NationStates Jolt Archive

Honored UN member nations! The following is an act we intend to propose if it gains support in this forum:

For too long, users of light recreational drugs have suffered under harsh persecution from their local government, punished harshly for possesion of even the slightest traces of substances. While a decriminalization of all drugs would not be prudent, there needs to be drawn a strict line between what we in RS call "soft drugs", recreational substances that do not enthrall the user in addiction, and hard, harmful narcotics like amphetamines, cocaine and heroin.

Red Scandinavia proposes a thorough decriminalization of the following substances:

I. All hallucinogenic entheogens that are not physically addictive and overly poisonous, including but not limited to: Cannabis, psilocybine mushrooms, Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, 2CB, 2C-T-7 and Di-Methyl-Tryptamine containing roots and tree barks.

II. Any natural(as in, organic) stimulant that is not dangerous in recreational doses, such as ephedra sinica, caffeine, cola nuts and guarana extracts.

III. Any relaxant drug that is not dangerous in recreational doses, such as amyl nitrate, kava kava and gammahydrobutanol.

IV. Any new recreational drug that is discovered in nature or fabricated by the medicinal industry and fits above criteria.

To whit: Any drugs the ingestion of which harms no one but the user him/herself.

The reason we propose this as an UN-wide resolution is that criminalizing recreational substances is a gross infringement on basic human liberties, incarcerating million upon million of UN citizens every year of the charge of possessing or selling flowers, roots or mushrooms that they themselves choose to own and proliferate.

We do not encourage the use of recreational drugs in any way, shape or form, but the billions of dollars spent every year on fighting the "War on Drugs" are wasted and only serve to further harm and harass UN citizens.

Addendums:

The Eredron addendum: No U.N. member nation shall ever be forced to pay to treat those who suffer from medical problems attributed to said drug use - Unless their welfare initiatives are compliant with such aid(given that none of the decriminalized drugs are dangerous in this fashion, we don't foresee this to be a problem).

The Myopian-Reformation addendum: Ingestion of recreational drugs should fall under the same scrutiny as alcohol and tobacco consumption, and may therefore be banned from public places and establishments in some cases. Any and all recreational drugs that impair the users motor skills, judgment and perceptive attention are also strictly forbidden to use while driving or operating heavy machinery.


Any and all feedback will be heartily appreciated!

Regards,
Mogens Lykketoft,
Current speaker on Foreign Affairs,
Red Scandinavia.

The Holy Republic of Eredron would not be opposed to said proposal, providing that no UN member will ever be forced to pay to treat those who suffer from overdoses, or other medical emergencies attributed to said drug use.

This affecting the whole UN, were it to come to a full vote we would be voting NO.

We are strictly anti-drug, although we do not mind what people do in the privacy of their own homes. Hence smoking is banned in all public places, but not the home.

The Nsendalen government also believes that if your citizens are resorting to drugs to get by, there is something wrong with your country. There are many ways to get enjoyment out of life, and altering your brain chemistry should not be one that is practised.

It affects the entire UN for one reason: That it should not be illegal. In fact, man's relation with entheogenic drugs run back to the dawn of our species, and we do not only take them to "get by", far from it - Escapism is a tendency that is practiced with both legal and illegal drugs, as well as many other kinds of abuse, and it is only combatted in one way: With progressive social policies.

We cannot continue to criminalize light recreational substances that are not addictive and do not harm(if even that) the user. These drugs are people's own decision to grow, manufacture and ingest - we can't and shouldn't persecute them for this, surely?

Regards,
M. Lykketoft.

We of Letila, decendents of the glorious nation of Terra Pvlchra, ask that small amounts of anti-racism legislation be added, unless this proposal is probably going to fail, as then it will due us little good.

Red Scandinavia proposes a COMPLETE decriminalization of the following substances:

I. All hallucinogenic entheogens that... ...including but not limited to: Cannabis, psilocybine mushrooms, Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, 2CB, 2C-T-7 and Di-Methyl-Tryptamine containing roots and tree barks.


The last time I checked, cannabis was smoked, not ingested. It has hallucinogenic properties. I do not want to be 'inconvenienced' by someone else's escapism and choices. If the volume of smoke was large enough, and dense enough, there is also the possiblity of myself being affected, either to the same or a lesser degree, by the drug in question.

The hallucinogenic properties of these drugs also impair the perception and often judgement of the user. This could lead to a crime being committed that would not have occured with the drug's use.

Red Scandinavia proposes a COMPLETE decriminalization of the following substances:

I. All hallucinogenic entheogens that are not physically addictive and overly poisonous, including but not limited to: Cannabis, psilocybine mushrooms, Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, 2CB, 2C-T-7 and Di-Methyl-Tryptamine containing roots and tree barks.

II. Any natural(as in, organic) stimulant that is not dangerous in recreational doses, such as ephedra sinica, caffeine, cola nuts and guarana extracts.

III. Any relaxant drug that is not dangerous in recreational doses, such as amyl nitrate, kava kava and gammahydrobutanol.

IV. Any new recreational drug that is discovered in nature or fabricated by the medicinal industry and fits above criteria.



We would vote nay on this. Drugs, whether harmful or not, should not be allowed in public!

If done in the comfort of one's own home, I gotz to problem. But a COMPLETE decriminalization means we could not lock up people who were on an acid trip and behind the whell of a car, or operating heavy machinery.

No way, dude. Come back when you've really thought this through.

Alcohol and tobacco are both legal in most places, and they do demostratably more harm than any recreational drug. Alcohol alone accounts for several orders of magnitude more deaths and hospital visits than _all_ recreational drugs combined. In places where drugs are legal or decrinialised, there has been a decrease in use, not increase. Based on the standard set forth by allowing alcohol and tobacco to be sold and consumed, then all so called illegal drugs shoul dimmediately be legalised. The "war on drugs" is a collosal waste of resources. a fraction of what is currently spent on the wod would easily pay for all "public" costs incurred by legalisation of all drugs. In light of this, we woudl fully support any resolution that called for the end to the WOD.

Red Scandinavia proposes a COMPLETE decriminalization of the following substances:

I. All hallucinogenic entheogens that... ...including but not limited to: Cannabis, psilocybine mushrooms, Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, 2CB, 2C-T-7 and Di-Methyl-Tryptamine containing roots and tree barks.


The last time I checked, cannabis was smoked, not ingested. It has hallucinogenic properties. I do not want to be 'inconvenienced' by someone else's escapism and choices. If the volume of smoke was large enough, and dense enough, there is also the possiblity of myself being affected, either to the same or a lesser degree, by the drug in question.

The hallucinogenic properties of these drugs also impair the perception and often judgement of the user. This could lead to a crime being committed that would not have occured with the drug's use.

Actually cannabis can be ingested in the form of spacecake. When smoking it, almost all THC in it will be absorbed into the lungs, leaving the smoke that's left to be as harmful as normal tobacco. You won't get stoned because people near you smoke cannabis. When on cannabis, people tend to be more laid back and less aggressive. Alcohol on the other hand is way more damaging and leads to an increase in crime. This, however is not banned.
Mushrooms leads to hallucinations, yes, but why would one even think of committing a crime when on them? The ones who use it are way too busy with processing all the wonderfull shapes, colours and lack of worries to commit crimes.

An advantage of legislation of the less dangerous drugs is that the use of dangerous ones actually decreases.

I would definitely agree with this proposal, as long as two things are made clear:

1 - these drugs are not to be taken in public places, only in private homes and establishments with the permission of the owner
2 - governments are obliged to put into effect reasonable measures to protect other citizens, especially children, for instance banning driving whilst under the influence and not smoking around children. The UN can intervene if governments put into place measures which do not keep to the spirit of this resolution.

We are fortunate to receive so much input and realize that some changes will indeed have to be made.

Reformation and Myopia>> As far as I understand, most nations have laws of decent behavior, exposure etc. that will make sure intoxicated people 'freaking out' or causing harm and offense to others in public are duly punished. And Myopia, we do support UN intervention to nations that do not manage their drug sale, consumption and manufacture in a sensible way. This will be added to the proposal as well. Also, harsh penalties should befall nations that start to mass produce and decriminalize decidedly addictive and harmful chemicals like MDMA("ecstacy"), Cocaine, PMMA and heroine.

As for use of machinery and/or automobiles and other vessels, it is clear that if your nation does not have additional laws prohibiting driving and heavy lift(etc.) operation under the influence of any and all drugs(perhaps excluding cannabis as studies show 'stoned' drivers are more cautious than usual - However, It is RS stance that no drinking or drug influence whatsoever is allowed before or when driving or operating any vehicle), it should have. If there is support for adding forced laws on clean driving and heavy machinery operation, we'll add it - Although it might be prudent first to vote for this proposal, and then for a new one regarding driving.

Nsendalen>> We understand your concern. As marijuana, when smoked, is indeed an act of smoking, it should naturally fall under your nations' smoking laws(and banned from public places, if that is your nations' legislation on the issue.).

By the feedback received, we have made several addendums to the proposal, and suggest the debating nations re-review it and give their opinion.