Peter Krupa

The New York Times has a thoroughly boring story today about rampant recreational cocaine use. Methinks they are a little behind the 8-ball (haha!). I didn’t even go to clubs in New York and I knew this was a thing.

Realistically, however, I should probably cut the Times some slack, since this is an important story to get on record regardless of timeliness. I am a little worried, however, that the story sounds like it was written by Nancy Reagan.

Evidence of (increasingly casual cocaine use) is popping up in music, television and even theater. Indeed, for a generation that has not had its John Belushi to drive home the dangers of drug abuse, references and even use are open, casual, even blatant.

OK, raise your hand if you quit doing coke because of John Belushi. Right.

Here’s the question this story should really be asking: If everyone is doing coke, yet crime is going down, employment is staying up, and New York City remains one of the most desirable, most successful, most healthy, and richest cities in the world… what the fuck is the problem?

This is the real question people should be asking: Is it worth the trouble to keep certain drugs illegal?

Because on the other hand, far from the eyes of nanny politicians and church groups that campaign against exotic forms of artificial stimulation, all sorts of people are getting murdered - in Mexico, Central America, and Colombia - precisely because the drug business is illegal, and therefore run by criminal mafias.*

All so some douche bag on Wall Street can get his fix. He’ll get his fix somehow. Wouldn’t it be better if he could just buy it at the bodega?

* FUN FACT: So far this year, Costa Rican police (along with various U.S. drug enforcement efforts) have confiscated 15 tons of cocaine, trafficked by foreign mafias who are probably paying Tico fishermen way more than they would make catching fish. (Imagine how much the authorities have missed.)