tdgeek:

 

Rudster:

 

tdgeek:

 

MikeAqua:

 

Prohibition is such an expensive failure, I no longer see the point of it ... 'drugs' have always been used, will always be used.  Prohibition seems to support an entire ecosystem of illegal activity, propped up by the high value and clandestine nature of prohibited drugs.

 

Are we wise to continue spend up large on ultimately ineffective enforcement of prohibition law? 

 

Or should we spend money on dealing with harm resulting from drug use?

 

 

 

 

 

 

I dont see the issue

 

 

 

Everything that is prohibited, has lawbreakers. Murder, rape, assaults, robbery. This means that every single criminal law is a failure. They aren't. The drug laws are no different. The war on drugs is just a political statement made decades ago by a politician. This just happens to be the flavour of the moment, nothing more 

 

 

 

 

I keep seeing this argument relating drug use to rape and murder. Saying that people are always going to do it of which yes, a small proportion of the population will rape and murder. But in saying this you're implying that even though the laws do not eradicate such actions, it does not mean we should legalize. Which is again true. But to relate that to drug use and abuse is wrong. It shows that fundamentally you believe someone who smokes pot or does other drugs are just as bad as murderers. 

 

That is rubbish. I am relate g it to the many comments that the drug laws have failed. In as far as, all laws have therefore failed. To argue that the drug laws have failed, so we need an alternative is IMHO invalid.

 

 

 

None the less, here is the strongest argument for legalizing drugs. As witnessed across nations that have at least decriminalized drugs, they have seen a reduce in other more horrid crimes like theft, rape and murder. We know there is a strong collation between the recreational drug use of illegal substances and theft. People steal to fund their drug addiction. Another thing to note, Violence from crimes is often driven by drug use or more, failed drug dealings. Because criminals cant go up to the courts and say this man scammed me out of $20,000 worth of cocaine, they settle the issue with violence. What I am saying is to decriminalize drug use and to support those addicted to drugs with cheap, safe prescriptions and or alternatives, we would see a reduction in more horrid crimes like theft and murder.

 

Thats quite possible to a small degree. I agree. I also feel its a small facet of the drug trade. In making all manner of drugs cheap, legal, it will allow many users and new users  to get into drugs, and use as much as they like, awesome. Not in my opinion. Booze is a legal drug, it was a failure when illegal, and also when legal, as to the damage it causes. 

 

 

 

The current drug laws are much like a university student who knows he needs to complete his thesis. He has good intentions to get it done but other than the odd crack down on it, he leaves it in his bag, trying not to think about it. As time ticks by, the impending issue grows in its severity. He knows if he doesn't start, he will fail it. He knows the end point. If he works on it, he doesn't know if he will pass or fail. If he has enough time and resources to combat the issue. On one hand he could fix it, he could try working hard on it. On the other hand, it is just easier to do as he has always done and just accept the consequences.

 

Society is like this student, Except a large proportion of us have decided we do not believe any other way will work so what is the point? This is again much like the global warming issue. A lot of people think, even if it is true, we're probably too late anyway and so what is the point in trying to fix something that we do no believe we can fix?

 

 

But you're relating the method of dealing with serious crime with a health issue that has a detrimental issue to society. Theft and murder, directly target the community. Drug use targets oneself. For that very reason, it opens up other methods to combat drug use.

Also the driving force for legalizing drug use in America was due to violent crime caused by the illegal drug industry. It is not a small issue, A large proportion of murders and violence when falling under the bracket of gangs is in fact related to drugs. To remove that power from gangs would be to castrait gangs of their power over the community. 

On your comment about legal drugs leading to greater drug use, you're forgetting that people have the ability to make their own logical decisions. Yes more people will try drugs, some will have a small impact on society and some a larger effect. However while I am advocating for the legalization of drugs, I am now advocating to dish it out like lollies. The average person knows drugs are bad, even if drugs were made legal, the average person would not go down to their local dairy and pick up some meth to just try it. The average person will not do drugs and that social pressure is a great method of combating drug use. We see it with tobacco. A large proportion of smokers are quiting because of social pressure. The issue is what is the lesser of two evils? When it came to alcohol, illegal use lead to huge problems of violence and abuse which when related to current issues with alcohol abuse, they were greater in their severity. Same logic can be used with drugs. While legalizing drugs will lead to greater drug use in the community, it also opens up dialogue between doctors and drug users. It also reduces the impact of crim on the community through gang related activities. I am arguing a progressive approach to drugs, much like Portugal would have a reduced impact on the community than the current proactive aggressive method.