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The *real* reason why drugs like marijuana and coke are illegal. It's not what I expected.

By the end, I was kind of speechless. That's how brilliant Ethan Nadelmann is. This guy knows his stuff, and I'd like to see governments try out his idea.

There is a War on Drugs. And the United States is in the middle of it.

President Richard Nixon declared war on drugs on June 17, 1971. It was at this early point that something remarkable happened. According to PBS:


    For the only time in the history of the war on drugs, the majority of funding goes towards treatment, rather than law enforcement.

Unfortunately, that era wouldn't last for long.

One of the biggest effects of the War on Drugs included heavy penalties for drug offenses.

In 1986, President Ronald Reagan signed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act into law — a day that Salon.com says the War on Drugs *really* started:

    The law has resulted in 25 years of disproportionately harsh prison sentences for defendants who are disproportionately black. It called for felony charges and mandatory minimum prison sentences for anyone caught with even a small amount of cocaine; inexplicably, it triggered the mandatory sentences for crack cocaine possession at 1/100 the amount of powder cocaine. Rather than rooting out the traffickers, it filled the country's jails with blacks and Hispanics, who in some cases serve more time for possession than convicted murderers.

Ethan Nadelmann says these heavier penalties for drug possession have been of little, if any, benefit.

Nadelmann is the executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance. In a recent TED Talk, Nadelmann said:

    Look at the murder and mayhem in Mexico, Central America, so many other parts of the planet, the global black market estimated at 300 billion dollars a year, prisons packed in the United States and elsewhere, police and military drawn into an unwinnable war that violates basic rights, and ordinary citizens just hope they don't get caught in the crossfire, and meanwhile, more people using more drugs than ever.

    It's my country's history with alcohol prohibition and Al Capone, times 50.

Why *is* there a War on Drugs in the first place? The answer has very little to do with the actual science behind illegal drugs.

While there might be differing opinions about the actual reasons behind the War on Drugs, Nadelmann gives us his expert opinion as someone who has studied the issue in depth:

    When hundreds of thousands of Chinese started showing up in my country, working hard on the railroads and the mines and then kicking back in the evening just like they had in the old country with a few puffs on that opium pipe, that's when you saw the first drug prohibition laws in California and Nevada, driven by racist fears of Chinese transforming white women into opium-addicted sex slaves.

    The first cocaine prohibition laws, similarly prompted by racist fears of black men sniffing that white powder and forgetting their proper place in Southern society. And the first marijuana prohibition laws, all about fears of Mexican migrants in the West and the Southwest.

Kinda sad, right?

Nadelmann has a solution to the War on Drugs: End it. And legalize.

And he doesn't mean legalize *just* weed. He means other drugs, too. It's a pretty bold solution — even Nadelmann disagrees with it sometimes! — but it's worth thinking about. And one that he'll lay out for you carefully in this video.

You can get English captions by clicking the lower-right part of the video, or you can scroll down for a transcript.

Popular

Couple in their 30s live permanently on cruise ships for a little over $10K a year

“I’m not a millionaire ... I just live full-time on cruise ships.”

A magnificent cruise ship on the ocean.

Giving it all up and retiring to live on a cruise ship at 32 seems like a lifestyle choice only available to the ultra-wealthy. However, two financially savvy retired school teachers from Tennessee have managed to do just that, spending under $10,000 for the first eight months at sea.

Monica Brzoska, 32, and Jorrell Conley, 36, met in 2015 while teaching in Memphis, Tennessee. The following year, they booked a week-long cruise to Mexico, Belize, and Grand Cayman. After that, they were hooked on cruising together.

Eight years later, in March 2023, they booked a week-long Caribbean cruise. When it was over, instead of returning home to Memphis, they had a wild idea: Why not continue to book consecutive cruises? So, they did just that.

Monica was inspired to start living the life she always wanted after her father fell ill and her mother told her: "Don't wait for retirement. Follow your dreams."



The couple crunched the numbers and found that if they chose the cheapest cabins and used the deals they’ve received from Carnival Cruises, they could book the first 8 months for just under $10,000. “It sounds mad, but the numbers made sense. Accommodation, food and entertainment would be included – we’d only need spending money,” Brzoska told The Sun. “And because we’d been on so many Carnival cruises, we’d earned access to some amazing offers.”

Hopping from ship to ship isn’t difficult for the couple because many disembark from the same ports. But they sometimes have to fly when they can’t walk to the next ocean liner.

The couple then quit their jobs, sold their possessions, and started a new life on the high seas. They rent out their 3-bedroom home in Memphis to maintain steady cash flow. The average 3-bedroom home in the area rents somewhere between $1200 to $1900 a month.



Over the first year of their new life, the couple completed 36 consecutive cruises. They have already visited countless destinations across the globe, but they can’t choose a favorite. "For a cultural experience, we loved Japan," Brzoska told a Carnival Cruise director on Instagram. The couple also loved Greece for its “history” and Iceland because it was the "closest to being on Mars."

One of the most incredible benefits of loving on a cruise ship is that so many things are taken care of for you. The couple never has to cook any meals, do any laundry or drive. Every night, there is something to do, whether it’s checking out a comedy show or enjoying drinks and dancing in the nightclub.



Plus, on cruises, just about all the costs are covered, so you rarely have to open your wallet. It’s a stress-free, all-inclusive lifestyle. Brzoska says that when you remove the everyday stresses from life, it’s great for your marriage. “Without the daily stresses of life, we rarely argued, but always told each other if we needed space or more time together,” she said.

The couple also makes sure to have one date night a week, during which they dress up and have a nice meal together.

Most people may be unable to give it all up and live their lives hopping from ocean liner to ocean liner. But there’s a great lesson in the story of Brzoska and Conley: You never know how much time you have left, so don’t wait for retirement to live the life of your dreams.

Upworthy has reached out to Brzoska for comment and is still awaiting a response.



This article originally appeared in August.

Joy

Virgin Voyages’ new Annual Pass has the made dream of living on a cruise ship a reality

If you've wanted to live on a cruise ship, here's your chance.

via Virgin Voyages Press Release

Virgin Voyages' Scarlet Lady.

Imagine how carefree your life would be if you could live on a cruise ship. You would no longer have to worry about cooking, cleaning, or being stuck in traffic. Instead, you spend your days lounging by the pool and nights enjoying live entertainment. Throughout the day, you visit exotic destinations you’d never dream of seeing.

This may seem like the dreams of the ultra-rich, but some deal-savvy people have been figuring out ways to retire and make the lifestyle as affordable as living on land. Richard Branson has made living on cruise ships easier by offering a Virgin Voyages annual pass. Passholders enjoy an entire year sailing its 3, and soon to be 4, luxury cruise ships.

The new Annual Pass costs passengers $120,000, and you can bring a plus one on your trip for free. It includes a room in the Sea Terrace cabin, all-you-can-eat dining, premium “work from sea” wi-fi, laundry service, two free coffees a day, and a $100 bar tab for each itinerary.



“I’ve always been a big believer in the power of travel and adventure to spark creativity and bring clarity," Branson said in a statement. "What started as a sought-after ‘work from sea’ concept with our Season Pass has evolved into something even more special. Now, sailors can jump aboard any of our ships, across an endless variety of exciting destinations for an entire year. We’re offering unlimited opportunities for adventure in a way that has never been done in cruising before.”

The new program is excellent news for those who wish to retire on a cruise ship. Once the year ends, you can renew as long as Virgin continues to offer the passes. Cruises begin in January, and people can purchase an annual pass by March 31, 2024. The pass is valid for a year from the date of purchase.

The cruises cover the Mediterranean—with stops in Italy, France, Greece—and the transatlantic, Caribbean and North America.

One hundred twenty thousand dollars is a lot for most people to shill out. But it is reasonable for a professional couple who can work from anywhere. However, getting any work done with all the fun activities and opportunities for pure relaxation outside your cabin door would be a little tricky.

Branson’s Annual Pass comes when housing and nursing home prices have become so outrageous that living on a cruise ship is a good deal for some people.



How much does it cost to retire and live on a cruise ship?

Angelyn and Richard Burk, a couple in their 50s, sold their home in the Seattle, Washington, area in May of 2021 and have lived on cruise ships ever since. “Our original plan was to stay in different countries for a month at a time and eventually retire to cruise ships as we got older,” Angelyn told 7 News. But a few years back, Angelyn crunched the numbers and realized they could start much sooner than expected. The couple can afford living on the ship because they have loyalty memberships and their goal is to spend about $100 a day as a couple. That comes to a total of $36,500 a year.

Are you looking to hop aboard a cruise ship for a permanent vacation? Angelyn shared some tips for permanent cruisers here.

Her delight at finding a snack she liked has people in stitches.

In the age of Amazon and other online retailers, delivery drivers have become an integral part of our lives. But most of us rarely interact with the people who drop packages at our door via UPS or FedEx or USPS, and if we do, it's usually only for a few seconds. We might manage a friendly "Good afternoon!" or quick "Thanks a bunch!" as they hustle to and from their vehicle, always rushing to fulfil their quota as efficiently as possible.

Delivery folks work hard. They're on their feet much of the day, traipsing up hundreds of front walks a week, through all kinds of inclement weather. Yes, it's their job and they're paid to do it, but it's always nice to have your work seen and appreciated, which is one reason a video of UPS driver discovering a sweet treat on a customer's front porch is going viral.

Another reason is that it's just hilariously adorable.

A doorbell camera caught a UPS driver wearing a holiday bauble headband walking up to the door and dropping off a package as she talks to herself. After she takes a photo of the delivery, she sees that the customer had left a little tray of drinks and snacks, and her "Oooh, do I see honey bunny?" is a sign of the hilarity to come.

Watch her reaction and the way she joyfully make her way back to the truck.

Unsurprisingly, people are in love with the driver and her giddy goofiness.

"I literally laughed out loud at her crazy walk back to the truck. I need more people like her in my life."

"I have a friend like that, he just makes my day every time we see each other. 😂"

"That is way adorable! Simple act that makes the day of a random person <3."

"I don’t know anything else about her but she’s my new fave human."

"OMG she reminds me of our mail carrier so much. We leave her cookies at Christmas and she always does a little happy dance that day."

Delivery drivers and former delivery drivers shared that these kinds of gestures really do mean a lot.

"As a former delivery driver, i want you to know that if you leave snacks and drinks out for us, we love you to the moon and back. 💜"

"Driving for Amazon paid my rent for 10 months. Not exaggerating when I say that it was a dark time in my life. Snacks made me smile. every. single. time."

"I mean... I literally took something from every house that had stuff out. I worked 10-12hrs+ during the holidays... I needed every calorie I could get walking 20-30miles a day."

"Even when I didn't take them I appreciate them. it's like seeing a sign that says we love delivery drivers."

"I'll tell you what, the people who leave food got me through my holidays as a postal carrier. Nothing slaps harder than an ice cold redbull and bag of pretzels and ice cold bottle of water that was left in a cooler. I had a lady who asked me what I liked and then had sperate bags labeled "Mail carrier USPS" and "UPS GUY" and "FED EX GUY" with our preferred snacks. She asked me what my favorite ice cream was and she knew my mile long loop and knew when I parked, I'd be done in 15mins, so, she'd be waiting at the truck every day all summer with an ice cream and a napkin.

There are some people who just f---ing make the day feel worth it, if you are one of these people, you are what makes delivering mail worth it. We do notice the nice things you do for us, THANK YOU."

"I do this during the summer. I'm in Texas so it's routinely over 100°F. I'm always trying to make sure there are cold drinks for our postal workers and delivery people."

"I do it during Australian Christmas. 40c/100f plus on a December day. Coke water and Gatorade always gone by lunch."

It's a good reminder that it doesn't take a lot to show appreciation and make someone's day. These kinds of positive interactions, even when asynchronous and not directly face-to-face, are an important part of building the kind of world we all want to live in.

Modern Families

10-year-old boy gives blessing for his mom's boyfriend to propose and tears ensue

"My 10 year old son gave my boyfriend permission to marry his mom 🥹 This was the reaction."

boy and girl walking on gray road during daytime

The holiday season is time for parties, parades...and proposals. And while proposals are traditionally tear jerkers, for TikToker Jess Harpell's 10 year old son Luke, it was extra sentimental. He captured the special festive moment between the couple, with "I'll Be Home For Christmas" playing in the background.

Harpell shared a video of her boyfriend's proposal on her page, with the caption, "My 10 year old son gave my boyfriend permission to marry his mom 🥹 This was the reaction."

As she and her boyfriend start to pose for photos under a fully lit Christmas present, her boyfriend kisses her on the forehead and proceeds to get down on one knee to propose. Luke is recording the special moment, and you start to hear sniffles and audible sighs and gasps for air as he is overcome with emotion. As the ring is slipped on her finger, his little brother off camera asks him, "Luke, why are you crying? Luke's crying!"

And Luke has the most tender reply to him. "I'm just happy, buddy," he says, to which the little boy responds, "Don't worry, Luke! We're happy with mommy!" Clearly, Luke is crying happy tears, and he says again to reassure the worried sibling, "I'm just happy, buddy."

The video ends with Luke still sniffling as his Harpell and her now-fiancé are hugged by two little boys and start to make their way to comfort cameraman Luke.


@jessharpell

And just like, next year all of us become one family. #engagement #proposal #blendedfam #bridetok #loveofmylife💍 #glowup

"And just like, next year all of us become one family. #engagement #proposal #blendedfam #bridetok #loveofmylife💍 #glowup," Jess captioned the video.

And the internet is crying (sobbing) tears of joy, too.

"Your little boy got us all sobbing!!!! Well done mama! You raised that kiddo right 🥺🫶🏻," one TikToker commented. Another added, "His reaction behind the camera just shows how special he feels to be apart of this moment 💖." And another wrote: "In da clurb, we all crying with Luke. 😭"

And viewers were quick to commend Harpell's fiancé for consulting Luke and asking for his permission for his mom's hand in marriage. "Congratulations. I love that your fiancé asked your son permission that shows respect. But your lads reaction had me crying my eyes out. You have 2 adorable boys," one wrote. Another touched viewer shared, "Aww, this is beyond sweet and also kind that your boyfriend discussed it with him beforehand. Congratulations to you both 🥂." And another chimed in with, "as a stepmom, this reaction speaks volumes for you as a mother, but also what a man your boyfriend must be to your son. i wish you all the absolute best forever🥰."

Harpell was genuinely shocked by the proposal. After one TikToker commented, "wait your son is the one recording???😭😭😭 Omg you’ve raised such a sweet boy!! congrats momma💍💍," she replied, "I thought he was taking a photo! 😂 My fiance asked him to record it 🙈."

If you need a box of tissues after watching this sweet video, you are not alone. Congratulations to the happy couple and family!

Life isn't just about looking at screens.

What a time to be alive. We have cars that drive themselves, stunning art created by artificial intelligence and my personal favorite—air fryers! It's a reality worthy of George Jetson, who may or may not have been born this very year, according to some Twitter theorists. But still, even with these modern marvels, there are some experiences that need no improvement … even if they do take twice as long.

A Reddit user recently asked the online forum to share one thing they “still preferred to do the old-fashioned way, regardless of technology.” Unsurprisingly, a main theme in people’s answers had to do with “old-fashioned” activities having a tangible quality to them. Activities that require touch, taste, smell … those things that make us feel human. Sure, efficiency and convenience are great, but feeling alive is pretty great too.

Here are 17 of the best answers that might have you going back to Team Analog:


1. Physical board games

Most of the app versions of the games I like aren't that great. Plus, it's more fun to play with someone.” – @Junkolm

physical board games

No, this is not a screensaver.

Photo by Thomas Buchholz on Unsplash

2. Photos

There’s something satisfying and nostalgic about seeing the physical photos. I have my favorites displayed in frames, so I can see them every day. Makes me happy.” – macaronsforeveryone

3. Reading a book

Love to have a book where I can turn the pages.” – @Jonsmile

books s kindle, books vs audiobooks

You can see the imagination gears turning.

Photo by Guy Basabose on Unsplash

4. Drawing

I never really got the hang of digital art. It's much easier and more satisfying for me to have all of the tactile input from my work.” – @WitheredFlowers

5. Buttons for cars

“I refuse to buy a car that only uses a touch screen for everything. Much safer to not have to fiddle with a touch screen while driving.” – @Ghertomp

6. Physical menus at restaurants

I'm with the boomers on this one.” – @cptfuzzybeard95

7. Arts and crafts

In particular, sewing. Hand sewing is peaceful, quiet, portable, and just overall more satisfying. Plus I get better bragging rights on the finished product.” – @carinavet

sewing, arts and crafts 2022, best crafts 2022

Nothing beats the feel of fabric in your hands.

Photo by Kris Atomic on Unsplash

8. CDs

I hate streaming music…I like having ownership of what I listen to.” – @jbnagis

9. Notes

“I will typically use index cards because they are not as easy to ‘fly away’ or get crumpled or lost. But hey.... that's just me!” – @NoBSforGma

10. Planners

I am 100% team paper planner. It’s so much easier to flip to a monthly spread and see all my meetings, etc. at once than having to open every damn day on my phone to see what’s there. I collect fountain pens, so any excuse to hand write is a good excuse.” – @eventualguide0

planner books, planners vs phone

You can never have too many planners.

Photo by Marissa Grootes on Unsplash

11. Driving a manual car

No matter how advanced and on point automatic cars are, controlling a manual stick is just so much fun.” – @CoolMaster52

12. Cookbooks

“My grandma always had a library of them and I enjoy the nostalgia of going through them. I still buy them partly because I like the photographs of ingredients and finished meals. It also bugs me that most online recipes have a really long story with a bunch of nonsense that I don't need. Plus I like to dog ear the pages.” – @GlassAndPaint

13. Plain ol' watches

It's so easy just to glance at your wrist instead of fiddling around with your phone to get the time.” – @biggirliespants

14. Growing food 

I try to raise, grow, hunt, and forage as much as my own food as possible. It's expensive and time consuming but the result for my mental health is priceless. I know my scale isn't possible for everyone but I highly recommend at least growing something from seed to plate, the sense of pride and accomplishment you'll feel is hard to describe.” – @ElJamoNator

15. Making popcorn

I still make it in a pot on the stove. And it’s 100% better that way.” – @leaky_eddie

old fashioned popcorn

The best part about movie night for any era.

Photo by JAEHOON PARK on Unsplash

16. Camping 

A tent and a fire is so much more peaceful to me than having most of life's conveniences in your trailer.” – @Ginger-Beefcake

17. Non-online dating

I feel online dating robs us of the best things of meeting new people, the thrill you get when you catch someone eyeing you a couple of times and the excitement of approaching, the fun of rejection, because it can be funny to be rejected, and the hotness of seducing each other escalating towards pleasure and the joy of meeting someone you can build a future with. None of that can be provided by dating apps.” – @NosoyPuli

This article originally appeared two years ago.