Should drugs be illegal?

[michel]

OK, new solution then.

Legalize marijuana, mushrooms and powdered cocaine, keep crack, heroine and LSD restricted,
but don't sentence users of these harder drugs to jail. Decriminalize simple possession and
send those caught for simple possession of the harder drugs into mandatory detox.

This make anyone happy?

B.

No; for one, acceptance of some drugs is not the way forward. Users become habituated to marijuana, mushrooms and powdered cocaine. They learn to rely on it; once something really bad happens (as it often does in life), the next step is crack, heroine and LSD .

don't sentence users of these harder drugs to jail. Decriminalize simple possession and
send those caught for simple possession of the harder drugs into mandatory detox

.

If you decriminalize possession, the message is 'Drugs are O.K'; the numbers of those who will need to be sent for mandatory detox when on harder drugs will shoot up. There is only one way to come off drugs forever; you need to be convinced that that is what you want. Unfortunately, the addicts I have come in contact with are just 'going through the motions' when going into detox.

Everytime someone goes into detox and then goes back onto drugs, his 'level of acceptance of drugs' shoots up (no pun intended) a notch. each time makes it harder.

Heh, doesn't make me happy... Because if simple possession isn't illegal then the government has no right to send anyone to mandatory detox =P "Yea, you didn't break any laws here... but you gotta go straight to detox!"

Quite.

 

[WillieHutch]

i dont see decriminalizing some drugs helping out the situation.

Take crack for example, statistically shown to be one of the most addictive drugs and long-associated with causing the most damage to someone's life, as well as fueling crime. As long as crack isnt regulated, there will be dealers to supply it illegally. Meaning the cycle of violence will continue.

and that's what needs to stop.

 

[cmnaga]

I'm a pre-med school student and I've been smoking allllll day.

I'm going to be a surgeon. Slicey slicey.

 

[YmirGF]

As someone who has sampled all manner of substances, except heroin, I have to say that many drugs should remain illegal to possess. I almost killed myself with Methadrine when I was 17. It is rather odd how one ignores the needs of the body to get keep the "rush" alive.

Pot and hashish should be legalized as frankly, they are nothing. Alchohol is far far far worse than pot or hash. On the other hand, traffickers of "hard" drugs; cocaine, meth and heroin should be dipped in honey, strung up by their thumbs and left for a colony of warrior ants to deal with. Such a fate is similar to what they inflict on others with their products.

 

[mr.guy]

"Hard" drugs are largely "hard" to enlarge the profit margin of a black market that can't traffic anything but the most refined (and compact) product. I wonder how easy it would be to find a beer under an alcohol prohibition?

 

[gnomon]

Just a quick note... The seat belt law is in there to protect other people, NOT you. If you didn't notice... when you are thrown from your car, you are a flying projectile. Also, when you arein the car and others are sitting by you, if you do not have your seat belt on you could very well be thrown into them and that force alone kill them.

I myself believe that drugs should be illegal. By this I mean all drugs (including alchol and ciagrettes.) If I cannot have my way then I suggest that the only illegal drugs should be those proven to be addictive. When a drug is addictive then this takes away your choice and makes you dependant on the drug. I would argue that you lose some liberties when you are addicted to any drug and because of that it should be illegal.

This last statement is incredibly irresponsible. Because you enjoy the concept of freedom so much you are willing to perscecute people for engaging in addictive activities.

Hypocritical.

Pointless.

Irresponsible.

Please stop voting.

 

[mr.guy]

I guess he'd take away our chocolate and curry as well.

 

[gnomon]

Everyone says that people are adult enough and rational enough to make their own decisions... Are you also saying that while ON the drug you are adult and rational enough to make your own decisions? The problem is not one of saying you are rational enough when you are not high on coke, the problem is saying that you are rational when you are on the drug. If this is not the case, and the drug takes away your ability to think rationally, how can you possibly advocate that it should stay legal?

And saying "Oh, and minors won't get the drugs" is like saying "Minors never drink alchol or smoke anything at all!" If you introduce drugs minors will be able to get them more readily...

Now, to address more specific points...

Just because people want to do something does not make it right or legal. Also, if we made all crime legal we would have no criminal element in the US... your point? This does not futher the debate or your side at all... Again, just because people do commit crimes does not mean that those crimes should then be legalized...

So basically make it so only people who are physically fit can do the drugs? Will this doctor also sit with these people through withdrawl as they go through it? Would this be covered under your favorite insurance plan? Would this not cost alot?

This I actually agree with. Marijuana is not as bad as people make it out to be, and I do not believe it should be illegal when worse things are legal. However, to make any jump from Marijuana to coke, pcp, meth, or anything like that is very silly.

Also, you are not considering one huge fact. If you legalize drugs for adults, there will still be a criminal element to drugs. In fact if you make it IMPOSSIBLE for underage people to get drugs, then there will be a criminal element in drugs for people underage. Also, if you have the US start to sell drugs, what do you think the drug cartels would do? Be like "Oh, our biggest client now has another supplier... We will just roll over quietly and not do the practical thing, like sell our stuff cheaper than the US stuff..."

This keep drugs illegal for the sake of children garbage is also irresponsible. As it is right now illicit substances are usually easier for adolescents to acquire because of the street market. Let us not even get into the use of hard cheap drugs like crack thanks to a racist judiciary and history of racism in our country which has focused on persecuting minorities, specifically with the ability to use the drug war to do so, destroying more homes and abondoning more children than the drugs themselves.

The point about making a crime legal is ridiculous. We are talking about removing a system that allows law enforcement agencies to infringe upon the rights of citizens. Seizing assets of innocent people left to go through a nightmare to retrieve those assets. Incarcerating people for ridiculous sentences when the amount of harm they have caused to society is nil. In this country you can beat your child with abandon and receive a lighter sentence than someone who sells several grams of heroin to an undercover cop.

The drug war is a sick joke. And with all offense I state that those who support this war are a sick joke as well.

For all those who wish to keep the status quo...please stop voting. You are hurting our country.

edit: ignore my 'please stop voting'. It's rude. duefully pulling foot out of my mouth yet again.

 

[mr.guy]

On some northern and eastern canadian first nation reserves, gasoline has been the drug of choice for minors.