Drugs - should they be legal?
 

So, I'm having an arguement with my friend on whether or not drugs in general should be legal. it started off as a converstation regarding marijuana prI say that harmless ones likes Weed, mushrooms or other such drugs are fine to be legal.

He says that all drugs, including heroin and methamphetemines, should be legal for the purpose of eliminating the war on drugs and letting people do what they please. Here's how the conversation went (bold is him, regular is me)



So basically he's arguing that it would help save the economy to legalize these drugs, which maybe be somewhat true, but at what cost?

“same concept as gun control”

PFFFFT

I think you mean gun control. But yeah. That was my reaction.

Drugs are illegal for a reason.

Except tobacco, the government loves all the tax they get on tobacco.

Gay marriage is illegal for a reason.

In various countries, basic human rights for women are illegal for a reason.

In a grey area of law, the traditional thing to do is go by precedent. Alcohol and tobacco are legal despite known health risks, anything with an equal or lesser damaging effect on one's body may as well be legal too.

So how about that recent study that supported the notion that cannabis is actually unhealthy for you and not, like everyone claims, no less unhealthy than cigarettes?

This is one of those really long arguments where there's no right or wrong answer. I love weed and smoke it whenever I can, but I've never paid for it, and I probably still won't if it's legalized. So I guess, like with everything, I'm a non partisan in this matter.

I'd probably be all for legalization if all the "legalize it!" people I've met weren't insufferable burnouts who are supporting it for all the wrong reasons.

We need more studies in general about weed, but the people who claim it is harmless are generally as stupid as the people who think it ruins countles lives.

Yeah. It certainly isn't good for you, but it does have its medical benefits. But the people who claim it's some kind of "miracle cure" for all ailments are fucking retarded. I'm exadurating of course, but there are people who think it can treat virtually anything.

Like anything of the sort, it should be used with moderation. That said I would very much like to see it legalized in a way similar to alcohol. Just last night, my friend was in town from college (about four hours away) and we really wanted to get together and toke for the first time in a while, because it's an enjoyable social occasion. But of course, we couldn't find anyone to sell because all the dealers have been dry due to the cops busting left and right.

Wish there was a liquor store for pot. Some day, maybe.

Also I never really intended for this to be a prohibition thread, but I guess the answer for the original question is a bit obvious, innit.

I think anything you smoke is bad for you....

But if you drank weed-tea or made it into cake.. I think it would be much, much healthier.


I honestly don't understand why weed, of all things, is illegal. Is there something in it for the government for it to be illegal? Or are they just too embarrassed to admit it isn't harmful.. like with absinthe?

Well, you got me there, even though that is more of a social thing and drugs are a medical issue.

Actually I'm just going to shut up before I look stupid again. But in all honestly I don't care if someone takes drugs round me, I've smoked weed and just never found the appeal in it.

But here's the myth that you are perpetuating. Decriminalizing drugs would cause more people to do it. That's a myth. Social standards will always be social standards, and it will always be only a select few who truly fall beneath them. Also, these things are not hard to find. Legalization would not cause more over doses. I'm not sure why you think it would.

Also, what most people fail to realize is that we, as a society, will never ever legalize harder drugs like crack, or heroin. However, we can decriminalize them. And that would free up a lot of room in the prison system, and allow law enforcement to concentrate on crime problems that they can actually fix.

Hmm, I would probably do weed slightly more regularly, or at least more care free, if it was legalised. I'm all for the legalisation of cannabis, however I think the laws on its growing and distribution should be strict. No additional chemicals should be added to it, no extra nicotine, perhaps some sort of state control and tax system on it too, of course no advertising as well.

I think certain mushrooms could potentially be legalised as well, but I don't know enough about them to comment.

As with harder drugs, some of them are just a big fat no, heroin, cocaine and horse tranquilliser to name a few perhaps LSD and ecstasy could be legalised and as with marijuana, under strict regulation. Once again though, I don't know much about those other drugs. Can't say I'd ever be inclined to give any of them a go.

I'm going to reverse my usual stance and say that that all drugs should be mandatory.

Moderation. That is the key to everything.

Drugs aren't addictive. It's a person's personality that gets them hooked. It's just the media likes to put across this image of 'GOOD GOD! HE BREATHED IN A PARTICLE OF WEED AND SUDDENLY WAS SHOOTIN' UP IN AN ALLEYWAY!!', sadly the majority of people are idiots...and believe this.

Legalising would stop a shissen-load of problems...sadly, it'd open the door for a few new ones. From suicide to work days missed.

Do i have a problem with a small minority of addicts finding themselves stuck in a cycle of use, sleep, buy more, use, sleep, buy more? ...no. No i don't.

I think some of the money should be thrown in to rehab clinics, were addicts were FORCED to go. Literally locked in, forced to go cold turkey, given a psych, educated and sent out with a job...if they went back to the drugs after that, they'd get two more chances are rehab.

4th time f*cking it up? They're on their own.

Sadly, because we live in a Democracy, this idea is unlikely to ever happen. Because what happens in a Democracy is that politics turns into a popularity contest, instead of being about doing sh*t to help the country and the people.

Ignoring all the other blaring social points,

Erm, no.

Jacob kind of outdid himself there, huh?

I don't think he can possibly believe that. Leads me to think he's just looking for a response.

Congress keeps weed illegal because they're afraid China will take over while we were all busy eating doritos and discussing the cosmic significance of our own fingers.

I don't really have much of an opinion, I don't take drugs, and I don't know anyone personally that does. People can do whatever they want with their body, so it doesn't affect me either way if some drugs were legalized.

My only opinion is that weed absolutely stinks.

I think drugs and China should be illegal

Oddworld Forums is now blocked in China.

So we'll be getting 0 less hits a year?

Onto the topic at hand. Some drugs should be legalised, but not all of them in general, because then the government could just post a leaflet through people's doors saying "hello everyone, use your common sense".
If tranquility had a scent, it would be the smell of weed.

With your extensive knowledge of cannabis right?

Just try a whitie. That's no fun.

We should legalize at least one upper. I mean, we already have those carcinogenic, brain-melting energy drinks. I say we legalize Speed to level the playing field.

I think weed should be decriminalized. I wouldn't care so much then. The only issue I have with the way weed is now is that the cops have been cracking down on dealers and making it very difficult for me to find some good stuff.

Also what OANST said earlier about freeing up prisons.

I think weed should be decimalised.

Chicago has decriminalized it and Colorado is voting to make it fully legal, current polls suggest it will pass.

Also, I know that feel Mr.Bungle, I've through three guys in the past few months, shit is cray.

I haven't personally smoked or taken any of the harder drugs, so I can't really say how harmful I find them. I have friends however who have smoked, and I suspect have tried some of the harder drugs at least once in small doses. They seem alright to me, although that doesn't say everything. I don't know if they ought to be put into prisons for doing that, but they probably shouldn't be allowed to keep doing it. I think there should be room for error, but not so much that everyone can inject or smoke themselves to death. In some ways I kind of agree with Jacob, with the whole mandatory rehab for addicts, but I don't know if a limited amount of chances is a good idea.

I suppose you could just summarize everything I just said as being I have little to no opinion on this.

Cannabis is a naturally grown weed and is cut with virtually nothing so there is absolutely no reason at all for government to still have it illegal. A few mates and I were having this debate as well during one of our smoking sessions, I guess that wouldn't make it a debate seeing we're all swinging for the same side but we did come up with a few rules if it was to be made legal;

Up to six plants per half annum for personal use/selling.
No smoking in public.
A set limit as to what constitutes illegal dealership.
18+
General safety ie; no operating heavy machinery blah blah blah.
Not only will Cannabis be made legal but any other product derived from THC is also made legal ie Budder, Hash etc

I could cope with that I reckon. Even though I don't see why weed is still illegal and think that the laws are totally archaic I understand that it wouldn't be a good thing if it was open for wide use so I don't think we should have shops, bars, machines that sell it, if ya want it grow it yaself.

The people that do it as well are being targeted, wrongly, by the police (growers/dealers more so than users) all for making a bit off extra cash, and I really mean 'bit,' and are being brought to court like hard criminals? Fuckers. I remember seeing something like 'If you purchase cannabis you're funding terrorism' and that sent my blood boiling, now, there's certain people I wouldn't even consider buying my gear off but buying a couple of grams to help him send his kids off to good schools? Yes, of course. But most of the money went to growing the plants anyways so it's not as if he made a massive return on it anyways.

So yeah, I'm all for legalizing it and I would if I were in charge but maybe I'm too biased to make any argument? Ah well... there's my view.

Why was this even posted, you've all seen what drugs to people, if they were legal they would cause so much havoc you wouldn't even know it.

Lolno. It's illegal under the guise of ill effects to your health but is really illegal for other reasons, I'd like to say it's to have more control on the substance and the users/dealers. If it were the case wouldn't alcohol be illegal?

Jesus Christ your post is both ill informed and completely nonsensical.

Takeshi that is

Cause Havoc you say?
So am I to understand it would turn the entire world into Zoophiles?

Much worse!

Beastials?

I agree that some drugs can be perfectly legal and should be left up to ones personal responsibility. But there are some drugs, such as Cocaine, that are such an assault on the human body and get you hooked so insanely fast that they are better left illegal.

It has always struck me as weird that weed is illegal almost everywhere except for Holland and that everyone keeps believing it is so harmful, while the stuff has been legally for sale for as long as I can remember and I don't remember weed ever causing any sort of problem.

It's an interesting thing though, I do think if you were to suddenly legalize a lot of hard drugs there would be a temporary spike in overdoses and hospitalizations. Even if people would learn to use it responsibly I don't think that's worth the initial trouble.

Actually in case of abuse it causes severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia and psychosis, especially in those users who are initially prone to such disorders (this kind of people don't even have to abuse it to aquire mental problems). Otherwise it's not harmful.

My opinion is that drugs should be used only as a form of medication. Though drug abuse problem can't be completely solved only through bans - it's more of a social and cultural problem. Persecution of heavy drug manufacturers and dealers is very important, however.