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Top medical experts say we should decriminalize all drugs (2016)

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Re: Top medical experts say we should decriminalize all drugs (2016)

#291

Post by castis »

grondilu wrote: post #207
OscarCunningham wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So the problem with blowing up the dam is that there's a large amount of water behind it that will flood out dangerously if they blow up the dam. I guess? So what's the analogy here? You think there's a large amount of potential drug users who will suddenly start abusing as soon as drugs are legalised?

> You think there's a large amount of potential drug users who will suddenly start abusing as soon as drugs are legalised? The opiod crisis already is quite severe. And yet most opioids are illegal. I doubt making them legal will decrease usage. Also, if they were legal, big pharma companies would see them as business opportunities. Things could get ugly fast.

decriminalization is not legalization.

Re: Top medical experts say we should decriminalize all drugs (2016)

#292

Post by fifnir »

AKifer wrote: post #149

I'm thinking internally if all this buzz on drug decriminalization isn't just the visible part of darwinian process that will naturally eliminate the stupids and the mentally weak from humanity gene pool.

Yeah their idiotic comments in online forums should hopefully make them undesirable to the opposite sex...

Re: Top medical experts say we should decriminalize all drugs (2016)

#293

Post by amigoingtodie »

Ajedi32 wrote: post #286
otakucode wrote: post #201

Drugs were not made illegal because they're bad for your health and they don't remain illegal because they're bad for your health. Poisons are generally not illegal. Drugs are illegal because they make people feel good or make them happy which offends the Protestant Work Ethic. The Protestant Work Ethic says that the only legitimate route to happiness is through physically difficult labor which causes you to suffer.…

The reason drugs are illegal is because they are addictive. Many of them so addictive, in fact, that they can easily suck you in and destroy your life even if you resolve to only try them "just once". Some drugs like tobacco and alcohol are less addictive than most and are therefore still legal, others like whereas others like heroin are more addictive and are therefore banned.

You are contradicting yourself, and plain wrong.

Re: Top medical experts say we should decriminalize all drugs (2016)

#294

Post by Ajedi32 »

amigoingtodie wrote: post #293
Ajedi32 wrote: post #286

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The reason drugs are illegal is because they are addictive. Many of them so addictive, in fact, that they can easily suck you in and destroy your life even if you resolve to only try them "just once". Some drugs like tobacco and alcohol are less addictive than most and are therefore still legal, others like whereas others like heroin are more addictive and are therefore banned.

You are contradicting yourself, and plain wrong.

Please point out the contradiction in my previous statement. As it stands, it seems to me that you're the one who's wong.

Re: Top medical experts say we should decriminalize all drugs (2016)

#295

Post by mgce »

Ajedi32 wrote: post #286
otakucode wrote: post #201

Drugs were not made illegal because they're bad for your health and they don't remain illegal because they're bad for your health. Poisons are generally not illegal. Drugs are illegal because they make people feel good or make them happy which offends the Protestant Work Ethic. The Protestant Work Ethic says that the only legitimate route to happiness is through physically difficult labor which causes you to suffer.…

The reason drugs are illegal is because they are addictive. Many of them so addictive, in fact, that they can easily suck you in and destroy your life even if you resolve to only try them "just once". Some drugs like tobacco and alcohol are less addictive than most and are therefore still legal, others like whereas others like heroin are more addictive and are therefore banned.

I'm sorry, but this isn't true at all.

Alcohol is terribly addictive and destructive. Far more so than many illegal drugs. Its legality has nothing to do with these issues.

Re: Top medical experts say we should decriminalize all drugs (2016)

#296

Post by TylerE »

DanBC wrote: post #130
icantdrive55 wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1. Many, even the ethical, doctors prescribed opioids for pain, and misery. 2. A very small percentage of Doctors set up shop to hook their patients. 3. I just can't put all the blame on doctors. 4. People are miserable across this county. A lot of you are insulated from the misery, but it's there. The anti-drpepressant effects of opioids should not be hidden. They make you feel good. Plus--I don't think it's a coinc…

US doctors are prescribing far more opioids that doctors in any other country. The US uses 99% of the world supply of hydrocodone, for example. The opioid crisis is far worse in the US than in any other country. > I don't think it's a coincidence that heterocyclic/tricyclic anti-depressants have come under extreme scrutiny. Basically--do they even work. Oh yea, that double blind study, in India, proved they work 62%…

> The US uses 99% of the world supply of hydrocodone, for example.

That's a very misleading statistic. It's because most everywhere else in the world doesn't prescribe it... they typically give smaller doses of _stronger_ opioids.

Re: Top medical experts say we should decriminalize all drugs (2016)

#297

Post by amigoingtodie »

good_sir_ant wrote: post #253

Decriminalization of drugs would have to come with a massive restructuring of our social programs. You could get into a lot of trouble by financially supporting people who become addicted beyond their control.

As opposed to now? Many of today's opiate addicts' supply is subsidized by the US taxpayer.

Re: Top medical experts say we should decriminalize all drugs (2016)

#298

Post by stretchwithme »

I think the best approach is to allow each neighborhood to decide what recreational drugs, if any, can be consumed in public. And only enforce such restrictions with fines, not jail time.

Regulating at the neighborhood level makes it easier to live in or travel to the kind of neighborhood you want to be in. People that want to use drugs in public where they live can pick their neighborhood accordingly.

The more permissive neighborhoods can tax drug use to pay for any negative consequences of drug use. Maybe they need more enforcement of traffic laws, for example.

If we allow everything everywhere, eventually there will be pressure to control everything again. Better to allow people who want drug-free neighborhoods to have them, while ensuring that those who want to use drugs are still able to.

Re: Top medical experts say we should decriminalize all drugs (2016)

#299

Post by Ajedi32 »

mgce wrote: post #295
Ajedi32 wrote: post #286

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The reason drugs are illegal is because they are addictive. Many of them so addictive, in fact, that they can easily suck you in and destroy your life even if you resolve to only try them "just once". Some drugs like tobacco and alcohol are less addictive than most and are therefore still legal, others like whereas others like heroin are more addictive and are therefore banned.

I'm sorry, but this isn't true at all. Alcohol is terribly addictive and destructive. Far more so than many illegal drugs. Its legality has nothing to do with these issues.

> Alcohol is terribly addictive and destructive. Far more so than many illegal drugs.

That's probably true. I doubt it's more addictive than heroin though, which was why I used that as my example for the other end of the spectrum. If alcohol was as addictive as heroin, I'm quite confident it would be just as illegal.

Re: Top medical experts say we should decriminalize all drugs (2016)

#300

Post by amigoingtodie »

Ajedi32 wrote: post #294
amigoingtodie wrote: post #293

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are contradicting yourself, and plain wrong.

Please point out the contradiction in my previous statement. As it stands, it seems to me that you're the one who's wong.

You claim drugs are illegal because they are addictive, then admit that alcohol and tobacco are addictive, yet not illegal.

Furthermore, marijuana is classified as a Schedule 1 drug by the DEA, making it illegal at the federal level (no known medical uses), which based on your reasoning, would indicate it to be addictive.

Yet, prescription opiates, which people are overdosing daily, is legal.

And, you spelled 'wrong' as 'wong'.

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