End the War on Drugs

[Celista]

It's not a battle worth fighting for. Legalize everything and tax the hell out of it imo, especially the growers/dealers.

[crakerjack]

The only defense anti-drug people use are rubbish, hypothetical situations... "Well if drugs were legal... blah blah blah arrogance blah blah blah." All drugs need to be legalized, because instead of bullshit hypothetical situations that are heavily biased and opinionated, I can point out the benefits. Drug cartels for starters wouldn't function in america because they wouldn't make money smuggling drugs. America would save countless millions of dollars by saving money on inmates who are serving time on non violent, drug related crimes. Not to mention the money that would be made from marijuana being sold to licensed adults.

Now if someone can argue those facts without bringing up "If drugs were legalized, my kids would do them and have more access to them." WHICH IS HIGHLY FALSE. Kids wouldn't have anymore access to drugs even if they legal, it's the exact opposite.

[Dch48]

The flashbacks have been studied in numerous incidents and have been repeatedly and irrefutably disproved in all but one case where the observed test subjects all had schizophrenia.

What a load of complete bull. It's well known that the flashbacks can and do happen, especially when the person has done something like smoke pot or use another drug. They can be triggered by other things though. There are numerous cases of suicide from the use or after effects of the use of LSD.

[obdigore]

What a load of complete bull. It's well known that the flashbacks can and do happen, especially when the person has done something like smoke pot or use another drug. They can be triggered by other things though. There are numerous cases of suicide from the use or after effects of the use of LSD.

Funny, I've tripped out a couple times, and I smoked nearly everyday for years after that, but never had any flashbacks. Arguing that 'everyone knows' proves nothing.

[Deleted]

I think every drug, including marihuana should remain illegal. A lot of people still using them is not an excuse. If they were made legal, many more that otherwise wouldnt would start using them. Just look at alcohol now.. everyone uses it. Luckily it's not that addictive. But tobacco is so much worse.

Now imagine if other stuff was legal.. It would become much more accessible and it's highly addictive while giving a much stronger effect than tobacco. A lot of teenagers will try it because they're either curious as it's laying around in their friends house or worse, pressured into trying by their friends. And even normal people when they're depressed and then years later end up dead because of the side effects and unable to kick the addiction.

It doesn't matter that people who really want it get it from black market anyway. If it would be legal, people who dont exactly want it or are just curious will get introduced to them as well as they're much more available then.

[obdigore]

I think every drug, including marihuana should remain illegal. A lot of people still using them is not an excuse. If they were made legal, many more that otherwise wouldnt would start using them. Just look at alcohol now.. everyone uses it. Luckily it's not that addictive. But tobacco is so much worse.

Now imagine if other stuff was legal.. It would become much more accessible and it's highly addictive while giving a much stronger effect than tobacco. A lot of teenagers will try it because they're either curious as it's laying around in their friends house or worse, pressured into trying by their friends. And even normal people when they're depressed and then years later end up dead because of the side effects and unable to kick the addiction.

It doesn't matter that people who really want it get it from black market anyway. If it would be legal, people who dont exactly want it or are just curious will get introduced to them as well as they're much more available then.

Ironically science and history disagree with you. Look at Portugese drug rates before and after they legalized everything.

[Sensei_Sin]

Ironically science and history disagree with you. Look at Portugese drug rates before and after they legalized everything.

It's not legalized, it's decriminalized. Huge difference.

You still can't sell those drugs in Portugal legally and you can still go to jail for having it on you, it just depends on how much for each type of drug.


I see this talk about how Portugal did this stuff but don't be fooled by it. Portugal invested heavily in combating drug trafficking, drug neighborhoods and in rehabilitation. The costs didn't just go away, they got shifted around for the most part. While the government doesn't spend that money fighting drugs, they'll spend it in rehab provided to these people.

[obdigore]

It's not legalized, it's decriminalized. Huge difference.

You still can't sell those drugs in Portugal legally and you can still go to jail for having it on you, it just depends on how much for each type of drug.


I see this talk about how Portugal did this stuff but don't be fooled by it. Portugal invested heavily in combating drug trafficking, drug neighborhoods and in rehabilitation. The costs didn't just go away, they got shifted around for the most part. While the government doesn't spend that money fighting drugs, they'll spend it in rehab provided to these people.

Indeed, but their drug usage rates are going down (as are new aids rates from sharing needles).

[Deleted]

Ironically science and history disagree with you. Look at Portugese drug rates before and after they legalized everything.

In Portugal it's still illegal. They just dont put people who use it in the prison any more. It's not like you can buy pot or worse drugs from drug stores there..

Not punishing the users is not a bad thing but they should still remain illegal and not sold and the dealers should be punished with full force of the law. Doesn't make it more available that way but tossing the junkies in the prison is also kind of pointless.

[obdigore]

In Portugal it's still illegal. They just dont put people who use it in the prison any more. It's not like you can buy pot or worse drugs from drug stores there..

Not punishing the users is not a bad thing but they should still remain illegal and not sold and the dealers should be punished with full force of the law. Doesn't make it more available that way but tossing the junkies in the prison is also kind of pointless.

Yes I used the wrong word, decriminalization. I already expounded my point that the US should decriminalize usage to get people help without the fear of prison, but keep dealers of illegal drugs under harsh penalties.

Edit -> I just don't see why the non physically addicting stuff is illegal. Alcoholism creates a physical addiction worse than weed, shrooms, and lsd, yet it is legal.

[PizzaSHARK]

I think every drug, including marihuana should remain illegal. A lot of people still using them is not an excuse. If they were made legal, many more that otherwise wouldnt would start using them. Just look at alcohol now.. everyone uses it. Luckily it's not that addictive. But tobacco is so much worse.

Now imagine if other stuff was legal.. It would become much more accessible and it's highly addictive while giving a much stronger effect than tobacco. A lot of teenagers will try it because they're either curious as it's laying around in their friends house or worse, pressured into trying by their friends. And even normal people when they're depressed and then years later end up dead because of the side effects and unable to kick the addiction.

It doesn't matter that people who really want it get it from black market anyway. If it would be legal, people who dont exactly want it or are just curious will get introduced to them as well as they're much more available then.

Thing is, ita, that legalizing it and controlling it a la alcohol wouldn't make much of a difference. Many people drink occasionally. Some people drink a little every day - a glass of wine with dinner, a nightcap before sleep, whatever. Many more people drink on special occasions and otherwise never touch the stuff. Some people don't drink at all.

Drugs wouldn't be any different. Alcohol is a highly addictive substance - maybe not quite on the level of, say, heroin, but it's addictive and has a physical component to that. And just like there are Alcoholics Anonymous groups and rehabilitation, so would there be for drugs. The thing is, not a whole lot would change from legalization after things even out, except you'd be taking away a major income (and therefore, power) source from criminal groups.

It's not legalized, it's decriminalized. Huge difference.

You still can't sell those drugs in Portugal legally and you can still go to jail for having it on you, it just depends on how much for each type of drug.


I see this talk about how Portugal did this stuff but don't be fooled by it. Portugal invested heavily in combating drug trafficking, drug neighborhoods and in rehabilitation. The costs didn't just go away, they got shifted around for the most part. While the government doesn't spend that money fighting drugs, they'll spend it in rehab provided to these people.

Which, ultimately, is a net gain for their country.

[Sensei_Sin]

Indeed, but their drug usage rates are going down (as are new aids rates from sharing needles).

Drug usages are going down because of multiple factors and the decriminalization is one out of many.

There are a lot less drugs being distributed internally, although Portugal is still a huge point of entry for drugs that are then sent to other countries, for example. Other factors include the rehab programs that I've mentioned before where they give "replacement drugs" and strike those people off as being drug users. The costs are still there and it really is making quite a dent on the country's "pocket", it's just added to the healthcare and social security bill instead now.

Which, ultimately, is a net gain for their country.

Huge gain. That's why Portugal is in such a great place right now.

[Deleted]

easy solution though

make one drug legal than u remove the kick from illigal drug shipments cos they ain getting this adraline kick anymore yeah it takes a while to see some progress

but u got the irs checking htem out inning this massive amount of not payed tax money

prob u end up whit les kills / gang wars aswell

im from holland my self weed is legal over here and the drugs shipments back in the day where awfull aswell now for a caple years they made drugs legal weed and some other sh** ofc we still got some illigal drugs but just because this 1 drug is legal there is alot less drug dealers / cartels around every % helps right

[Lemons]

Ironically science and history disagree with you. Look at Portuguese drug rates before and after they legalized everything.

the didn't legalize it...they "decriminalized" it:

"Portugal's move to decriminalize does not mean people can carry around, use, and sell drugs free from police interference. That would be legalization. Rather, all drugs are "decriminalized," meaning drug possession, distribution, and use is still illegal. While distribution and trafficking is still a criminal offense, possession and use is moved out of criminal courts and into a special court where each offender's unique situation is judged by legal experts, psychologists, and social workers. Treatment and further action is decided in these courts, where addicts and drug use is treated as a public health service rather than referring it to the justice system (like the U.S.)"

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/portu...#ixzz2CMrHDHzi

So in other words anyone trying to hold up Portugal as an example of what happens when you "legalize everything" just doesn't have their facts straight. Portugal is what you get when you take a kinder approach to penalizing drug abusers. Instead of tossing them in jail they try to get them medical help.

[Howard Moon]

maybe not all.... stuff like LSD should still be illegal

Awwwww party pooper.

[Deleted]

Thing is, ita, that legalizing it and controlling it a la alcohol wouldn't make much of a difference. Many people drink occasionally. Some people drink a little every day - a glass of wine with dinner, a nightcap before sleep, whatever. Many more people drink on special occasions and otherwise never touch the stuff. Some people don't drink at all.

Drugs wouldn't be any different. Alcohol is a highly addictive substance - maybe not quite on the level of, say, heroin, but it's addictive and has a physical component to that. And just like there are Alcoholics Anonymous groups and rehabilitation, so would there be for drugs. The thing is, not a whole lot would change from legalization after things even out, except you'd be taking away a major income (and therefore, power) source from criminal groups.

Alcohol is not addictive at all. Just recently, I was drunk every night for 2 weeks in a row during the summer vacation in college and I feel no craving for it. In fact, even the smell of alcohol made me a bit nauseous after that. But for example with tobacco, it's much much worse. I tried it when I was 14 or so because of friends and after a week, it was already hard to stop. Luckily I never smoked more than a few cigarettes a day so quitting was actually not that hard. But it still took years.

Now if a drug with the addictiveness of tobacco that actually gets you "high" (lets face it, smoking really doesnt do anything after you get used to it) would be readily available..

[obdigore]

Alcohol is not addictive at all. Just recently, I was drunk every night for 2 weeks in a row during the summer vacation in college and I feel no craving for it. In fact, even the smell of alcohol made me a bit nauseous after that. But for example with tobacco, it's much much worse. I tried it when I was 14 or so because of friends and after a week, it was already hard to stop. Luckily I never smoked more than a few cigarettes a day so quitting was actually not that hard. But it still took years.

Now if a drug with the addictiveness of tobacco that actually gets you "high" (lets face it, smoking really doesnt do anything after you get used to it) would be readily available..

Again, what you say is not what science or studies have said. Alcohol is quite addictive. In fact it is considered a disease.

Meanwhile, Tobacco itself isn't really addictive, the additional nicotine additives are, however.

[Slammin Shaman]

In the UK they have heroin partially legalized. There are clinics set up by the government to give people their heroin dose, and once they get their dose for the day they are put in their system saying they had their dose and can't get another one for 24 hours. The process from start to finish is done by the government and is regulated. Plus it does make jobs for a lot of people. They also have a system set up for if you decide you want to quit using heroin. They ween you off the stuff and you see a counselor the whole course.

You could do that with a multitude of drugs.

[Deleted]

Again, what you say is not what science or studies have said. Alcohol is quite addictive. In fact it is considered a disease.

Meanwhile, Tobacco itself isn't addictive, the nicotine additives are, however.

To be honest, it doesn't even matter is it was addictive. Maybe it's personal and some people just dont get addicted but the point is that you can't ban alcohol anyway. If they did, people would still make it in their homes because all you need for it is something with sugar or starch content. It would start to ferment even if you dont add yeast to it because of natural yeast flying around everywhere.

[obdigore]

To be honest, it doesn't even matter is it was addictive. Maybe it's personal and some people just dont get addicted but the point is that you can't ban alcohol anyway. If they did, people would still make it in their homes because all you need for it is something with sugar or starch content. It would start to ferment even if you dont add yeast to it because of natural yeast flying around everywhere.

I guess you can't ban weed either because you can grow pot in your closet? Oh wait...