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Drugs? Legalise or not?

I was having a read of this article on the BBC news web site http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7386889 .stm#table
It seems to me that the government has taken completely the wrong strategy here. If they were in any way sensible they would legalise them all tax the cr4p out of them to cover the costs of looking after addicts when they inevitably fall of the rails (e.g. cigarettes & alcohol).
They could also regulate the levels of toxins in the drugs as they do with cigarettes making the whole experience safer for the user and resulting in less drug related deaths.
It would also decimate the criminal gangs in the UK whose finance almost completely depend on the sale of illegal drugs... as well as saving a huge amount of the polices time and money.
What are your thoughts? Should the government keep fighting this "lost war"? or should they accept that people will be doing drugs whether they are illegal or not?

DarkMajes71c Wed 07/05/08 15:40

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123everton
Wed 07/05/08
20:08

They should never legalise cannabis.
If they legalise and tax it like tobacco then you're going to get the same problem we have now with unregulated sales.
We can't sell alcohol responsibly so how one expects to sell drugs in a responsible manner is beyond me.
Cannabis is'nt safe I've had many a battle with wacked out stoners on weed.
A popular criticism of the government on this is that they're going against their own advisors. They're not. They're just listening to a different group of advisors who have alot more experience of it at the sharp end.
I know who I'd trust on the matter...

Oneeyedvic
Thurs 08/05/08
08:26

Stoke: oneeyevic,try telling an oap who has been mugged by a druggie that drugs should be freely available,try telling thousands of householders who have been robbed by druggies the same to people who have had their car widows smashed and valuables stolen by people wanting to fund their habit...

I will try one more time. How is an oap going to be mugged, a householder to be robbed or a car window smashed by people wanting to fund a habit when it is free

making drugs free to people will only serve to GET people addicted who previously steered clear of them because they WERE NOT FREELY AVAILABLE TO THEM.....THUS CREATING AN EVEN BIGGER DRUG CULTURE

Do you have any proof of this or is it just your gut feeling (because typing it in capital letters does not necessarily make it true).

The reason a lot of people take drugs when they are young is because they are trying to rebel - ie do something illegal. If something is actually available free, it no longer becomes so interesting.

Cannabis is a pretty mild drug (certainly less damaging than alcohol). The reason some people go onto harder drugs like heroin is that you are already criminalising these people and forcing them to go to shady figures to buy drugs.

DarkMajes71c
Thurs 08/05/08
09:31

Question Author

right... Cannabis is known as a gateway drug as it often introduces the user to a dealer who may or may not 'push' them to use other stuff. Legalising drugs would mean that users would not have to associate with these people who will happily exchange the 50” plasma tv that got nicked out of your lounge for couple of hits of whatever the users into.

The fact of the matter is that it is impossible to win this "war on drugs" for every dealer the police catch, every factory they shut down, every import they impound 10-20 more operations start up. the only way to deal with criminal activity that is this epidemic is to legalise it. Dealers don’t give a sh!t if your a little kid or an old man they sell it to you anyway, where as some shop keepers might (not all as you all know from alcohol & cigarettes) but at least there would be some degree of control.

I speak from experience I was a habitual herb smoker throughout my teens I used it as an escape from the sh!t time I was having at school due to a teacher bullying me (he got fired when he publicly accused me of doing heroin and I presented a pass on a drugs test to the head teacher). I was smoking like an alcoholic drinks with a few months here and there where I managed to give up the smoke. I managed to fund my habit by working every night in part time jobs I didn’t need to go and rob anybody.

The point is its human nature to get out of your tree at least once in your lifetime people have been doing as long as people have existed. The financial heart of the criminal underworld is undisputedly drugs legalise it enable a form of control on drugs. Keep the prices low put the dealers out of business. Keep the penalties the same for illegal drug distribution but give the users a legitimate option which will keep them away from the evil dealers who push harder substances on them.

Look at what happened with prohibition in the USA it didn’t work, this isn’t working!!!!

Robb Phoenix
Thurs 08/05/08
21:23

Why do so many people smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol? - it isn't banned.
There would certainly be a drop in consumption if these are banned and prices go sky-high.
Imagine legalizing prostitution, so you think it will drop, its all the same you know.

Oneeyedvic
Fri 09/05/08
16:33

Why do so many people smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol? - it isn't banned.
There would certainly be a drop in consumption if these are banned and prices go sky-high

Yes, prohibition in America worked a treat didn't it?

Robb Phoenix
Sat 10/05/08
20:55

It does in Saudi Arabia (alcohol and drugs).

Oneeyedvic
Sun 11/05/08
11:18

oh sorry, didn't realise you wanted an oppressive regime and corporal and capital punishment reintroduced.

Robb Phoenix
Sun 11/05/08
15:57

Quotes:
Oneeyedvic:Yes, prohibition in America worked a treat didn't it?
Me:It does in Saudi Arabia (alcohol and drugs).

Oh Please,
Where do I ask for an oppressive regime and corporal and capital punishment reintroduced.

I cited the example SPECIALLY for alcohol.
They don't chop your head for that.

Robb Phoenix
Sun 11/05/08
15:58

*to be reintroduced.

Oneeyedvic
Mon 12/05/08
08:43

I cited the example SPECIALLY for alcohol.
They don't chop your head for that. No you didn't - you said alcohol and drugs and the debate on this topic is about drugs.

The punishment is lashes for alcohol (corporal punishment) and the death penalty for drug smuggling (capital punishment).

You also need to remember that Saudi Arabia is a Muslim nation and that Muslims do (should?) not drink alcohol. For them it is a way of life.

Banning alcohol in this country would be seen as an oppressive move.

Banning alcohol in Saudi is seen as the right thing to do by the people of that country.

Robb Phoenix
Mon 12/05/08
21:59

Qatar bans the importation of alcohol and it is a punishable offense to drink alcohol or be drunk in public. Offenders may incur a prison sentence or deportation.

I once went on a holiday to the Maldives.The Maldives ban the import of alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are available only to foreign tourists on resort islands and may not be taken off the resort.

n Brunei alcohol consumption in public is banned and there is no sale of alcohol. Non-Muslims are allowed to purchase a limited amount of alcohol from their point of embarkation overseas for their own private consumption. Non-Muslims over 17 years of age may be allowed to bring in not more than two bottles of liquor (about two quarts) and twelve cans of beer per person into the country.

Robb Phoenix
Mon 12/05/08
22:16

Why are people addicted to coffee and chocolate? Is it banned.
Suppose it was as bad for your health as drugs would they leave coffee.
Yes, some may take drugs to rebel, but they are a minority many just "experiment" with the drug and later get hooked on. Its called the "oops phenomenon".
According to NDRI research the most often cited reason for starting to use Alcohol and marijuana was the desire to fit in ("to belong," "to be accepted").

The following make an interesting read:
http://www.kci.org/meth_info/lori/Triggers.htm
http://www.nida.nih.gov/Published_Articles/oop s.html

Robb Phoenix
Mon 12/05/08
22:16

I see drug use increasing if legalized based on the above

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