to me that Americans say everyday, that the line has been drawn in the wrong place.

GenX if you would like to further expound on the legalization of drugs, please join us here Another lost war?, The War on Drugs.

Plus, it been awhile since anyone posted there

drugs=terrorism, it's true. the terrorist group known as the CIA is responsible for at least 75% of all drugs (just a guess on the number) in America. before 9-11 the opium trade in Afghanistan (under the evil Taliban{whom we helped get to power BTW) was almost completely stopped. it increased approximately 200% under the current puppets, rivaling the production of the "golden triangle" in Burma. most money that pays for drugs ends up in the secret coffers of the CIA. (website: http://www.ciadrugs.com) there are ads out that show people driving SUV's and them saying "I drive an SUV, I support terrorism."

I thought the terrorist were making their money in the stock market.

Great news for those of us sick of wasting our tax dollars on this misinformation campaign:
White House To End Drugs & Terror Ads

...now we get to waste our money on something else

Actually, the ads were absolutely right on. They were canceled because they weren't resonating with the target audience--the kids weren't buying it--but that doesn't make them any less correct. I'm sure that won't sit well with those among us propagating the illegal drug trade, boo hoo, but t.s. for them.

To whom are you referring here? The CIA? The Bush family??

I've never danced with psychadelic bunnies or tried to pick my fingers up off the floor -- that is to say I haven't done drugs -- but I think the extent to which the government was trying to link drugs to terror was extreme. Most of the ads I saw dealt primarily with marijuana, which a fair number of the smokers I know can grow on their own (I live in Kentucky) without having to deal with any suspected terrorists.

Heroin and cocaine are more than likely going to fund terrorism, but as somebody pointed out earlier, the CIA has had a big hand in maintaining the prominence of those drugs. It isn't just international terrorists who threaten America that benefit from the drug trade. And, with or without a drug trade, terrorists are going to find some way in which to turn a profit. Arms sales? Legitimate businesses? Drugs just happen to be a quicker way... second perhaps to seeking harbor and financial aid from a country strapped with cash by the American government.

Those ads are flat out awesome. I find it funny how drug users try and downplay what their illicit purchases fund. "Oh well, yeah I only use this kind of drug which only supports terrorism 44% of the time!" Just goes to show how frying your brain trashes your ability to reason

It is unfortunate that tv is ineffective though. It is very hard to get through to people who spend a good portion of their time on cloud nine. Although taking their house away and throwing them in prison seems to get the message across pretty good, maybe bush 2nd term will see more of that and less tv ads.

I liked the ads, but they missed the point. It isn't so much that buying drugs funds terrorism, though it does, but that the War on Drugs funds terrorism. It is only because of the windfall profits from selling at blackmarket prices that terrorists and organized crime find drugs attractive at all, so without the War on Drugs they'd be SOL. It's also true that Middle East oil funds terrorism, and I think we should aggressively pursue energy independence so we can stop buying it.

And yeah, I'll have more to say in the War on Drugs thread.

More Americans have been terrorized by the drug war then will ever be terrorized by drug dealing terrorist extremists.

As a person who has never done drugs, I'd like to point out that reasonable, coherent people can downplay the extremist message from the television ads.

There seems to be a growing trend of people manufacturing their own drugs or doing drugs with strictly American sources. Marijuana doesn't seem to be all that complicated a plant to harvest. Meth labs seem to be more and more common with people cooking up their own generic drugs... no links to terrorism necessary.

Personally, I've had friends who grew their own stashes in ovens and other household appliances. I wasn't for one minute about to run out of the house following one of those commercials and attempt to blame them for September 11 or extremists throughout the world.

Let's keep this to a discussion of the drugs=terrorism debate.

We have the War on Drugs debate here

Where does this information come from?

I was under the impression that Afghanistan was invaded because the Taliban were closely and inextricably linked with Al Queada.

Yet the Taliban pretty much stamped out drugs production in that country, and it is only since their explusion by the US that the trade has sprung up again.

How can this be reconciled with your assertion that heroin trading funds Al Queada?