cliff@unmvax.UUCP (03/23/85)
I'm only here for the drugs. > You reject my "assertions" because they are from the "popular press" (and > media). You then allude to some knowledge that you have but can/will not > give us. I assume that I am supposed to know what "the information available > for one's own watching" is. I don't. But I do know what facts are available > through the various forms of media and news reporting agencies. I can also > be pretty much asured of their "credibility". (does credible = accurate?) Let me point out that the "you" is not me, but I do want to make comment. Perhaps some of the problems associated with this discussion are directly related to the illegality of purchasing drugs (marijuana, hashish, heroin, cocaine, etc.). Quite possibly there will be no more than allusions to other knowledge in order not to draw attention to oneself. Not only is use illegal in most parts of the country, being associated with use can lead to employer investigations, etc. "The media" can be a little more explicit when relaying information, but they are still (supposed to be) accountable to the same laws that joe citizen is, hence they can not do things like buy five different samples of heroin from five seperate sources and then chemically identify the impurities or contrast the cut, etc. With respect to prices all they can report is rumors--a price isn't a price until the purchase has been made, so in order to report true prices the media would have to break laws. One of the great sources of information about drug use is from the federal government--they have the advantage of being above the law which means they can actually go out and purchase a drug and record its price. There is one serious problem with this method of reporting--drug dealers try as hard as possible to avoid the feds. The feds don't mention this fact when they report how much substance X is being used in city Y, but the fact is their statistics are highly inaccurate. Back to the question of whether drugs are sold in a free market...If they are then I will maintain that anything that is sold is sold in a free market. --Cliff [Matthews] {purdue, cmcl2, ihnp4}!lanl!unmvax!cliff {csu-cs, pur-ee, convex, gatech, ucbvax}!unmvax!cliff 4744 Trumbull S.E. - Albuquerque NM 87108 - (505) 265-9143
rdz@ccice5.UUCP (Robert D. Zarcone) (03/25/85)
> > Let me point out that the "you" is not me, but I do want to make comment. > Perhaps some of the problems associated with this discussion are directly > related to the illegality of purchasing drugs (marijuana, hashish, heroin, > cocaine, etc.). Quite possibly there will be no more than allusions to other > knowledge in order not to draw attention to oneself. Not only is use illegal > in most parts of the country, being associated with use can lead to employer > investigations, etc. You are right. Forgive me if I unintentionally invaded someones' privacy. > > One of the great sources of information about drug use is from the federal > government--they have the advantage of being above the law which means they > can actually go out and purchase a drug and record its price. There is one > serious problem with this method of reporting--drug dealers try as hard as > possible to avoid the feds. The feds don't mention this fact when they report > how much substance X is being used in city Y, but the fact is their statistics > are highly inaccurate. Granted. But there are still a few good investigative reporters around that can provide support for or contradiction of these figures. My point was that I don't think I should ignore them. > > Back to the question of whether drugs are sold in a free market...If they are > then I will maintain that anything that is sold is sold in a free market. > > --Cliff [Matthews] I will try another way to convince you when I have more time to gather new information! Thank you for one of the few civil replies I have received. *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***