NationStates Jolt Archive

Dear fellow UN Members and Delegates,
I beg you to approve my proposal (follows shortly) as it is beneficial for all except those who will be affected by this.

Saint Les,
Delegate for The Continent of Spam

Proposal
Don't do Drugs, Drugs are Bad
A resolution to ban, legalize, or encourage recreational drugs.


Category: Recreational Drug Use
Decision: Outlaw
Proposed by: Saint Les

Description:
Proposal: To ban all uses of all drugs with a one exception,
1. Paracetamol, Co-codamol etc... (Medical drugs)

Reasons: All UN nations MUST realise that the recreational and illegal use of drugs is damaging to both the health system and the economy and also means most nations must attempt to raise the reign of the police over citizens. People on drugs are usually not aware of their actions and enter into dangerous situations which can be hazardous to their own health and/or the health of others.
Finally, drugs can effect minors as well. Not only does this ruin their chances in life, it also reflects badly on the education system that individual nations and the UN have worked hard to build.

So in conclusion, drugs NEED to be banned in order to:
A) Improve the economy,
B) Reduce crime,
C) Relieve some strain off the health sector,
D) Reduce the corruption of minors.

P.S. If any member of a nation who has a UN delegate who might be for this proposal or you yourself agree with this, please encourage your delegate to vote.
Thank You.

Not of international interest, not likely to pass, not interested.

Sorry.

It doesn't get my approval, as I know there is nothing wrong with recreational use of marijuana. So, on principle and with personal knowledge, I can't let such a proposal pass.

Proposal: To ban all uses of all drugs with a one exception,
1. Paracetamol, Co-codamol etc... (Medical drugs)
Since every drug known could conceivably be described as a "Medical drug" by some organization or another, this proposal is entirely toothless. Besides that, there's no argument, just a handful of unsubstantiated opinions.

No thanks.

No way. If you pass this, which you wouldn't manage, we would not enforce it, and probably find a way to classify all of them as medicines.

In _Myopia_, all recreational drugs are legal. This is good for the rights of the individual, the state of society, and the state of the economy. It also means that those who choose to take drugs are much safer.

Don't do Drugs, Drugs are Bad

Classic slogan, but the blanket statement is not a good argument. It's perfectly possible to have a healthy relationship with drugs (more possible when it's legal and regulated - it isn't the drugs that are inherently bad, it's the way people use them - not to say that drug abuse can't be very dangerous, but the risk can be significantly reduced), some scientists are becoming convinced that the use of mind-altering substances is a natural behaviour, and it's actually easier to openly educate people on the potential dangers when they're legal. E.g. I have had a very thorough and detailed education from school about cigarettes, and it has helped discourage smoking. Conversely, my official education about illegal drugs didn't extend much past the level of detail of your title.

Proposal: To ban all uses of all drugs with a one exception,
1. Paracetamol, Co-codamol etc... (Medical drugs)

This is appallingly ill-defined. Thanks :D

All UN nations MUST realise that the recreational and illegal use of drugs is damaging

Hit the nail on the head. Illegal drug use is far more damaging than legal drug use - you don't reliably know the strength or purity of what you're getting, you can't make such educated choices, you have to get involved with and fund criminals, etc.

to both the health system

Well, as I've said, legal regulated drugs don't pose so much of a threat to health, plus our drug users cover their medical costs for our health services through the fairly heavy drug taxes.

and the economy

Um, how do you figure this? Drug-related agriculture, transport, retail etc. is a large industry, which when legal can provide employment and tax revenue (look at the sizes of the alcohol and tobacco industries in reality). It's also good for other recreational industries to have it legal - consider an individual who sets aside a certain amount of money for recreation each week, including for drugs he uses responsibly. With drugs legal and thus much cheaper than with artificially inflated prohibition prices, he has more of his recreation budget left over to spend on going to the cinema, buying CDs, eating out, whatever.

also means most nations must attempt to raise the reign of the police over citizens. People on drugs are usually not aware of their actions and enter into dangerous situations which can be hazardous to their own health and/or the health of others.

:confused: Prohibition causes vast wastage of police and judicial system time, and prison space, chasing and punishing people in a largely futile war on personal choice (in RL UK, the Metropolitan - London - police saved 50,000 hours on drug-related crime after cannabis was downgraded so they could just confiscate it without always having to arrest the user. Think of the effect if all drugs were fully legalised). Legalisation allows police to concentrate on catching criminals who actually harm others, and so police should easily be able to deal with the few more cases of drug-induced violence (but remember, since prices are lower when it's legal, addicts won't resort to theft so much to fund their habits. They can also be helped more easily, as addiction can be treated as an illness not a crime.)

Finally, drugs can effect minors as well. Not only does this ruin their chances in life, it also reflects badly on the education system that individual nations and the UN have worked hard to build.

Legal, regulated retailers are much less likely to sell to kids (when there's an age limit) than drug dealers who are already breaking the law. It's probably easier for the average 14 year old (under drug prohibition in a nation where alcohol is legal over 18) to obtain marijuana than alcohol. I know at least anecdotally from friends.