Matthew Yglesias (who I've heard of, and never read before today) wrote a stupid post about drug legalization, basically positing if drugs were legalized, social anarchy would result, and kids would be purchasing heroin from ice cream trucks. Yglesias thinks anti drug laws are similar to anti-mugging laws, or something equally ridiculous. Victimless crimes vs. victimless crimes, right. Oh, wait.
Anyway, Daniel Williams in a comment writes:
Drug Wars
I wrote a book titled The Naked Truth About Drugs, and I'll send a free copy to anyone reading this post - just email me a mailing address. Reading it, you will see why I believe repealing drug prohibition will be the most significant law and order legislation of the 21st century. Posted by: Daniel E. Williams
I'll have to take Daniel up on this offer.
(h/t)
and let us never mention illegal drugs without mentioning legal drugs:
Findings: Drug Ad Spending Up SignificantlyDrug marketers are set to see another record year in advertising spending, with budgets up nearly 9% over last year.
At that rate, total spend on all prescription drug brands will come in at around $4.5 billion by the end of the year, according to TNS. Last year, drug companies spent about $4.1 billion on ads.
Tags: drugs, /Pharmaceuticals
Um, I've been to a friend's house near Patterson Park in Baltimore where a suspicious ice cream truck drives around after midnight. It even plays that cloying clown music. Young teens gather and very quickly purchase little palmable packets of something other than ice cream. Yglesias's fear is a reality in Charm City.
You know, now that you mention it, we were driving somewhere past midnight and for a couple blocks followed an ice cream truck who was still playing his annoying little song. I didn't see any transactions, but we were on a main artery.
I think it is a clever use of disguise.
Send me an email on your impression of the book, or let me know if you plan review it here. I'm interested but my reading pile is about neck-high as it is.
[sure thing, will do. My reading pile is a bit outrageous too - Seth]