Bitcoin linked to drugs

[qwerty555]

what's wrong with moderate drug use?

I am somewhat liberal though not a user . There are a number of countries that tolerate or allow the use of certain classes so its a matter of where you are. ALL minors are usually prohibited but there are a few Countries ("3rd world")that allow the use of any class mainly due to one or more of the following reasons

a) no funding to stop the use
b) life is so crappy/painful for so many that let them get on with it is the attitude
c) recreational use  with no proven/obvious/serious damage to health MORE THAN ALCOHOL OR TOBACCO ( could add junk food  
d) libertarian outlook.
e) No access or affordability to painkillers ( one of the original pre Pharma days reasons for widespread use..if your in terrible pain what could you use before 1900) and was it as easily available ( or profitable) as opiiates

The history of anti drug use legislation has mostly been the result of it causing big problems in everyday life for many . I have seen the terrible effects of hard drug use so I would support its continued status as illegal. Recreational is another matter and there are many that turn a blind eye or even openly allow . Much of the  legislation is less than 100yrs old, before that there was only attention given to problems that were "in your face" (just like today ?)

1909 The United States prohibits the importation of smoking opium. [Lawrence Kolb, *Drug Addiction*, pp. 145-146]

The history timeline will be entertaining as it includes things that we NOW take for granted as ok

http://inpud.wordpress.com/timeline-of-events-in-the-history-of-drugs/

http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/history/drug_law_timeline.htm

[CMMPro]

Wow OP....judgemental enough?

You know that most people who are homeless can't get a bank account because the banks don't want to deal with them?

Something like 30% of people don't have a bank account, for various reasons the banks won't allow them.

You saw some guys you thought looked "sketchy" and immediately jumped to "drug money"? Fuck you.


Want me to be judgemental about you? I thought not.
I won't speculate on who you are or what you do with your money because I have no idea who you are or what your story is. 

[NorbyTheGeek]

Here's the deal we need to brake the chain between ( Bitcoin and Drugs )

I found out something very interesting last Monday as I was at the brand new bitcoin atm machine
and something seemed very weird to me as I was there for 2 hours talking with some bitcoin fanatics and some of the robocoin operators and owners. So in those 2 hours I saw a total of 8 men who looked very ragged meaning sketchy and disordered.

This made me think hmmm… so I thought to myself where is the biggest drug operation in Vancouver well isn't this non-suprising the street below is where most drug dealers and drug users are.

So I decided lets drive down there and guess who I saw 7/8 men I saw at the bitcoin atm machine where there to

hmmm…..

Now here is the funny part :

When these drug dealers get this dirty cash they can't put it in the bank because its dirty money and the government will be very suspicious so these drug dealers get all there drug money and go and buy bitcoins then the next week they sell those bitcoins and can show the government those recipes.

This needs to stop
I have tried to get friends and family into bitcoin put apparently ( Its the drug currency )


just a story and opinion I wanted to share

Comment your opinions

This is just silly.

If you replace the words "Bitcoin ATM" with "ATM" then you're describing a scene at any major city in the world.

Where you have currency, you have drug transactions.  Bitcoin is involved in the smallest minority of drug transactions compared to the rest of the world's currencies.

[masterluc]

Wow OP....judgemental enough?

You know that most people who are homeless can't get a bank account because the banks don't want to deal with them?

Something like 30% of people don't have a bank account, for various reasons the banks won't allow them.

You saw some guys you thought looked "sketchy" and immediately jumped to "drug money"? Fuck you.


Want me to be judgemental about you? I thought not.
I won't speculate on who you are or what you do with your money because I have no idea who you are or what your story is. 

This. Fuck the judges, fuck the OP.

[Rez]

I realize all the comments above are true but you must understand lots of people around the world are hesitant to use btc because of drugs being bought using this so maybe if btc had no connection to hackers or drug dealers more people would buy it

Tell them to take all of their paper money and burn it because it all has traces of cocaine on it. ALL of it.

If they refuse to think critically, it's not your fault.

If you insist on judging people before knowing their situation, it's not our fault.

You know who else thinks those people are "sketchy" and will refuse them an account?  Banks.

You know what won't?  Bitcoin.

[Sovereign_Curtis]

Thus far I've only used my bitcoin to:

A:) Donate to charities/non-profits (Anti-war.com, Sean's Outpost, Shire Sharing, victims in the Philippines)

B:) Pay for services rendered (graphic design)


So, to me, use of bitcoin leads to being more charitable, and compensating people for the value they provide with actual value.


THE HORROR!

[JTrain_51]

Ya , I also have only used my bitcoins towards things that are legal.
But for some people its drugs and stolen money.

[Wilikon]

Thus far I've only used my bitcoin to:

A:) Donate to charities/non-profits (Anti-war.com, Sean's Outpost, Shire Sharing, victims in the Philippines)

B:) Pay for services rendered (graphic design)


So, to me, use of bitcoin leads to being more charitable, and compensating people for the value they provide with actual value.


THE HORROR!

CoinValidation will love your wallet...

[smoothrunnings]

How about the US dollar being linked to Drugs? Better yet all worldly currencies are linked to drugs in some way. Even any new currency is linked to drugs.

[Raoul Duke]

Oxygen, dudes...
We need to unlink oxygen from criminality! ALL criminals use and depend on oxygen.
Now compare ALL criminals using oxygen with a few drug dealers using Bitcoin...

[qwerty555]

Wow OP....judgemental enough?

You know that most people who are homeless can't get a bank account because the banks don't want to deal with them?

Something like 30% of people don't have a bank account, for various reasons the banks won't allow them.

World Bank Estimates that number at 2 billion adults and are moving to put that right. Just saw report a few days ago on BBC.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24897014

If Technology is their view of the way forward  maybe they can include a bitcoin option

Imagine if half those 2 billion had at least  a part of a bitcoin in an account Loooooooool!

[rogue13]

I agree that the average person will often cite the connection to drugs via the media accounts when they uneducated about bitcoin.

Fiat has the same problem being linked to drugs.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/08/14/cocaine.traces.money/

It is easier for a person to accept what they hear in the media than spend time and do their own research. Especially when it gives them an excuse to discount it and rationalize their decision to not use it. I don't think the average person thinks, wow at some point xx% of this currency was used by drug dealers, if it was only x% I might want to learn more or use it. I never heard in the news that people stopped accepting $100 bills when CNN published this story.

Over time average public opinion will shift when more news stories like the subway accepting bitcoin surface. When the average person is made aware of how it could benefit them, they will ignore the fact that it has been/can be used for shady purposes no matter the stats. I feel that once the senate hearings are over with and no drastic regulation decisions are made more businesses will take the leap to accept bitcoin and mainstream media will start airing more success stories. Just look at what China's media acceptance has done to it as of late.

And thinking that because people look shady/disheveled they must be connected to drugs...very short sighted. By that logic since African Americans are convicted 6 times more than Caucasians are, any that use the ATM must be using it for criminal activity. Many of the homeless/disheveled looking types have untreated psychiatric conditions that make a normal life and maintaining a bank account not possible.

What if you were homeless, burned your bridges with the banks and wanted to save the money you do get for the security deposit/few months rent on a apartment, or even a hotel room for a night. It is not safe to save that kind of cash on your person when you are homeless. I can't wait for the news stories of the homeless turning their lives around thanks to bitcoin.

[Mondy]

I think now people are getting over this link.
Silk road is gone and now bitcoin is moving towards publicly accepted morals such as helping third world countries

[sushi]

Don't get so hyped up from breaking the link between DRUG and BTC. 

Real Money is allways linked to DRUG.  It's the nature.  No one can stop it.  If someone wants to go buy Dope, they are going to do it one way or the other.

If I have Chinese Yuen and want to go buy drug, I'm sure there is a market in China that will sell me some. 

USD is famous for contaminated with cocaine and other drugs.  Do you throw USD away because it was used for the drug trade a year ago?  (Hey, if so, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!  I'll TAKE YOUR UNWANTED USD!!!)

[Sovereign_Curtis]

Thus far I've only used my bitcoin to:

A:) Donate to charities/non-profits (Anti-war.com, Sean's Outpost, Shire Sharing, victims in the Philippines)

B:) Pay for services rendered (graphic design)


So, to me, use of bitcoin leads to being more charitable, and compensating people for the value they provide with actual value.


THE HORROR!

CoinValidation will love your wallet...

Which, if you know who I am and what I stand for, is hilarious

[gorgorom]

So Fiat is not used for drug dealing, buying weapons, and scams? Get a grip.

[indianplayers]

People traded drugs hundred years ago and bitcoin wasn't around then.