Legalize Drugs, Why?

[High_Gravity]

Crack came about AFTER cocaine was made illegal.

Yeah I know, I just don't think all hard drugs like crack, heroin and meth should be legal though. Cocaine maybe because I have known people who could hold down a job doing it, the other drugs not so much.

While crack and methamphetamine are biologically and psychologically damaging drugs it is possible to lead a relatively normal life while maintaining a regulated heroin addiction -- provided one is not employed as a driver, machine operator, etc., and is able to obtain pure, accurately measured dosages.

The problems presently associated with heroin addiction derive from that drug's illegal status which leaves the addict at the mercy of criminal suppliers. They never know the potency or purity of the drug they purchase on the street.

Switzerland's experiment with making heroin available to addicts has been relatively successful thus far. While it has not reduced the number of addicts it has eliminated the crime and overdose rate associated with illegal heroin and the rate of HIV infection has been significantly reduced.

The Netherlands recently adopted a similar program which has been similarly successful.

Portugal recently legalize all drugs and so far the result has been totally positive.

So if heroin was legal here in the US, and your son or daughter wanted to go and try it, you would be ok with that?

 

[High_Gravity]

How do you regulate prescription pills?
First off, you can make sure some asshole dealer isn't cutting them with vet drugs.
Second, you can put an age limit on their use. It was easier to buy pot in high school, that it was beer. My pot dealer never checked my ID.

I can understand that maybe with weed but with crack? I don't know, I've never met a functional person who can hold down a job who smokes crack, everyone I know who smokes crack lives in abandoned houses and begs for change.

My bet is you have met one or two in your life.

LMAO you know less than zero, in Baltimore there are plenty of crack heads arounds, not everywhere is nice like your lily white suburbia clown.

 

[High_Gravity]

I have a question for all of you who support legalizing drugs, if your own children wanted to go into a store and buy legalized heroine, cocaine, or crystal meth, would you be ok with that? or is this like those people who say they have no problems with black people but would throw a shit fit if their son or daughter brought one home?

 

[JBeukema]

I have a question for all of you who support legalizing drugs, if your own children wanted to go into a store and buy legalized heroine, cocaine, or crystal meth, would you be ok with that?

I wouldn't necessarily want my child buying porn, a copy of Mein Kampf, or dog meat, but that doesn't mean I support making it illegal for those who've no problem with it.

Some of us don't see a need to use the State to force own own ethics and morals on others.

 

[westwall]

Yeah I know, I just don't think all hard drugs like crack, heroin and meth should be legal though. Cocaine maybe because I have known people who could hold down a job doing it, the other drugs not so much.

While crack and methamphetamine are biologically and psychologically damaging drugs it is possible to lead a relatively normal life while maintaining a regulated heroin addiction -- provided one is not employed as a driver, machine operator, etc., and is able to obtain pure, accurately measured dosages.

The problems presently associated with heroin addiction derive from that drug's illegal status which leaves the addict at the mercy of criminal suppliers. They never know the potency or purity of the drug they purchase on the street.

Switzerland's experiment with making heroin available to addicts has been relatively successful thus far. While it has not reduced the number of addicts it has eliminated the crime and overdose rate associated with illegal heroin and the rate of HIV infection has been significantly reduced.

The Netherlands recently adopted a similar program which has been similarly successful.

Portugal recently legalize all drugs and so far the result has been totally positive.

So if heroin was legal here in the US, and your son or daughter wanted to go and try it, you would be ok with that?

No, I wouldn't, but then I wouldn't be comfortable with them smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol either. Narcotics are bad, there's no denying it. However, how many totally innocent people have to die from drug gang wars over territory, how many innocent people have to be sent to the poor house by avaricious drug agents looking for the next seizure to pad their resume?

At some point you have to figure out that innocent lives are worth more than the lives lost due to addiction. Decriminalization would make drugs cost drop to nearly nothing. Thus no need to burglerise the neighborhoods. Hell the governement could give the addicts there drugs and just let them camp out in their rooms till they kick off. I would much rather do that and keep non violent folks out of jail.

That way the overall cost of incarceration would drop precipitously because only the violent ones would be in prison dropping the overall prison population.

 

[westwall]

I have a question for all of you who support legalizing drugs, if your own children wanted to go into a store and buy legalized heroine, cocaine, or crystal meth, would you be ok with that? or is this like those people who say they have no problems with black people but would throw a shit fit if their son or daughter brought one home?

The crap has been illegal for decades. Show me where the drug laws have worked? The prison population climbs ever upwards. Did prohibition work? Then why do you think these laws are working?

 

[mdn2000]

Legalizing drugs would be like privatization of government.

 

[Father Time]

I have a question for all of you who support legalizing drugs, if your own children wanted to go into a store and buy legalized heroine, cocaine, or crystal meth, would you be ok with that?

So does that mean you'd let your kids have booze, porn, cigars, a car or a gun?

 

[Montrovant]

I have a question for all of you who support legalizing drugs, if your own children wanted to go into a store and buy legalized heroine, cocaine, or crystal meth, would you be ok with that? or is this like those people who say they have no problems with black people but would throw a shit fit if their son or daughter brought one home?

I have to imagine that most people who support drug legalization also support age limits. So, this question is mostly moot; your children would only be going into a store to buy the drugs legally once they are of age and you can no longer dictate their behavior anyway.

 

[High_Gravity]

You guys are really comparing heroin to porn, booze and smokes?

 

[High_Gravity]

While crack and methamphetamine are biologically and psychologically damaging drugs it is possible to lead a relatively normal life while maintaining a regulated heroin addiction -- provided one is not employed as a driver, machine operator, etc., and is able to obtain pure, accurately measured dosages.

The problems presently associated with heroin addiction derive from that drug's illegal status which leaves the addict at the mercy of criminal suppliers. They never know the potency or purity of the drug they purchase on the street.

Switzerland's experiment with making heroin available to addicts has been relatively successful thus far. While it has not reduced the number of addicts it has eliminated the crime and overdose rate associated with illegal heroin and the rate of HIV infection has been significantly reduced.

The Netherlands recently adopted a similar program which has been similarly successful.

Portugal recently legalize all drugs and so far the result has been totally positive.

So if heroin was legal here in the US, and your son or daughter wanted to go and try it, you would be ok with that?

No, I wouldn't, but then I wouldn't be comfortable with them smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol either. Narcotics are bad, there's no denying it. However, how many totally innocent people have to die from drug gang wars over territory, how many innocent people have to be sent to the poor house by avaricious drug agents looking for the next seizure to pad their resume?

At some point you have to figure out that innocent lives are worth more than the lives lost due to addiction. Decriminalization would make drugs cost drop to nearly nothing. Thus no need to burglerise the neighborhoods. Hell the governement could give the addicts there drugs and just let them camp out in their rooms till they kick off. I would much rather do that and keep non violent folks out of jail.

That way the overall cost of incarceration would drop precipitously because only the violent ones would be in prison dropping the overall prison population.

I don't like the way things are going now, but I don't think just creating an open drug market where there are stores that openly sell crack, heroin and meth is a good idea either.

 

[High_Gravity]

I have a question for all of you who support legalizing drugs, if your own children wanted to go into a store and buy legalized heroine, cocaine, or crystal meth, would you be ok with that? or is this like those people who say they have no problems with black people but would throw a shit fit if their son or daughter brought one home?

I have to imagine that most people who support drug legalization also support age limits. So, this question is mostly moot; your children would only be going into a store to buy the drugs legally once they are of age and you can no longer dictate their behavior anyway.

No that is not true, kids get a hold of alcohol now because they get it from other kids who have access to it or other adults who supply it for them, legalizing these drugs will just make it easier for kids to get their hands on it.

 

[High_Gravity]

I have a question for all of you who support legalizing drugs, if your own children wanted to go into a store and buy legalized heroine, cocaine, or crystal meth, would you be ok with that?

So does that mean you'd let your kids have booze, porn, cigars, a car or a gun?

If my kids were of legal age, I would rather they have all of that booze, porn, smokes and a gun instead of heroin.

 

[High_Gravity]

I have a question for all of you who support legalizing drugs, if your own children wanted to go into a store and buy legalized heroine, cocaine, or crystal meth, would you be ok with that? or is this like those people who say they have no problems with black people but would throw a shit fit if their son or daughter brought one home?

The crap has been illegal for decades. Show me where the drug laws have worked? The prison population climbs ever upwards. Did prohibition work? Then why do you think these laws are working?

I never said the current laws were working.

 

[High_Gravity]

Crack came about AFTER cocaine was made illegal.

Yeah I know, I just don't think all hard drugs like crack, heroin and meth should be legal though. Cocaine maybe because I have known people who could hold down a job doing it, the other drugs not so much.

While crack and methamphetamine are biologically and psychologically damaging drugs it is possible to lead a relatively normal life while maintaining a regulated heroin addiction -- provided one is not employed as a driver, machine operator, etc., and is able to obtain pure, accurately measured dosages.

The problems presently associated with heroin addiction derive from that drug's illegal status which leaves the addict at the mercy of criminal suppliers. They never know the potency or purity of the drug they purchase on the street.

Switzerland's experiment with making heroin available to addicts has been relatively successful thus far. While it has not reduced the number of addicts it has eliminated the crime and overdose rate associated with illegal heroin and the rate of HIV infection has been significantly reduced.

The Netherlands recently adopted a similar program which has been similarly successful.

Portugal recently legalize all drugs and so far the result has been totally positive.

But, the Swiss offer heroin to addicts only right? or can anyone show up and get a fix? I know Iran also has a big needle exchange program now as well, but that doesn't mean anyone can show up and get free heroin.

 

[editec]

Go to Amsterdam and have a walk around. Take in all the sights. After you see that cesspool, and you still want to legalize drugs, you are worse off than I suspected.

Cesspool?

Clearly you have never been there.

 

[westwall]

So if heroin was legal here in the US, and your son or daughter wanted to go and try it, you would be ok with that?

No, I wouldn't, but then I wouldn't be comfortable with them smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol either. Narcotics are bad, there's no denying it. However, how many totally innocent people have to die from drug gang wars over territory, how many innocent people have to be sent to the poor house by avaricious drug agents looking for the next seizure to pad their resume?

At some point you have to figure out that innocent lives are worth more than the lives lost due to addiction. Decriminalization would make drugs cost drop to nearly nothing. Thus no need to burglerise the neighborhoods. Hell the governement could give the addicts there drugs and just let them camp out in their rooms till they kick off. I would much rather do that and keep non violent folks out of jail.

That way the overall cost of incarceration would drop precipitously because only the violent ones would be in prison dropping the overall prison population.

I don't like the way things are going now, but I don't think just creating an open drug market where there are stores that openly sell crack, heroin and meth is a good idea either.

Why not exactly? Right now the drugs are everywhere. Anyone can buy them who wants to, the only rub is they're pricey because they are illegal. Then when someone gets hooked and they finally wish to get off the drugs they are allready pretty much screwed. They allmost invariably have a criminal record, oftentimes peppered with non-violent felonies, but felonies non the less.

So even after they get clean they can't get a good job. Given the nature of the people involved (addictive personality disorder) they will invariably crack under the pressure of not being able to be productive and make a good living because of the stigma.

This system is so clearly not working that to blindly follow on with it is an example of insanity. Something else must be attempted. Just carrying on because you can't think of anything better is foolish.

 

[High_Gravity]

No, I wouldn't, but then I wouldn't be comfortable with them smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol either. Narcotics are bad, there's no denying it. However, how many totally innocent people have to die from drug gang wars over territory, how many innocent people have to be sent to the poor house by avaricious drug agents looking for the next seizure to pad their resume?

At some point you have to figure out that innocent lives are worth more than the lives lost due to addiction. Decriminalization would make drugs cost drop to nearly nothing. Thus no need to burglerise the neighborhoods. Hell the governement could give the addicts there drugs and just let them camp out in their rooms till they kick off. I would much rather do that and keep non violent folks out of jail.

That way the overall cost of incarceration would drop precipitously because only the violent ones would be in prison dropping the overall prison population.

I don't like the way things are going now, but I don't think just creating an open drug market where there are stores that openly sell crack, heroin and meth is a good idea either.

Why not exactly? Right now the drugs are everywhere. Anyone can buy them who wants to, the only rub is they're pricey because they are illegal. Then when someone gets hooked and they finally wish to get off the drugs they are allready pretty much screwed. They allmost invariably have a criminal record, oftentimes peppered with non-violent felonies, but felonies non the less.

So even after they get clean they can't get a good job. Given the nature of the people involved (addictive personality disorder) they will invariably crack under the pressure of not being able to be productive and make a good living because of the stigma.
This system is so clearly not working that to blindly follow on with it is an example of insanity. Something else must be attempted. Just carrying on because you can't think of anything better is foolish.

But, how does making drugs legal do anything to help the addictions that addicts have? if heroin is legal doesn't that give the addicts less of a reason to try and get straight?

 

[geauxtohell]

A first-ever drug analysis of drivers killed in car crashes found one in three tested positive for drugs in 2009, the Office of National Drug Control Policy reported Tuesday.

Gil Kerlikowske, director of the National Drug Control Policy, said the percentage was alarming and should serve as a wakeup call.

“We have not paid very much attention to the drugged driving issue,” Kerlikowske, President Obama’s so-called drug czar, told CNN. “It is a significant problem.”

Kerlikowske said he wanted to raise awareness not only of the dangers of driving under the influence of illegal drugs, but of getting behind the wheel while taking powerful prescription or over-the-counter medications.

As part of a Fatal Accident Reporting System, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration tests drivers killed in crashes for narcotics, stimulants, depressants, marijuana, hallucinogens, PCP, anabolic steroids and inhalants. These include illegal drugs, prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines.

Drugs common in fatal car crashes – The Chart - CNN.com Blogs

Not sayin' it isn't dangerous to drive on drugs but most drugs are still detectable in your system days after you take them so I'm taking the 1 in 3 figure with a big grain of salt.

That is the larger problem and one of the potential issues with legalizing MJ. To my knowledge, there is no quantitative test to see if someone is acutely intoxicated with MJ.

As MJ is fat soluble, any use will be detected in the system for 2-4 weeks (unless someone is very lean and is a first time user. It's probably closer to a week). Cocaine/Meth is detected in the system for 3-4 days. The point is, an autopsy can't tell if someone was impaired with drugs during their fatal accident. It can just tell if they had remote use. Given that substance abuse begets more substance abuse, I am not at all surprised at this statistic.

 

[westwall]

I don't like the way things are going now, but I don't think just creating an open drug market where there are stores that openly sell crack, heroin and meth is a good idea either.

Why not exactly? Right now the drugs are everywhere. Anyone can buy them who wants to, the only rub is they're pricey because they are illegal. Then when someone gets hooked and they finally wish to get off the drugs they are allready pretty much screwed. They allmost invariably have a criminal record, oftentimes peppered with non-violent felonies, but felonies non the less.

So even after they get clean they can't get a good job. Given the nature of the people involved (addictive personality disorder) they will invariably crack under the pressure of not being able to be productive and make a good living because of the stigma.
This system is so clearly not working that to blindly follow on with it is an example of insanity. Something else must be attempted. Just carrying on because you can't think of anything better is foolish.

But, how does making drugs legal do anything to help the addictions that addicts have? if heroin is legal doesn't that give the addicts less of a reason to try and get straight?

The first thing it does is remove the stigma of being a felon once they get clean. That removes a significant factor in why most addicts fail in their recoveries. You doom the vast majority of them to fail. If drugs are decriminalized the price drops out of the market so there is little need for the addicts to commit crimes in the first place to feed their habit. Cocaine obtained legally from teh governement (yes it is very possible) costs pennies instead of hundreds of dollars. Drugs are cheap for the most part. Their cost is in the diseases the users get from inferior drug making methods and of course the legal issues involved.