posted on Aug, 27 2011 @ 06:03 AM
reply to post by revellyre
Legalize marijuana and soft drugs such as psychedelics and use some of the saved money to discourage kids from drug use in a truthful way so they do
not come to the conclusion they are being lied to. Group the possible dangers of alcohol in there. The disease model of addiction is a good way of
expounding the problem with drugs in a way that is honest and it would also remove any of the romanticism that may exist about drug use. After the age
of majority the choice to use or not use drugs is up to the individual. As long as people do not infringe on another persons free will then it should
be their own choice.
Hard drugs should be supplied by Government in a setting that encourages, but does not force, treatment; that is after the person is shown to be
addicted to hard drugs though. The cost would be a fraction of what the war on drugs currently costs. Then give average sentences for drug dealers
unless they are caught selling to minors, with that being a harsher sentence. With government supplied drugs/treatment centers the price of drugs
would plummet and it would not be worth the potential sentence to sell hard drugs, the whole problem would stabilize and the cost to minimize drug use
would plummet. The rationale here is that addiction is a disease and even though it may be brought on oneself in partnership with predispositions and
exacerbating circumstances there are other diseases that people bring on themselves in the same manner and they are not stigmatized like drug use is.
A person cannot really be forced to permanently quit; even in jail drugs use continues so it makes no sense to marginalize people by forcing them to
quit, it doesn't work. Better to let them use while encouraging them to quit because under those circumstances, along with some stability, the vast
majority of people would eventually quit using hard drugs. The disease model would also serve to discourage most people from ever trying hard drugs
which wreak havoc on the functioning of the mind and body, eventually causing severe cravings and physical addiction.
Honestly I find the idea of government supplying drugs distasteful, on more than one level. It "feels" backwards but that is likely due to being
conditioned to the current system which is exactly the opposite of the above idea. The problem is the current system drives up the cost of drugs with
no way of stopping or even really curbing demand, based on history anyway. The current system is upside down because driving up costs without having
the ability to lower demand is guaranteed to drive the market into a violent underground. I am sure the cartels would be the last people who would
want to see government takeover their market and that is a good indication that it is a good idea. On another level which is more important and is due
to a strong distaste for the nanny state the government supply idea is not appealing. Adults who are not impeding on others free will through either
coercion, deceit or violence can decide for themselves. I do not want anyone overriding my free will when those conditions apply so I would not
presume to override anyone else's. In opposition to that, though, a for profit heroin trade advertised openly on tv sounds like a really bad idea.
Due to those opposing ideas I am on the fence about full out legalization of hard drugs. If it were legalized with education on the harms and no
advertising allowed then I might change my mind, maybe. I think full government control in order to get a handle on the problem of hard drugs would be
necessary first before even considering that though.