Ngyuen = hero ? (2 Viewers)

[withoutaface]

An interesting article on drug legalisation.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

ummm...no. some drugs are (heroin). some drugs aren't (ecstasy). you can't simply blanket all drugs like that

and how is comparing legalising drugs to umm....legalising drugs in america not a very good one? prohibition lasted almost ten years, during which, like i said above, crime and alcohol use increased

I agree, some drugs are not as addictive. Ecstasy is often used as a rape drug, and thus I wouldn't be too supportive of it being made even more widely available.

and how is comparing legalising drugs to umm....legalising drugs in america not a very good one? prohibition lasted almost ten years, during which, like i said above, crime and alcohol use increased

Before that period of 10 years there was a long period where there were no laws against it, in Australia there have for a long time been laws against such drugs.

if recreational drugs were to be legalised, then yes, i do believe that less people will use them

Why will less people take them? do you believe there is a large segment of drug users that simply take drugs because they are illegal as a rebelious act or something?

I would assume that the current drug users would continue to take the drugs, more drug users would be drawn in slowly over time as it becomes more acceptable to take drugs.

and when they do use them they are more likely to be responsible as there will be more information about the safe use of drugs, and more support available for those that do have a problem

How will there be more support available?
While certainly I support distributing information about the 'safe' use of drugs, even as drugs are illegal, I do not believe this leads necessarily to more responsibility. Addictions are hard things to break.

Like the person who's husband died in a car crash, who's daughter was run over by a car, etc. Using your logic, perhaps we should ban cars too. They contribute thousands of deaths each year and I am sure have caused a lot of unhappiness.

Personally if it was my choice I would probably be making moves to eliminate cars and move towards a complete public transport system.

 

[crazyhomo]

cigarettes and nicotine are legal, widely available, and highly addictive. use of this drug is decreasing because people are being made aware of it's side effects, and being given help in quitting

alcohol consumption dropped when prohibition ended

there are plenty of reasons to show that drug use will drop if it were legalised

 

[Not-That-Bright]

cigarettes and nicotine are legal, widely available, and highly addictive. use of this drug is decreasing because people are being made aware of it's side effects, and being given help in quitting

I agree, I would much rather people gave up the drugs on their own, however at the same time I do not agree with facilitating bad choices.

alcohol consumption dropped when prohibition ended

there are plenty of reasons to show that drug use will drop if it were legalised

Can you give me some other than what I said and the prohibition argument, which I do not buy is the same as the effect you would see if you made party drugs legal.

Also, while I may be willing to believe that alcohol consumption dropped when prohibition ended (how you get statistics on that I would be uncertain), my question would be whether percentage wise it is now higher then before?

 

[crazyhomo]

Personally if it was my choice I would probably be making moves to eliminate cars and move towards a complete public transport system.

yeah, because trains never crash

 

[Not-That-Bright]

Of course trains occassionally will crash, but the % of deaths would be much lower than with cars where most accidents are caused by people speeding and under the influence of some drug. A public transport system could also minimise waste and save people money while increasing the efficiency of the economy.

 

[crazyhomo]

Also, while I may be willing to believe that alcohol consumption dropped when prohibition ended (how you get statistics on that I would be uncertain), my question would be whether percentage wise it is now higher then before?

http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-157.html

i don't have any statistics that compare alcohol use between now and the 1930s. but as shown by this article, alcohol use remained fairly constant before prohibition, skyrocketed during prohibition, and the returned to it's previous state once prohibition ended

Prohibition was supposed to be an economic and moral bonanza. Prisons and poorhouses were to be emptied, taxes cut, and social problems eliminated. Productivity was to skyrocket and absenteeism disappear. The economy was to enter a never-ending boom. That utopian outlook was shattered by the stock market crash of 1929. Prohibition did not improve productivity or reduce absenteeism.[55] In contrast, private regulation of employees' drinking improved productivity, reduced absenteeism, and reduced industrial accidents wherever it was tried before, during, and after Prohibition.[56]

In some countries, such as Portugal there is no drinking age and while there is more alcohol use there is less alcoholism and alcohol abuse most likely because teens are usually taught how to drink gradually, moderately, and responsibly. The same could be done for all drugs gradually accompanied by more cultural emphasis on moderation and responsibility. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arguments_for_and_against_drug_prohibition)

 

[crazyhomo]

Of course trains occassionally will crash, but the % of deaths would be much lower than with cars where most accidents are caused by people speeding and under the influence of some drug. A public transport system could also minimise waste and save people money while increasing the efficiency of the economy.

'some drug'? ummm...that would be alcohol you're talking about, a drug that is completely legal. do you support alcohol prohibition as well?

 

[Not-That-Bright]

Yes I do, I believe alcohol should be phased out and made illegal also.

 

[crazyhomo]

Yes I do, I believe alcohol should be phased out and made illegal also.

even though the last time this happened violent crime increased as alcohol distribution was taken over by organised crime? the number of people in prison also increased? and work productivity decreased?

 

[Not-That-Bright]

even though the last time this happened violent crime increased as alcohol distribution was taken over by organised crime? the number of people in prison also increased? and work productivity decreased?

The entire thing was implimented in the wrong way. Personally due to the long culture of alcohol use I would first begin a public campaign about the issues with alcohol (something that is not currently done, at least... i don't see one out there?).

Then I would begin to try to garner support for further restrictions upon alcohol, including more restrictions on their marketing... Vodka cruisers are definately targetted at young teenage girls.

A part of course of dealing with the problem of alcohol/drugs has to be addressing the issue of why people turn to such things.

Essentially I do not believe that an outright ban would be effective.

 

[crazyhomo]

The entire thing was implimented in the wrong way. Personally due to the long culture of alcohol use I would first begin a public campaign about the issues with alcohol (something that is not currently done, at least... i don't see one out there?).

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=...campaign&btnG=Google+Search&meta=cr=countryAU

A part of course of dealing with the problem of alcohol/drugs has to be addressing the issue of why people turn to such things.

Essentially I do not believe that an outright ban would be effective.

but outright bans on other drugs have been effective? ones that sweep the issue under the carpet?

 

[Not-That-Bright]

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=...=cr=countryAU

If i'm not aware of the campaign, it's not working.

but outright bans on other drugs have been effective? ones that sweep the issue under the carpet?

Of course I don't believe that the current situation of simply banning the drugs is correct. I believe the bans need to stay in place, but that there is more we can do in order to turn people away from such drugs to begin with.

 

[crazyhomo]

If i'm not aware of the campaign, it's not working.

well, if you're not aware of it

 

[Not-That-Bright]

What, are you telling me you're aware of some direct campaign fighting alcohol? I don't see too many ads on tv, just that one where some guys playing pool... and I would say that isn't that effective particularily amongst younger users.