Chicago War on Drugs Leads to Ban on Plastic Baggies

I don’t even know who to start writing about this nonsense. It’s asinine that anyone could think that a crackdown on plastic baggies would have any effect on drug sales. THEY ARE SELLING DRUGS! Why would a ban on plastic bags stop them?

Ugh:

Tiny plastic bags used to sell small quantities of heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana and other drugs would be banned in Chicago, under a crackdown advanced Tuesday by a City Council committee.

Ald. Robert Fioretti (2nd) persuaded the Health Committee to ban possession of “self-sealing plastic bags under two inches in either height or width,” after picking up 15 of the bags on a recent Sunday afternoon stroll through a West Side park.

Lt. Kevin Navarro, commanding officer of the Chicago police Department’s Narcotics and Gang Unit, said the ordinance will be an “important tool” to go after grocery stores, health food stores and other businesses. The bags are used by the thousands to sell small quantities of drugs at $10 or $20 a bag.

Navarro referred to the plastic bags as “Marketing 101 for the drug dealers.” Many of them have symbols, allowing drug users to ask for “Superman” or “Blue Dolphin” instead of the drug itself, he said.

I have heard a lot of nonsense in my life, but this is near the top of the list in quality nonsense. If this isn’t bad enough, here’s the kicker:

Health Committee Chairman Ed Smith (28th) said the ban is part of a desperate effort to stop what he called “the most destructive force” in Chicago neighborhoods.

“We need to use every measure that we possibly can to stop it because it is destroying our kids,” he said.

Except common sense it seems.

The most destructive force in Chicago neighborhoods can be stopped with a ban on plastic baggies? Come on. Let’s get real here for a minute. This isn’t going to change anything.

You want to really change something there? You want the drug trade to stop and gangs to stop killing each other for turf and drug money? Legalize drugs. Oh yeah, I said it. Legalize it. That’s the only way to get it out of the gang-banger’s hands.

And before you get your shorts in a bunch, I am not advocating drug use. In fact, I think you are in idiot if you use drugs. But you cannot stop the drug trade by outlawing it. It is only pushing it underground. That’s just how it is. People are gonna do drugs regardless. Right now, the prohibition only benefits the drug pushers.

Banning baggies is a fruitless action. I think we can all agree on that, at least.