Poll: Should We Be Able To Use Any Substance (drug) We Want?

[ideitbawx]

Its difficult while things like marijuana and LSD should be legal as there basically harmless, same with coke though to a much lesser extent the same can't apply to stuff like heroin or meth, that stuff is dangerous, sure you get a huge high but its likely to wreck your life if you get addicted. It'd be like legalising guns, the things are designed to kill people, you give them to everyone and people will die.

coke actually is pretty dangerous. it destroys the serotonin receptors of the brain--the cells that control your mood--which is why you feel great for 10 minutes, then deprived and somewhat melancholy afterwards. it can take up to 2 years for those cells to replenish themselves, leading to violent mood swings and depression in regular users.

i tried coke a few times, and the sketchy after-effects and feeling of nervousness after it had worn off kept me away from it for good. i'd rather feel average all the time than go from pumped up to nervous to angry to paranoid to depressed to strung out & tired (but unable to sleep) all in the course of four hours

 

[Yeq]

Right - I have the feeling that this argument, especially, as some have mentioned, over the internet, will never end. However, the most recent objection to my own point of view I have been handed is that legalisation will not affect the illegal/immoral influx of drugs. So this post is merely to deal with this issue.

I believe that illegal dealing is only profitable when it is the only option. In a nation where legal dealers are merely regulated, while illegal ones, such as stereotypical drug lords, are lawfully targeted, then the legal dealers will have considerably more economic power than the illegal dealers. I simply believe that the money/resources/people expended on maintaining an illegal system is not profitable when compared to a legal, comparable system. The argument here is that the gang bosses - to run with the stereotype - will not be happy with the change. I fully agree. Yet I feel that these illegal runners will either be forced to change to legal methods, or be simply outpriced.

If they feel that they can continue to corner the market by their illegal/forceful methods, then I feel that the moment they are confronted with big-time pharmaceutical companies with a vision to make a shitload of money, they will simply be outpriced out of the market. From this, we will have cleaner drugs that reduce the effect on both the users and their surrounding people. It is, simply, capitalism; plain, simple, unfair, yet in this case, useful.

To anyone that disagrees with me - your move. I genuinely look forward to it. I love debating this topic, and if you can mount a serious defense, then I'll have a lot of fun attempting - possibly in futility - to refute it.

 

[SultanP]

It's our lives, our choice. I will only abide by the rules of society to a certain extent, because when we get right down to it, everyone should mind their own damn business. I believe in absolute freedom as long as we only fuck with ourselves. If we start fucking with other people, we should loose all our rights. Like killing burglars should have no repercussions at all, and neither should messing yourself up.

 

[Seanchaidh]

Seen the ghetto lately? Now... imagine it where every drug is legal. Yeah, fuck that.

Heaven forbid honest business folk push the gangsters out of business.

 

[Low Key]

It's true drugs ARE bad. But so is everything else that is overused, even water.

The biggest reason why drugs are illegal is because the government can't regulate the use. They can't figure out a feasible way to tax it. Marijuana is a prime example of that. People can grow it at their house, harvest it, and would never have to purchase anything for it.

I don't know if anyone here has seen the show "Hording", but it's basically a show about legalized addictions. People can't control themselves to throw away their stuff, but because everything they horde is taxed, it's okay according to the government.

Straight up legalization is probably not the answer to the problem, but decriminalization is. If a cop were to stop me in my vehicle and he/she happened to find even the tiniest spec of cocaine in my car, it's a federal crime. Now, you can't tell me that is worse than other shit that is happening in America. Sure, drugs ruin lives, but so does ANY addiction, be it drugs or shopping or porn, etc.

 

[Seanchaidh]

It's true drugs ARE bad. But so is everything else that is overused, even water.

The biggest reason why drugs are illegal is because the government can't regulate the use. They can't figure out a feasible way to tax it. Marijuana is a prime example of that. People can grow it at their house, harvest it, and would never have to purchase anything for it.

I don't know if anyone here has seen the show "Hording", but it's basically a show about legalized addictions. People can't control themselves to throw away their stuff, but because everything they horde is taxed, it's okay according to the government.

Straight up legalization is probably not the answer to the problem, but decriminalization is. If a cop were to stop me in my vehicle and he/she happened to find even the tiniest spec of cocaine in my car, it's a federal crime. Now, you can't tell me that is worse than other shit that is happening in America. Sure, drugs ruin lives, but so does ANY addiction, be it drugs or shopping or porn, etc.

Because they can't tax marijuana to make money, they have to spend even more money to suppress its use. Yep, makes sense to me!

 

[benylor]

everything you said

You seem to believe it's a black and white issue. You REALLY think there will be any less drug-related crime? Sorry, you have a lot to learn. All your points have the distinct feeling of being your personal opinion, which means JACK ALL. Do you think that gangs and drug traffickers will just lay down and give up? Is the current war on drugs so effective that you think another approach will be any more so?

I don't think the war on drugs is effective. Nowhere in my post did I say that. I think that either you misinterpreted me, or you have some funny ideas.

Yes, crime will fall if we stop the war on drugs. Again ignoring the crimes of dealing and possession, the simple fact is that the gangs will no longer have sole control over the massive drugs industry. Okay, there's a pretty good chance they'll try to compete with legal dealers by selling cheap by ignoring tax and reducing the quality - some people will buy. But they will still lose a great deal of their market to the legitimate recreational drug companies. Increased supply = lower prices, so they'd have to cut under a figure already far lower than its current level... Simply put, there'd be next to no profit involved, so the problems of drug gang warfare would lessen hugely (no economic reason to fight).

Also, our prisons wouldn't be so full on non-violent drug users and dealers. This means more of all the _real_ criminals can be sent to jail for longer. That's... probably controversial in itself if you believe jails are useless. But from the current perspective it's only helpful.

Incidentally, where did I ever imply the current war on drugs is successful? Can anybody, anybody at all, actually claim the war on drugs is a success?

Eh, it matters not at the end of the day anyway. Legal or not, I can get hold of any hallucinogen I desire and take them in my own setting with no risk to anyone but myself. It'd just be nice to not have to be labelled a criminal to do so.

 

[Low Key]

It's true drugs ARE bad. But so is everything else that is overused, even water.

The biggest reason why drugs are illegal is because the government can't regulate the use. They can't figure out a feasible way to tax it. Marijuana is a prime example of that. People can grow it at their house, harvest it, and would never have to purchase anything for it.

I don't know if anyone here has seen the show "Hording", but it's basically a show about legalized addictions. People can't control themselves to throw away their stuff, but because everything they horde is taxed, it's okay according to the government.

Straight up legalization is probably not the answer to the problem, but decriminalization is. If a cop were to stop me in my vehicle and he/she happened to find even the tiniest spec of cocaine in my car, it's a federal crime. Now, you can't tell me that is worse than other shit that is happening in America. Sure, drugs ruin lives, but so does ANY addiction, be it drugs or shopping or porn, etc.

Because they can't tax marijuana to make money, they have to spend even more money to suppress its use. Yep, makes sense to me!

They can't tax it, but there is plenty of income from possession tickets. It's not like they are using money they don't have. That's what federal government does, not the local police force. That's why the cycle continues.

If the government were to decriminalize marijuana, there would still be laws that restrict the transport of marijuana over a certain amount and driving under the influence, just like there is now, which would be totally appropriate.

 

[Jaywebbs]

I like how drugs such as Marijuana Cocaine and Heroin are outlawed but Alcohol and Tobacco are mass produced and sold to the masses as 'ok'

Ideally it is the governments job to protect Society and other people from a reckless person, not a reckless person from himself, which is why Drinking is legal but driving while drunk isn't and why smoking is legal but not indoors in public places.

 

[quiet_samurai]

Make drugs legal, start drug businesses and companies, tax the fuck out of it... recession getting better.

And no, I think if you are a consenting adult some fat ass old men and women in the government have no right to tell you what you can and can't do to your own body.

 

[LooK iTz Jinjo]

Well. I'm an 18 year old Australian - That means everyone else classifies me as Alcoholic - I smoke pot on occasion and cigarettes when I'm drunk enough with the right (or wrong) mates. Never touched anything harder. Now just like OP I know people from both sides of the coin, those who lead perfectly fine lives and those who have ruined theirs.

Some stuff should be allowed. Weed particularly. I don't see the logic in having tobacco and alcohol legalised when they are both far more dangerous than weed. To quote Bill Hicks, ?I have never seen two people on pot get in a fight because it is fucking IMPOSSIBLE. "Hey, buddy!" "Hey, what?" "Ummmmmmm...." End of argument.?.

Harder stuff like cocaine and speed should be kept illegal though. Those things are highly addictive and will fuck you up eventually.

[/quote]

This is pretty much where I sit (also I liked the Bill Hicks quote) nicotine is the most addictive drug on the planet (don't hold me to that) and is much worse than marijuana in what effects it actually has on your body. I have have never done anything harder, not really sure I want to, so I'm not really sure about legalizing them...

 

[Seanchaidh]

It's true drugs ARE bad. But so is everything else that is overused, even water.

The biggest reason why drugs are illegal is because the government can't regulate the use. They can't figure out a feasible way to tax it. Marijuana is a prime example of that. People can grow it at their house, harvest it, and would never have to purchase anything for it.

I don't know if anyone here has seen the show "Hording", but it's basically a show about legalized addictions. People can't control themselves to throw away their stuff, but because everything they horde is taxed, it's okay according to the government.

Straight up legalization is probably not the answer to the problem, but decriminalization is. If a cop were to stop me in my vehicle and he/she happened to find even the tiniest spec of cocaine in my car, it's a federal crime. Now, you can't tell me that is worse than other shit that is happening in America. Sure, drugs ruin lives, but so does ANY addiction, be it drugs or shopping or porn, etc.

Because they can't tax marijuana to make money, they have to spend even more money to suppress its use. Yep, makes sense to me!

They can't tax it, but there is plenty of income from possession tickets. It's not like they are using money they don't have. That's what federal government does, not the local police force. That's why the cycle continues.

There's also plenty of cost from filling the nation's prisons with nonviolent offenders.

 

[Low Key]

It's true drugs ARE bad. But so is everything else that is overused, even water.

The biggest reason why drugs are illegal is because the government can't regulate the use. They can't figure out a feasible way to tax it. Marijuana is a prime example of that. People can grow it at their house, harvest it, and would never have to purchase anything for it.

I don't know if anyone here has seen the show "Hording", but it's basically a show about legalized addictions. People can't control themselves to throw away their stuff, but because everything they horde is taxed, it's okay according to the government.

Straight up legalization is probably not the answer to the problem, but decriminalization is. If a cop were to stop me in my vehicle and he/she happened to find even the tiniest spec of cocaine in my car, it's a federal crime. Now, you can't tell me that is worse than other shit that is happening in America. Sure, drugs ruin lives, but so does ANY addiction, be it drugs or shopping or porn, etc.

Because they can't tax marijuana to make money, they have to spend even more money to suppress its use. Yep, makes sense to me!

They can't tax it, but there is plenty of income from possession tickets. It's not like they are using money they don't have. That's what federal government does, not the local police force. That's why the cycle continues.

There's also plenty of cost from filling the nation's prisons with nonviolent offenders.

It takes A LOT of marijuana to go to prison. An ounce will get most people put in a cell for a few days, maybe a week or two, but it takes multiple pounds for someone to go to prison. Back in the 60s, when it was a federal crime to possess any amount of marijuana, what you are talking about would have been the case.

And usually with the users of any drug, they are put through treatment, not sent to prison. It's the dealers that police want in jail.

 

[benylor]

Over here, a dealer can be defined as somebody who passes you a joint according to government guidelines. I doubt the police would ever actually try to prosecute on that though - or that it'd stand in court.

 

[CrysisMcGee]

This all comes down to personal freedom. Penn and Teller did an episode about the drug war in there series Bullshit.

What they basically said was that it is our body, and we are free to put whatever we want into it. And I fully agree with them.

So yes, we should. Even if that means licking poisonous toads. Fun until your heart stops.

 

[ghostinthenight]

I have to vote yes, i mean who the fuck cares if someone else wants to buy this shit? not many side effects that will hurt others, no more then alcohol, if people want to buy the drugs i don't see why they should be prevented, if they want to get high off this shit might as well make it legal, since they will do it legal or no.

 

[Seanchaidh]

having said that, yes, they should be illegal, because making them illegal gives governments the authority to crack down on the criminal elite who would otherwise go unperturbed through their actions.

Or we could, y'know, prosecute them for what they're actually doing wrong.

 

[bluepilot]

Hurrah! `Yes` is the majority, now I can go and drink the bleach under the sink....

The thing is, we are technically already free to do what we want with our bodies, providing we are willing to deal with the concequences. Same can be said for murder e.t.c.

The chances are that most of us at some point in our lives will drink something harmful, smoke something harmful, snort something harmful, and have a really good time.

However, in doing anything of these things, there is a `chance` that things will go horribly wrong. A ectasy overdose, a nasty drunk driving accident, something that results is terrible tradegy.

Or you get the people who become addicted and it ruins their bodies, lives, and the lives of those around them.

The law serves to protect the most vunerable in society. The children who`s parents are meth addicts, the battered partner of an alcoholic, the person in the wrong place at the wrong time when someone else decided to drink under the influence.

So, drugs laws do not try to prevent your freedom. They try to protect those whose lives greatly suffer as a result of someone`s substance ingestion.

I am willing to tolerate the rules for drug and other laws, providing it helps protect those whose lives are greatly affected by someone elses choice.

Most of us are young people who want to have fun and see drugs as a way to increase that. We do not see the dark side of the coin.

N.B Do NOT drink bleach. It does not make you high, it is not fun, it just kills you in a horrific painful horrible way.