|
|
Post by Skeletore has a boner on Sept 29, 2009 17:46:27 GMT -5
Strangely enough I'm with Wyrdwad in the sense that if Alcohol and Drugs were banned, and *the ban was effective*, I'd be all for it, I'm as straight-edge as it gets. Ironically I recently bought a bar as an investment, the last 3 owners all ran it into the ground because they themselves were drunks, and even then it was profitable.
Anyways, history has proved time and time again that unfortunately prohibition *doesn't work*. Soon as alcohol was prohibited, billions of dollars that before was going to small businesses and generally honest workers, went to the Mafia instead.
Same exact things going on with the "war on drugs".
There's plenty of evidence from countries that have decriminalized small amounts of drugs, have seen improvements in health and a *decrease* in usage. Further cementing that drugs should be handled like a health problem, not a criminal problem.
Legalization would have the same effect as it did on prohibition, usage would drop, and the drug lords would be put out of business over-night. The majority of people are always willing to pay for a product from a "legit" source than to pay for it from sketchy ones. Lifting prohibition didn't stop bootleggers from being able to produce alcohol to avoid taxes on it, but it killed the market for said bootleg alcohol.
Honestly there's no factual reasons to support drug criminalization, it's entirely wrought with slippery slope fallacies and misinformation. It's a completely ideological argument to be against it.
Society is always going to have people looking for a fix to escape their lives. It's in Societies best interest to control said substances, make sure they're handled in a safe manner, and assist those who go over-board with them.
Anything else is just spending money on pointless enforcement, and funneling it into the hands of criminals.
|
|
|
|
Post by Red Hairdo on Sept 29, 2009 18:31:28 GMT -5
... This sounded very convincing to me.  |
|
|
|
Post by Ranzor on Sept 30, 2009 12:40:04 GMT -5
And much better expressed than I ever could.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ascended Mermaid on Sept 30, 2009 20:23:22 GMT -5
Agreed, thank you very much Darus.  That was a wonderfully insightful argument and I couldn't have said it better if I tried. |
|
|
|
Post by Justin on Oct 2, 2009 14:40:11 GMT -5
People don't know the specifics and tend to demonize drugs putting them all together in the same bag. This is exactly why I'm not going to contribute to this conversation. I totally agree with you 100%, and I don't think its right to make a stance without understanding both sides of the fence. The whole issue of Marijuana is filled with misunderstanding, and overzealous Christian morals. I don't smoke pot, but I have in the past. I can honestly say drinking $30 worth of alcohol fucks you up way more than $30 of weed. And on a lighter note, why can't there be cooler drug names on the market. You know, stuff like Nuke from Robocop 2 or something. |
|
|
|
Post by Ranzor on Oct 4, 2009 20:36:22 GMT -5
I agree. When it comes to drugs, people tend to speak based much more on prejudices and vague notions than on actual knowledge. Anyway, I guess you can get pretty much out of your mind with 30 bucks' worth of either weed or alcohol.  And I'm all for cooler drug names! xP |
|
|
|
Post by Ascended Mermaid on Oct 4, 2009 22:29:58 GMT -5
I have to wonder how much an 8th would cost if it *were* infact legal. How much does it go for in the Netherlands?
|
|
|
|
Post by Ranzor on Oct 7, 2009 3:16:25 GMT -5
Guess we need more Dutch members to answer that.
|
|
|
|
Post by AllenSmithee on Oct 7, 2009 20:25:15 GMT -5
If I could have it my way there'd be no drugs... At all. Not even medicinal. If we needed none of that I'd do it. Of course, I can't.
The reason is I thought my Ritalin was a harmless thing for a long time, until I learned that it could even mess me up pretty bad if I were to sniff it. I have the power to do that at any time. What's worse is that one time I almost sold it to my drug-addicted sister to make some money. Luckily I didn't, but she was asking... And I am glad I did not.
But the problem is it is even medicinal drugs that are easy to get your hands on. I could make a market right now at school because I know there are potential buyers because they asked. And I don't want that power. At all.
And I could smoke weed any time I want too. I could just go to my friends house and accept whatever he had to offer... and if I do that I'll end up just like my sister.
Now my sister is a crack-addict and an alcoholic, and she's done many other things... I don't want to but I hate her. If I could never see her again I'd gladly accept because she disgusts me and she's a menace to our family. She wastes our money, stresses us and is all together useless... But that's terrible. I feel this way knowing it is bad. If there weren't drugs though it'd be different.
No matter how legal or illegal drugs are they'll still be sold outside of the governments boundaries. I know this for a fact. But at least if they were sold legally it'd be hardy to cut a deal. It'd be one strict, highly expsensive price, and at the very least you'd have them clean of terrible additions. Even so that is wrong.
Marijuana isn't so bad, at all. But it still isn't right for everyone. If I had to pick one drug to legalise, yeah, it'd be weed. And it is good for certain people, but I dislike the idea of putting things in your body like that.
And no, in no case should heroine be legal. Ever. The way it is taken is bad enough.
So yeah, I hate drugs, that's all I can say.
|
|
|
|
Post by Red Hairdo on Oct 7, 2009 20:41:43 GMT -5
... And that's why it's a two-sided coin... *lamments*
|
|
|
|
Post by Este on Oct 8, 2009 1:10:51 GMT -5
That's the funny thing about life, it's never cut and dry. Except for bubble wrap. That's always fun.
...on a serious note, I feel for you Smithee.
|
|
|
|
Post by AllenSmithee on Oct 8, 2009 10:45:24 GMT -5
Ahaha, it's true though. Especially lately, as I get older I've been thinking a lot more about the grays between black and white. Thanks, by the way |
|
|
|
Post by Red Hairdo on Oct 8, 2009 11:19:05 GMT -5
"the greys between black and white", omg. xD *+1 karma point for Smithee*
|
|
|
|
Post by Este on Oct 8, 2009 14:10:31 GMT -5
Collect 100 to become a cow in your next life.
|
|
|
|
Post by AllenSmithee on Oct 8, 2009 20:55:35 GMT -5
I don't wanna be a cow D:
|
|
|
|
Post by Ascended Mermaid on Nov 8, 2009 2:21:17 GMT -5
Medical marijuana has become legalized in my area... hell yes!!! Anyone keeping up with the "S-spam..?" topic can tell that I could use some. It can be beneficial to those with Bipolar Disorder and Depression, and many other mental disorders, as well as various cancers. You guys have no idea... how much hope this brings me. I'm almost in tears... // Wait... Do I give up?! Do I panic?! Come on... I've been depressed, and flustered, and when I have natural highs, they don't last long enough. I haven't had a job for this whole year. Why? Because I'm depressed. Isn't that debilitating enough?! Once again, ye shit on the little man, damn you...
|
|
|
|
Post by Ascended Mermaid on Nov 8, 2009 8:17:38 GMT -5
I'm not sure... I'm skeptical. I think... just because they *don't* specify mental disorders NOW, doesn't mean they *won't* in the future, eh? Infact, it doesn't mean that I won't find a doctor that'll recommend it to me either...  But it does mean that under law, I "may" be recommended for those conditions... it doesn't however specify that anything is wrong with getting a recommendation for the conditions I seek treatment of. If I were anyone else, I'd argue "Of course it doesn't say that, because you aren't allowed to, you can't, and you won't get a recommendation for your conditions!" ...and now I'm even more skeptical... So without putting words in their mouth, they'd prefer: 1. Somehow I'll be magically cured and ready to take on a real life. 2. That if I don't get myself together, I apply for disability. 3. Failing those two things, tough tits -- I'm still not getting the medical attention I seek. I guess I'm one step closer to one of my many goals, but it's still not in reach. What to do, what to do... // Whose mouth? Not mine, theirs! Damn I'm tired... and gee, I wonder why that is?! I need sleep, but my mind never shuts off. I need to relax. Being realistic, however, MY relaxation won't come in the form of medical marijuana anytime soon. It depends solely on... random chance, seeing as I don't have control of the situation. |
|
|
|
Post by AllenSmithee on Nov 8, 2009 10:24:02 GMT -5
... I don't like the idea of medicinal marijuana. Then again, it is the same as with my ritalin, but still... for most people marijuana is a bad thing, the lesser evil among bad things, but still a bad thing. I dunno, I dislike it.
|
|
|
|
Post by gnosis301 on Nov 8, 2009 17:14:53 GMT -5
... I don't like the idea of medicinal marijuana. Then again, it is the same as with my ritalin, but still... for most people marijuana is a bad thing, the lesser evil among bad things, but still a bad thing. I dunno, I dislike it. Well, in this situation, it's up to the doctor to decide whether or not marijuana would be a bad thing for a particular patient, and that in itself isn't a bad thing. |
|
|
|
Post by Ranzor on Nov 8, 2009 17:24:58 GMT -5
Well, marijuana can have different effects on different people. For some, it just mae them more deppressed. Also, it can be a bad thing if you start to smoke a lot to get away from real life - it's nice to get a relief from it some times, but not to run away from it completely.
And I'm sorry for you, Smithee. Crack's a really evil drug. I have a friend who almost died because of it. Thankfully he decided to bounce back and get treatment.
|
|
That was a wonderfully insightful argument and I couldn't have said it better if I tried.
But it does mean that under law, I "may" be recommended for those conditions... it doesn't however specify that anything is wrong with getting a recommendation for the conditions I seek treatment of.
