Drug Legalization & Regulation - no ad hominems please

[Aquagraph]

I believe that all drugs should be gradually legalized into regulated markets. Why?

The War on Drugs causes more harms than it prevents. There is no major study showing that legalization decreases use nor harms of use. It's quite clear that it's very expensive "war" economically and socially.
Instead of having to go through all my arguments, I'll just list them briefly and wait for you to attack my views (please do).
Legalization and regulation would:
-Create taxation and employment as drugs are bought at legal dispensaries
-Decrease underage use as the dispenseries would have to ask ID
-Dramatically decrease black market and criminality involved
-Dramatically decrease the social exclusion and sigmatization as users are not afraid to seek help if they have a problem with their use
-Leave the police with more meaningful tasks than to invade the privacy of non-violent citizens
-Putting the education off the counter-progressive fear tactics and to the form of "If you use, do it responsibly"
-Dramatically decrease harms of use as users have more know-how
-Potentially decrease use as the drug use is being understood as a health issue, not a criminal one
-Quality control

I'm not saying that drugs are not that bad, I'm saying that the War on Drugs ain't making anything easier. We should be looking at the policy that is the most effective in harm reduction. And it is utopistic to think drugs will go away if you just put enough money in it.

I will expand my arguments, but for now: attack me.

[Lotus]

i agree.

[Gilly]

I agree that "the war on drugs" is bullshit; however having been in circles dealing with hard drugs, I personally think it best if the more physically and psychologically dangerous drugs, such as crystal meth, pcp, DMT, crack, etc. remain illegal. Given the addictive power and dangerous nature of some drugs out there it just doesn't make sense to have them on the shelves where just anyone can buy them. Maybe if they were legal to sell/be high on in certain areas, I could see that working, or maybe requiring special license or training to purchase and use, but all-out legalization is extreme IMO.

[Aquagraph]

Given the addictive power and dangerous nature of some drugs out there it just doesn't make sense to have them on the shelves where just anyone can buy them. Maybe if they were legal to sell/be high on in certain areas, I could see that working, or maybe requiring special license or training to purchase and use, but all-out legalization is extreme IMO.

Yeah, I'm pro for "drug license" to make it responsible and "witnessed ingestion" so the dealers couldn't buy some and sell it to minors. All-out legalization is something that I'm not okay with, that's why I mentioned regulation.

[Gilly]

Oh sorry I didn't read carefully.

Yeah, I just hate it when people blow on that horn like it would be totally cool for experimental, naive high schoolers and such to have easy access to powerful shit like crystal meth and PCP that could rot their brains from the inside, ESPECIALLY if used at a young age. It's just absurd.

[Aquagraph]

Yeah, I know the type. Though they can get their hands on the shit pretty easy already, can't they? And the shit they get they're hands on isn't gonna be coming with instructions on dosage, purity and the users won't be even knowing if it really is the right shit.

[FDG]

Yeah, I'm not sure you will find much disagreement on this forum, especially since your views are so balanced. You need a more provocative post in order to generate a heated discussion, if that was your aim

Anyway I would personally be slightly worried about legalizing opium. Mainly for my own safety, I would probably easily overdose.

[Gilly]

i kinda agree with gilly, though i think ashton brings up some interesting points.

i think prohibition just escalates violence, ignorance, and douche-baggery. i.e., people who can't handle their shit because they haven't been exposed to it at early ages. i'm thinking of alcohol here, btw. we had a friend over from the coast guard yesterday who is old enough apparently to bust drug boats in puerto rico or w/e but not old enough to drink rum, and consequently he was just a retard all night, spilling his drink every five fucking minutes and falling over.

but some drugs are different. not everyone should be allowed to do them. that may sound elitist, but it's true. some people are just a danger to themselves and cannot handle what drugs open their mind to. it's a tough issue, because i want most drugs to be legalized (psychedelics especially, of course marijuana, pain killers i'm a little worried about, but fuck pcp and crack). but like my dad always told me, 'you gotta have a strong mind' and i think that's true. people have issues, they're assholes, they're paranoid, and for the most part, deflective... if anyone could buy even LSD i'd be a little concerned.

as you can see i'm undecided about all this. i think i just love drugs but i'm worried about the people who don't handle them well, and the repercussions of that for everyone.

Yea u ryte

[mu4]

[mu4]

I think drugs should be illegal, especially pot. Why?

So we can make movies like this!