Quote:
Originally posted by sabad66
I agree with the view that all drugs (yes, including "hard" drugs") should be legal. Almost all of the negatives around drugs are actually a consequence of them being illegal. For example:
- criminals getting rich and not paying taxes
- violence due to above.. take away their money and gangs will be no more
- people don't know the long term effects because researchers aren't allowed to study them
- overdoses due to inconsistent purity and/or cutting agents
- addictions because people are too afraid/embarrassed to get help before its too late
- people that could have turned out to be successful members of society having their lives ruined with a criminal record over a non-violent "crime"
- families destroyed/shamed because someone is in jail
Besides all the above problems, the #1 reason IMO is basic freedom. Why should anyone/government dictate what a free person can/can't put in their own body? I personally don't have any desire to snort coke or smoke meth or inject heroin, but if someone else wants to do it safely on their own without harming anyone else and with their own money then by all means go ahead. They are going to find a way to do it anyways, so why should they have to go buy something on the street from a criminal to do this instead of paying a legit business that can guarantee purity and pay taxes?
Just look at all the recent fentanyl deaths and all of the people dying of overdoses at raves/festivals. These are real people that are brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, parents to someone. Most of them dead because some criminal somewhere along the line lied about what they were selling.
I think society will eventually get to the point of full legalization, but not for at least another 40 years. Decriminalization is a good first step though... at least it solves some of the issues above
sorry for what seems like a Seth/Toma type rant... I have a few family members/friends (mostly in the US) that have been thrown in jail/overdosed so I have thought this through a few times
Agreed on all aspects, and I'll take my reference as a compliment :angel: