Since Bitcoin is a non-entity, entity I guess it doesn't matter that many people will identify it with that web site that sells drugs...


That is simply not true.  There are many people in every city and most public health agencies working full-time to reduce the harms of drug abuse.  Of course you are right about the "drug warriors" far outnumber HR workers.  I'm not suggesting HR will "draw heat off of Silk Road," in fact it might even increase it when more people realize this is a better way to handle hard drugs.  I believe giving people basic operating instructions should be SOP, both for ethical and pr reasons.


I don't get it?  If who said what?  What's "fork the project" mean?  Mining? What is BTC

You win!  You got message 420, I hope you're happy now...

This has been the most intelligent and passionate discussion I've been involved in since last year's Gulf oil disaster at PeakOil dot com.  It's amazing what happens when a bunch of people get focused.

I think you make a valid point, Bitcoin and especially Silk Road are "developing an image problem".  I don't know what Bitcoin can do in regrds its relationship to SR, maybe doing nothing is the best thing right now.  Clearly the public focus is on SR.  I laid out a few ideas below on some things I think SR sellers should be doing with hard drug transactions.  And while it's certainly not the definitive last-word I do beleive these kinds of ideas (known as harm reduction) can help mitigate that image thingy.  Implementing harm reduction into its business model is not only the right thing to do, it also gives SR more credibility as a viable alternative to the street.

Or was she pushed?

I have given it some thought, about suggestions on handling illegal drug transactions in an ethical and moral fashion sans rule of law.  I conclude that SR or anyone else for that matter, should follow standard harm-reduction principles as much as possible. 

I think the first priority should be to design and implement an age-verify system.  An unrelated 3rd party could be contracted to, given a name, date and place of birth, use public records to verify the buyer's age then return a special key to the buyer.  The seller can then request that key as needed, and use it in a query on the 3rd party's server to return an accept or reject directive.

I guess it could not be mandatory, but perhaps it could be rewarded by positive reputation points for sellers who require age-verify.  I suppose too that once age-verify has been established true, the same seller and buyer would not need to repeat the process so it would only impact the first transaction.

Sellers or SR or both should make the following absolutely clear to all buyers of hard drugs:

• The safest drug use is no use.
• Never take a drug you do not completely understand.
• Do not inject or consume any narcotic alone, if possible have a non-user by your side.
• Never mix alcohol use and narcotics.
• Always use a new, sterile rig when injecting.
• Follow appropriate cleaning (sterile pads) of the injection site prior to injection.
• If you feel you need help dealing with drug addiction call this help line (research a service)

There are additional guidelines that would be more appropriate for other substances that should also be considered.  And of course any manufacturers and pharmaceutical information, instructions, pamphlets, or packing material should be included in every order of this sort.

I don't understand why Silk Road is so important to Bitcoin?  Please elaborate.

Because I'm not sure what's really going on here I don't think I'm in any position to judge what is or isn't "feasible."  If it's a hoax, it's beautiful.  On the other hand if it is not a hoax, then I believe it becomes part of the problem.  Certainly nothing like cartels and gangs, yet still operating as if it, Silk Road, were above the law.  My aim has always been to change the law and make things better for everybody, except of course those who get fat off the way the law is today.

Ah, though, BitterTea, this system does not require a "guardian," or more importantly, parental authority.  I respectfully disagree that the issue of drug trafficking to (or increasingly by) minors is of no concern to the larger community.  In fact, it's a major concern in many communities.  This building SR controversy is sure to only heighten it.  Rather that be by design or not, remains to be seen.  Perhaps SR will become a poster-boy for why we must regulate drugs and take them out of the hands of cartels, dealers and clandestine Internet markets.

Dear creighto,
Thank you for that clarification.  Although I do not understand what you mean by "enabling technology?"

So what is your role with Bitcoin?  Do you speak for the organization?

I should have better qualified my comment.  Yes the spending is outrageous, it's now over a trillion since Nixon first declared this stupid "war" back in 1972.  Most of it a complete waste.  Bear in mind the vast majority of drug users, manufactures and distributors go undetected and thus render the law unenforceable by any legitimate measure.  That's not to suggest enforcement and imprisonment has not effected many, many people, with a disproportionate number being poor and minorities.  This part is, of course, by design.

While I don't suggest SR or Bitcoin would actively participate in acts of overt violence.  I still think we need to ask if selling tar heroin to a young teen isn't a from of violence in and of itself?
  

Yes!  That's exactly why I am seeking clarification from Silk Road, Bitcoin and anyone involved in the illegal drug market today.  No one appears to be stepping forward, at least not yet, to give us an idea of where SR, etc. stand on the moral and ethical issues I and others have raised.  
It's a great item for debate, that much is for sure judging by recent events and this lively thread.  

Note about eliminating govt, it's often a choice of evils.  Shall we surrender civil society to blood-thirsty thugs, as is happening right now in parts of Mexico and Latin America?  Is that our future?  Somebody is going to control (and profit) from drugs no matter what.  Perhaps SR is something of a stepping-stone out of this quagmire.  I'd be interested on what, if any, role they envision for govt. if there were to be significant changes to current laws.  Or, does Silk Road consider itself above the law?

That's a fair point.  Although we are getting off-topic, i.e. Silk Road and Bitcoin.  Seems to me government has already abandoned drug control, the actual number of people caught and drugs interdicted are but a small fraction of the total consumer market.  A market SR and Bitcoin seem to embrace, despite the low-life thugs and psychopathic killers who populate it.  You are known by the company you keep, my mother use to tell me.

I don't want to encourage off-topic discussion here, although I think it's important that both Bitcoin and Silk Road deal with the legal and moral implications of their current business model.  However, if it's an act of defiance against our screwed-up drug laws and NOT actually engaged in any transactions, I wholeheartedly support it.  Yet, from what I've learned so far, that does not appear to be the case.

If you, Phenomenon, eliminate government's role in drug policy aren't you then simply advocating the status quo and encouraging the prison-industrial complex along with a host of other serious social, economic and humanitarian problems?  Somebody is going to control the drugs.  Who or what do you recommend?

Kids are often offended by restrictions imposed on them by parents and other adults.  Kids also often think they are indestructible and know everything.  Maturity, in many ways, is the awareness of your own mortality, and ignorance.  Plenty of "smart" people, young and old, remain very immature.  Especially when it comes to drugs.

I'll keep that in mind, and perhaps I should have layered my comments a bit better. 

Nonetheless, and in the final analysis all three parties, seller - buyer - middleman are involved and therefore share in some of the moral and legal implications of their actions.  I think this is particularly relevant in regards to this system which from what I've seen doesn't even make as much effort as the pron industry in preventing underage access to, what should be, adults-only products.  And even then, there are other concerns about true quantities, dosage and ingredients / adulterants of already potentially fatal narcotics.

As someone passionate about drug legalization and from the apparent level of higher-than-average intelligence I see on this board, it needs to be clearly stated exactly what the ramifications are of engaging in this business model, no matter what your particular role in it may be.

You see, that's why doctors and pharmacists, not Internet hot-shots (or drug cartels), should sell the hard drugs.  It appears you are in no way qualified to be distributing dangerous narcotics such as Xanax.  In addition, you could well be selling them to kids.  In my book selling to adults is ok.  However, blindly selling hard drugs to minors is akin to child-rape and abuse, it can not be tolerated in a civil society.  In this regard your business model is the same as the cartels and street-dealers and represents a step-backward for E-commerece as an ethical and responsible player.

greenfloyd, aka Floyd Ferris Landrath, Portland, Oregon

As a long-time anti-drug war activist I am of two minds on Silk Road.  I guess it's all about intentions and so far the only intention I can gather is that it's about the money.  Nonetheless, intentional or not, SR makes a profound statement as to the failure of governments to adopt rational and compassionate drug policies.

After three-weeks and only a handful of transactions it can hardly be considered a major player in the trafficking of cannabis and narcotics.  Although with the recent press and now US Senate action pending, it will be interesting to see how this all plays out.  And, what, if any, impact it might have on the global legalization/normalization of drugs movement.  So, for the time-being I'll consider Silk Road as an act of non-violent civil-disobedience, and cheer it on in that spirit. 

However, SR is designed to fail - the real black-market and their political puppets simply will not allow it to succeed.  They will not hesitate to use any means at their disposal to shut it down.  Here in the US we still arrest and jail medical cannabis users, although it's not as bad as it use to be.

In that vain, allow me to suggest a new category for Silk Road, something like, "Edible Medical," for food products made with THC.  Hopefully, this will give SR a little more TLC and positive karma for what is sure to be a hard row to hoe.

Peace be with you.
Greenfloyd, aka Floyd Ferris Landrath, Portland, Oregon.