11–20 of 24 posts
There are lots of practical reasons to decriminalise drugs, but the biggest reason is ethical: society has no right to tell anyone what drugs they can take.
There are lots of practical reasons to decriminalise drugs, but the biggest reason is ethical: society has no right to tell anyone what drugs they can take.
Would you still think that if your only son became a heroin addict? Would you stand by your ideology in that case? Addiction is a life sentence.
Breaking news: no one has ever recovered from an addiction.
The goal is not necessarily to minimize number of drug users, it is to prevent people dying from overdoses (or other secondary issues like diseases), either because they have to hide their drug use or because there is no access to "safe" drugs (the drug your expecting, consumed in a sanitary way). Also, decriminalization can remove organized crime, violence, and other criminal activity from the equation, and make it…
If you want to prevent people dying of overdoses, then stopping people from starting would achieve that. “Decriminalization” is about treating the symptoms rather than the problem.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Would you still think that if your only son became a heroin addict? Would you stand by your ideology in that case? Addiction is a life sentence.
> Addiction is a life sentence Breaking news: no one has ever recovered from an addiction.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
If you want to prevent people dying of overdoses, then stopping people from starting would achieve that. “Decriminalization” is about treating the symptoms rather than the problem.
Why did you ask your original question if you believe you know the answer?
There are lots of practical reasons to decriminalise drugs, but the biggest reason is ethical: society has no right to tell anyone what drugs they can take.
Would you still think that if your only son became a heroin addict? Would you stand by your ideology in that case? Addiction is a life sentence.
Just because he is my son doesn't give me the right to tell him what he can do with his body. I would support him any way I could, but I would not force him to do anything. Criminalising drugs is using force to solve a mental health issue.
I've known people addicted to drugs, btw, mostly legal. I wouldn't ban their drugs either.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Would you still think that if your only son became a heroin addict? Would you stand by your ideology in that case? Addiction is a life sentence.
Yes. Just because he is my son doesn't give me the right to tell him what he can do with his body. I would support him any way I could, but I would not force him to do anything. Criminalising drugs is using force to solve a mental health issue. I've known people addicted to drugs, btw, mostly legal. I wouldn't ban their drugs either.
We tried punishing drug users as strongly as possibly. It didn't work, and had a ton on bad consequences. Now we are trying different types of leniency. I'm sure it will work better. I notice that you did not cite any citations for articles against leniency. Really, it's difficult to prove one way or the other since no solution has worked well yet.
Incorrect. Singapore has almost eliminated drugs and drug use entirely. I believe it has the lowest rates of drug abuse in the world.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes. Just because he is my son doesn't give me the right to tell him what he can do with his body. I would support him any way I could, but I would not force him to do anything. Criminalising drugs is using force to solve a mental health issue. I've known people addicted to drugs, btw, mostly legal. I wouldn't ban their drugs either.
Well, hey, if you’re willing to die on that hill, and feed your only child to the machine on principle, then I guess there’s nothing I can say that would change your mind. Personally, I think there is nothing good that can come from recreational heroin or methamphetamine. They are not only hurting themselves - the cost to society is massive. And while they may choose to do it - they can’t choose to stop.
The cost to society is mostly caused by the criminalisation, not the drugs. And many drug users do stop eventually. Give them access to clean drugs and mental health support and more will.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
If you want to prevent people dying of overdoses, then stopping people from starting would achieve that. “Decriminalization” is about treating the symptoms rather than the problem.
Why did you ask your original question if you believe you know the answer?