I'm a little surprised that this hasn't been done before

[Ike]

http://www.townhall.com/news/sci-tech/2007/08/21/scientists_drug-test_whole_cities

Basically, they are saying that they can tell which drugs, and how much of them are used in a city by testing the wastewater. The only surprise there is why this hasn't been done for the last 20 years or so.

Now I wonder how long it takes before they start putting devices to do this kind of thing on the fly further upstream of the main sewage treatment plants.

[proud gonzo]

that's a really good idea

[yermom]

yikes

[rufnek05]

the man at work, but as long as they don't put them testers things right outside each house, cus then i'll start ****in in the yard.

[sooner_born_1960]

I think money would be better spent testing for the signs of drug manufacture, and zeroing in on the locale that ends up being the source.

[rufnek05]

they can go after all the meth labs they want to. that **** destroys everything it touches.

[LosAngelesSooner]

I think most drugs should be legalized, regulated and then taxed like crazy.

But then again, I don't do drugs or come from a drug family...so I may be totally wrong here.

[Ike]

I think money would be better spent testing for the signs of drug manufacture, and zeroing in on the locale that ends up being the source.
Thats one way, but thats difficult.


See, if I were the man, I'd put one of these basically on the pipes from each and every house in my city. Then, if I had a city that has a wide network of traffic cameras that have license plate ID technology (as some cities do have...although it is more prevalent in the UK than the US), I'd identify the households that are the most frequent consumers of illicit drugs, and then try to find common places that many of them travel to, because those places are more likely to contain dealers....then keep tabs on the dealers, and see if you can find out where they are getting their supply, and so on and so forth.

I wouldn't arrest the users...at least not at first. But I would bet that such tools would be pretty effective in driving up the prices of drugs so far that they become cost prohibitive to most users.

[LosAngelesSooner]

Thats one way, but thats difficult.


See, if I were the man, I'd put one of these basically on the pipes from each and every house in my city. Then, if I had a city that has a wide network of traffic cameras that have license plate ID technology (as some cities do have...although it is more prevalent in the UK than the US), I'd identify the households that are the most frequent consumers of illicit drugs, and then try to find common places that many of them travel to, because those places are more likely to contain dealers....then keep tabs on the dealers, and see if you can find out where they are getting their supply, and so on and so forth.

I wouldn't arrest the users...at least not at first. But I would bet that such tools would be pretty effective in driving up the prices of drugs so far that they become cost prohibitive to most users.
WOW! I'm surprised you feel this way. That's VERY "Big Brother" of you.

[Beef]

WOW! I'm surprised you feel this way. That's VERY "Big Brother" of you.
Maybe he is the man and is just trying to trick us.

[rufnek05]

I think most drugs should be legalized, regulated and then taxed like crazy.

But then again, I don't do drugs or come from a drug family...so I may be totally wrong here.


i think some drugs should be legal, pot and shrums, but thats it. but they won't legalize it because it can be grown by anyone, anywhere, without being taxed. and if that happens then they can't make any money off of it.

[Oldnslo]

Ike scares me.

[sooner_born_1960]

i think some drugs should be legal, pot and shrums, but thats it. but they won't legalize it because it can be grown by anyone, anywhere, without being taxed. and if that happens then they can't make any money off of it.
Beer can be made by anyone, anywhere and they do a pretty good job of taxing that.

[LosAngelesSooner]

If you had to choose between some stanky stink weed or icky bad trippy shrooms that your friend grew in his back yard, or some primo stuff that's a little more expensive from a nice little store (like we have all over out here) that is guaranteed to not get you sick...what would you choose?

As for the "legalization" issue: The Republican/Libertarian in me thinks the government shouldn't be able to tell me (us) what to do with my body so I think all drugs should be legalized (yep, even cocaine, etc) and then controlled and taxed like crazy. But I also think that the punishment for any crime/accident which involves somebody under the influence should be maximized SO severely that everyone would have to think long and hard before they did drugs and then left their houses.

But then again, there are so many good arguments the other way (regarding the dangers, etc) that it's a tough issue for me as I'm all for public safety. I guess I would say I lean towards legalizing them, but since I don't DO drugs, really am not concerned either way. (not too much, anyway)

[Ike]

WOW! I'm surprised you feel this way. That's VERY "Big Brother" of you.

"Feel this way"? Thats the completely wrong term to use.


See, I prefaced my comments with the statement of "If I was the man", which meant that I was thinking in the manner of our ever more big-brotherish governments.

Do I want to see something like that happen? Not really. In fact, the idea that it might kinda scares me too...But if I were charged with getting drugs out of my city, that would be an avenue I would explore.

I'm good at thinking up **** like this that scares the crap out of everyone, including myself. Perhaps because I am just a little bit paranoid myself.

[LosAngelesSooner]

"Feel this way"? Thats the completely wrong term to use.


See, I prefaced my comments with the statement of "If I was the man", which meant that I was thinking in the manner of our ever more big-brotherish governments.

Do I want to see something like that happen? Not really. In fact, the idea that it might kinda scares me too...But if I were charged with getting drugs out of my city, that would be an avenue I would explore.

I'm good at thinking up **** like this that scares the crap out of everyone, including myself. Perhaps because I am just a little bit paranoid myself.
LOL!

Okay, that's cool.

Let's just try to keep you on the side of GOOD and not EVIL. :)

[StoopTroup]

Why doesn't the DMV just require you to renew your Driver's License every year and require a hair sample.

This sounds like a better idea to me.

[Ike]

LOL!

Okay, that's cool.

Let's just try to keep you on the side of GOOD and not EVIL. :)

Well, the best way to do that is to send money. :D

[rufnek05]

people will do what they want, legal or not.

[47straight]

It has been done before, in Italy I think.