NationStates Jolt Archive


Do you think drugs should be decriminalized, or legalized?

Greater Valia
12-12-2006, 18:24
Like the title says. And if you say no, then explain in your post.
The Nazz
12-12-2006, 18:26
Which drugs? Marijuana--legalized. Meth--still illegal. Acid--decriminalized. There's no way to reasonably answer that question under the umbrella of "drugs."
Greater Valia
12-12-2006, 18:27
Which drugs? Marijuana--legalized. Meth--still illegal. Acid--decriminalized. There's no way to reasonably answer that question under the umbrella of "drugs."

All drugs.
Nadkor
12-12-2006, 18:27
If I vote "yes" am I voting for legalisation or am I voting for decriminalisation?

If I vote "no" am I voting against legalisation, or am I voting against decriminalisation?

Poor poll choices...
Undivulged Principles
12-12-2006, 18:27
Marijuana, yes.

Most others (Heroin, Cocaine, Crystal Meth, Acid, Mescaline), no.
TetristanBloc
12-12-2006, 18:28
Legalise them, then crime rates will go down and it will appear the government is tough on crime ;)
Greater Valia
12-12-2006, 18:30
If I vote "yes" am I voting for legalisation or am I voting for decriminalisation?

If I vote "no" am I voting against legalisation, or am I voting against decriminalisation?

Poor poll choices...

For the sake of argument how about both.
Infinite Revolution
12-12-2006, 18:31
the fact that they are illegal creates and causes more crimes and health risks than the drugs themselves. so yes, they should be legal.
Ashmoria
12-12-2006, 18:34
All drugs.

then it depends on what you mean by legalized.

there are many many drugs that need strict regulation of distribution to protect the public safety. most current prescription drugs fall under this notion as well as all the opiates and opiate wannabes.

there are drugs (like meth) whose manufacture needs to be tightly controlled as well as regulation of distribution

there are drugs like marajuana and alcohol that are safe enough for informal home manufacture and only need to be regulated by things like public intoxication and driving under the influence laws.

few things that might be called drugs should be totally legal for anyone to manufacture, distribute or use without some guidance in the form of laws.
The South Islands
12-12-2006, 18:34
All drugs should be legal. If one would like to fuck up their life using hard drugs, why should we stop them?

Barring that, I'd like to see natural drugs legalized. IMHO, legalizing the soft stuff will reduce the number of people using the hard stuff, especially with the naturals being cheap(ish) and easy to get.
Drunk commies deleted
12-12-2006, 18:36
Yes. Legalize them all. Place limits on their use, like no driving under the influence and no use of drugs at work and such, then tax them to help fund drug education campaigns, rehab, and efforts to minimize the harm.
Nadkor
12-12-2006, 18:37
For the sake of argument how about both.

Then I can't vote either way.
The Nazz
12-12-2006, 18:38
All drugs.

Then the answer has to be neither--to act as though marijuana is the same as crystal meth is retarded.
Bookislvakia
12-12-2006, 18:38
Organic drugs: yes. Weed, opiates, cocaine, sure.

Designer drugs: Maybe, depends on the designer drug. Some of them have horrible and unhealthy by-products produced during...production. (ouch) Anyway, as long as producing the drug didn't have truly dangerous by-products, then they'd be fine too (I'm thinking of meth, the gases the process gives off causes severe health problems, not to mention this toxic sludge that's left over)
Farnhamia
12-12-2006, 18:38
What was MTAE's suggestion? The government should capture as many low-level drug dealers as possible and poison their merchandise, then release them to continue selling. Eventually, no drug problem!

Meth should be kept illegal. Heroin, too, methinks, but I could be talked out of that. Cocaine ... I don't know. Certainly marijuana should be legal.
Eve Online
12-12-2006, 18:39
Yes. Legalize them all. Place limits on their use, like no driving under the influence and no use of drugs at work and such, then tax them to help fund drug education campaigns, rehab, and efforts to minimize the harm.

Actually, I think that meth should be provided free in open containers in public schools, so that the truly stupid will eliminate themselves in short order.
Eve Online
12-12-2006, 18:40
Yes. Legalize them all. Place limits on their use, like no driving under the influence and no use of drugs at work and such, then tax them to help fund drug education campaigns, rehab, and efforts to minimize the harm.

Actually, I think that meth should be provided free in open containers in public schools, so that the truly stupid will eliminate themselves in short order.
Eve Online
12-12-2006, 18:40
Yes. Legalize them all. Place limits on their use, like no driving under the influence and no use of drugs at work and such, then tax them to help fund drug education campaigns, rehab, and efforts to minimize the harm.

Actually, I think that meth should be provided free in open containers in public schools, so that the truly stupid will eliminate themselves in short order.
Nevered
12-12-2006, 18:41
allow them under the same laws as cigarettes and alcohol.

use the tax money from them to fund nationwide free drug rehabilitation centers.

If someone wants to screw up their life, that's their choice.

If they want to get better, they should be able to with as much help as possible.

then take all the money from this idiotic "war on drugs" and either lower the taxes that it comes from or just dump it into education.
Smunkeeville
12-12-2006, 18:53
depends on the drug.

I do think that drug users getting locked up in prison is neither helpful or an efficient use of money.
Seangoli
12-12-2006, 18:53
Legalise them, then crime rates will go down and it will appear the government is tough on crime ;)

Actually, this is somewhat true. A large part of the crimes associated with drugs(Those not involved with possession/intent to sell) are largely due to a highly competitive black market for them. By decriminalizing, and even legalizing some drugs, there would be no use for a black market, and many crimes associated with drugs will albeit disappear. For good referrence, look at the Prohibition, the massive black market for alchohol, and violent crimes associated with it. The drug lords and pushers love the fact that drugs are illegal, because if they were not, they would not be able to reap such amazing profits.

From that, I say that some drugs should be legalized(First and foremost marijuana, at the very least for medical use), however should enjoy the same restrictions as alchohol(Driving under the influence would be treated the same, "high in public", age limit), whereas others(Meth is the big one) should remain illegal, largely due to not only the dangerous affects on it's users, but also the dangers involved with the very production of it.
Seangoli
12-12-2006, 18:56
allow them under the same laws as cigarettes and alcohol.

use the tax money from them to fund nationwide free drug rehabilitation centers.

If someone wants to screw up their life, that's their choice.

If they want to get better, they should be able to with as much help as possible.

then take all the money from this idiotic "war on drugs" and either lower the taxes that it comes from or just dump it into education.

Indeed. My brother is incredibly pissed these days over the war on drugs, due to the police in the area focusing so greatly on Marijuana, spending time and money on a more or less harmless drug, when our area is becoming increasingly satuated with Meth, which is all but ignored. My Father, on the other hand, blames all drug use on alchohol... but that's another story. :p
Peepelonia
12-12-2006, 19:02
Yeah legalise all drugs.
Gift-of-god
12-12-2006, 19:50
I'm going to go with across the board legalisation, with controls over production somewhat along the lines of what Ashmoria and Bookie wrote.

I would also like to see opium dens and other places like that make a return; I could see people making money off it. And a system in each municipality for returning used syringes.

These measures would go a long way to making urban parks cleaner and safer. As a parent, I feel this is important for my children.
Kryozerkia
12-12-2006, 20:20
Definitely legalise all soft drugs, and have strict laws on hard drugs just as we do on hard liquor.
Eve Online
12-12-2006, 20:22
Well, you could make a dent in the market for certain drugs like meth and heroin by putting polonium-210 in it and giving it away for free.

By the time the addicts find out it's lethal, it's waaaay too late.

Eliminate the demand, and it will eliminate the suppliers.
Seangoli
12-12-2006, 20:31
Well, you could make a dent in the market for certain drugs like meth and heroin by putting polonium-210 in it and giving it away for free.

By the time the addicts find out it's lethal, it's waaaay too late.

Eliminate the demand, and it will eliminate the suppliers.

MTAE, is that you?
MacDogma
12-12-2006, 20:33
If churches and bars are legal, we'd better legalize the other drugs before we drown in our own hipocrisy.
Kryozerkia
12-12-2006, 20:58
If churches and bars are legal, we'd better legalize the other drugs before we drown in our own hipocrisy.
QFT.
Desperate Measures
12-12-2006, 22:02
Well, you could make a dent in the market for certain drugs like meth and heroin by putting polonium-210 in it and giving it away for free.

By the time the addicts find out it's lethal, it's waaaay too late.

Eliminate the demand, and it will eliminate the suppliers.

Death is my anti-drug?
Andaluciae
12-12-2006, 22:05
Mix of both.

I think that Cocaine, Methamphetamines and Ecstasy are sufficiently dangerous to be regulated, but, stuff that's less harmless than booze, like Marijuana for example, ought to be legalized.
Utracia
12-12-2006, 22:08
Meth should remain illegal. If not, should just tell people its ok to drink bleach or something else as ridiculous as that. Most other things we should just legalize. Tax the hell out of them like we do tobacco and of course raise the cost of health insurance on users like we also do with tobacco. We also add responsibility to the mix, if one commits a crime while under the influence, the offender can not use it as an excuse to get a lesser sentence. If anything they sould get the maximum as they know what happens when you use. Still it being legalized will open up prison space so we can put violent offenders in jail and keep them there.

Marijuana is the big one though, should be made legal yesterday.