Decriminalization
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Drug Overdose Kills More American Than Guns
- Thread starter esmith
- Start date
Interesting... go on.
There's a lot going into that including the medical industry and federal law. there are also socioeconomic and environmental inputs . I would say legalizing cannabis would help. states that have done do have had a decrease in overdoses.
@Quetzal has asked me about why I said decriminalization would help. it would break the cycle of addiction . help remove stigma and allow focus on healing and recovery. Il add more latter
esmith
Veteran Member
Deaths are a concern but I think the underlying reason for why the use of these drugs is getting epidemic should be the major focus.
What do you believe the underlying reason is? (I don't have an answer myself.)
esmith
Veteran Member
Well I have always adhered to the idea that the excessive use of mind alternating drugs (and this includes alcohol) is predicated on the idea of escaping reality. However, I'm not a clinical psychologist.
I can see that. With that in mind, how would you combat the excessive use? Put another way, if you were put in charge of a task force to help limit the use/overdosing of drugs, what kind of things would you try?
BSM1
What? Me worry?
Why, from NC and WV of course. This may explain why NC drivers feel it's their right to travel in the passing lane at no more than 51 MPH as soon as they hit the VA line.
esmith
Veteran Member
Well I think the first thing I would go after is those that are putting the drugs, and this includes prescriptions, on the street. Then try and determine what the overlying reality issue is and go after that. Probably would try to both at once. Then we are going to have to place those that are addicted in a treatment program. You can't stop all drug problems, but one must take the second step. We have already taken the first step in recognizing that there is a problem. Simplistic, but it's the best I can do.
That was pretty much my response. That playing the blame game is usually too myopic and culpability is near never a single person or event which caused such a wide spread and dynamic issue.
roger1440
I do stuff
I don't know, maybe make guns cheaper.
That's why harm reduction includes an addiction recovery component. If you get addicts in regular contact with health workers and social workers, you maximize your opportunity to get them out of addiction and away from the lifestyle that led to the addiction.
So since I've addressed your objection, you're good with it... right?
esmith
Veteran Member
Well it sounds like it is working. So I have no objection until proven otherwise
In a legal market, I tend to agree. In an illegal market, I think responsibility is on the government that made it illegal, knowing there is a demand. Hence why I think the 18th Amendment was repealed by the 21st Amendment. Government realized it done screwed up with the 18th Amendment.
Shadow Wolf
Certified People sTabber & Business Owner
The issue is that with more and more states going medical and recreational pot, the price per bushel of cannabis is plummeting and it's less profitable for the cartels, who have for awhile now been having their farmers switch from growing pot to growing opium, to fill the new markets created by increased regulations against narcotics that are creating demands the cartels are too eager to fill.
Legalize, regulate, tax, and rehabilitation instead of incarceration. It's proven to work, it's proven safe, and it's proven extremely unfriendly for the criminals who profit from prohibition.
Legalize, regulate, tax, and rehabilitation instead of incarceration. It's proven to work, it's proven safe, and it's proven extremely unfriendly for the criminals who profit from prohibition.
So...do you blame the government for human trafficking? There's a demand and a market and there's no way that the government or any police establishment could have enough manpower and resources to stop every victimization from happening.
I do think government is responsible, but that one is admittedly more convoluted given that the product is humans themselves.
How is the government responsible?
I'm not sure of a short answer that can satisfy such an inquiry and longer ones would seem to miss the mark in all possible cases of trafficking. But I'll try one avenue. Sex trafficking being one of the branches of human trafficking, I think government not making that a legal market (legal prostitution), makes it responsible for underground nature that the business operatives go with. I don't think this necessarily speaks to 'how are they responsible,' but again, not sure of a short answer that can be provided to that. Lots of things go into human sexuality and attraction, and some of that is based on have and have not type logic, or even is filtered through idea of people being 'on the market' available. If a have not is wanting to participate in the market, by obtaining a good, whatever the cost, however that occurs, they will. I see in that individual situation, the individual being directly responsible, but also the options being greatly limited by government given how illegal prostitution is. So, the any means necessary takes over, and since a market does exist (albeit underground), humans are needed to be trafficked to satisfy the individual.
I didn't say sex trafficking, I said human trafficking. Specifically the straight up slavery sort. It's still a pretty widespread issue.
Incidentally prostitution =! Human trafficking. Ownership of human body by another human is still illegal even where prostitution is legal.