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ted5870
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1# |
Registered:
01/30/2002
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(Date Posted:04/14/2003 15:06:58)
Reply to : Ladyhawk
If the U.S. legalized drugs, it would create a bunch of positive and negative effects that we never thought of....but I still think the ultimate outcome would be better than the phony and absurd "War on Drugs" situation that we currently have.
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John_Galt
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2# |
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Posts:508
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03/14/2002
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(Date Posted:04/14/2003 16:39:37)
I think that the ultimate goal should be towards the complete legalisation (yes, I AM spelling this with an "s" and will not cease and desist) of all drugs. IMHO, the r?e (yes even in English the "o" still properly takes the circumflex from the French, IMHO) of the goverment is not to protect citizens from themselves. It is not illegal for me to ingurgitate detergent, pesticides, paint thinner or sawdust. It would be incredibly stupid, but I'm allowed to be stupid. OTOH, in order not to burden the rest of the citizenry with the costs of said stupidity, only private health insurance should cover self-induced drug related illnesses, or alternatively, an appropriate tax placed on the harmful substances.
The policy would have to be adopted in stages. First decriminalise (yes, I AM spelling this with an "s" and will not cease and desist) the use of "soft" narcotics such as marajuana; then regulate the sale thereof. We then could gradually move up to the harder drugs, always with a view to eliminating the market share of the criminal elements, or if this proves impossible, "legitimising" organisations which heretofore were criminal (much like the Quebec based breweries and distilleries all of which made a fortune during the days of prohibition, and which today are respectable businesses.
Canada is starting to take steps in this direction (decriminalising but not legalising possession of small quantities of marajuana; traficking remains illegal and criminal), but we remain bound by international treaty obligations concluded as part of the "war on drugs". USA officials have hinted that any further liberalisation of Canadian drug laws may result in tighter border controls, with negative effects on trade (over $1 billion of trade crosses the border every day).
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Il n'y a que deux puissances au monde, le sabre et l'esprit: à la longue, le sabre est toujours vaincu par l'esprit - Napoléon Ier
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Cyranothe2nd
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3# |
Rank:none
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Posts:794
Registered:
07/29/2001
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(Date Posted:04/14/2003 23:37:28)
We need to legalize (see? Correct spelling!) drugs so that some of our gentle members may toke up freely and without fear of Big Brother.
I won't name names...you know who you are...and yes, I AM watching you...
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nologoboy
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4# |
Rank:none
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Posts:513
Registered:
07/24/2001
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(Date Posted:04/15/2003 02:59:08)
Reply to : Ladyhawk
Should Drugs Be Legalized?
i wanted to answer "yes, legalise all drugs and regulate them" but i think i believe in the decriminalising of drug use rather than actually 'legalising' all drugs. i am an adamant supporter of the legalising of marijuana, however. i believe there are far worse addictions, including prolonged prescription use (in some cases) and especially alcohol.
it seems that drugs have been in our culture since before written history for medicinal, ritualistic and recreational use. it seems silly to ban a free-growing weed that behaves as a passifier when alcohol is more damaging, socially and economically (health related issues). i'm not saying that alcohol should be banned....just trying to highlight what seems like a gap in society's thinking. there is a popular notion that alcoholism is acceptable while the stigma that goes with a pot-smoker is one of 'criminal' deviousness. just ridiculous.
hands up anybody who has witnessed a violent act by a stoned person? what about a drunk person?
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"In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we have been taught." -Baba Dioum
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Drummond
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5# |
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Posts:1566
Registered:
03/03/2002
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(Date Posted:04/15/2003 22:01:37)
It's already legal for me. All I need is a note from my doctor. Or a chiropractor (the law just says health care practitioner).
"Doctor, I have a sore throat..."
Problem is, I gave it up not long before I gave up religion. Coincidence?
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From American Splendor
Student to Harvey Pekar: "It"s hard enough trying to convince people that socialism is a good thing without basing your argument on some abstract theory of human nature. Plato tried and failed. Fourier tried and failed. Marx tried and failed. Sartre tried and failed."
Harvey Pekar: "Well maybe I c"n learn from their mistakes."
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Blue_Fox
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6# |
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04/22/2002
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(Date Posted:04/16/2003 02:17:38)
It seems to me that the war on drugs is clearly a big failure, and it's ridiculous how many people are taking up space in prison for possessing marijuana and other illegal substances. My neighbor, who works for the narcotics division of the state patrol, loves to go down to the local bar and chug beer and white russions whenever she feels like it (and she's not a pretty drunk) but she considers all marijuana users pathetic, criminal losers who deserve to be in jail. She condemns "getting high" but sure seems to appreciate her freedom to get drunk. To me this attitude is sickeningly hypocritical. She is responsible about her drinking, and never drives drunk or drinks on the job. I don't see why marijuana users couldn't be responsible in this way too (in her mind). In fact, from what I've heard there are plenty of occasional and responsible marijuana smokers. I realize she needs to justify her part in the war on drugs; I also have heard her many terrible stories about meth lab accidents and the like.
But I don't know how to weigh the arguments for and against legalizing these drugs. In fact, I haven't really seen them laid out in an understandable way, backed up by evidence or reasoning. Marijuana I have no qualms about. But what about other drugs? How, exactly, would legalizing them help the situation? How would it work? Would companies start manufacturing them, and thus make the black market obsolete? What about a substance like meth? It seems like I've heard reports about people doing some pretty awful things to themselves and others when they're using certain drugs. What about labs in homes? How would this change?
I'd really like to be able to weigh the arguments for each side, but I feel like I can't trust the gov'ts drug-war propaganda, and there doesn't seem to be much carefully studied information from the other side either. I've heard that the gov't hasn't bothered to study the effects of legalizing drugs because it has so much invested in the so-called war.
Any recommended resources would be greatly appreciated.
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