NationStates Jolt Archive


Criminalise it?

Rambhutan
06-02-2008, 14:08
There is a thread about legalising drugs that are currently illegal - what about substances that are currently legal (I am thinking mainly of things like Salvia Divinorum), should they be made illegal? Is what we really need in terms of drugs policy is a consistent approach rather than the current rather messy and illogical system?
Euadnam
06-02-2008, 14:09
Let's criminalize sauerkraut. I hate that stuff. :mad:




Yes, I'm joking. (About criminalizing it, not about hating it.)
Extreme Ironing
06-02-2008, 14:10
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=549010
Peepelonia
06-02-2008, 14:18
It's beyond hypocrasy to allow certian recreationl substances whilst banning others. Either totaly engage in nannying us and ban it all, or alllow it all. That really is the only way to go.
Mad hatters in jeans
06-02-2008, 14:21
It's beyond hypocrasy to allow certian recreationl substances whilst banning others. Either totaly engage in nannying us and ban it all, or alllow it all. That really is the only way to go.

I say ban no drugs, but ban the dealers, make legal dealers at special shops for drugs (say a pharmacist) then crime rates go down, and less glorification of drugs.
Rambhutan
06-02-2008, 14:22
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=549010

I was hoping I was making a subtly different point - if the mods think it is too close I hope they will merge them.
Cabra West
06-02-2008, 14:43
There was an interesting show in BBC 2 last night. They were scientifically analysing 20 of the most commonly used drugs to estimate their potential danger. The aspects they were looking at were addictiveness, health dangers and related deaths.

The hierarchy they established that way was extremely interesting : Tobacco was at number 11, more dangerous than extasy, cannabis or LSD. That was mostly due to the number of people dying from the effects each year in the UK, with tobacco killing somewhere around 150 000, and cannabis, LSD and extasy killing 0. Even taking it in proportion with the estimated number of users of each drug, tobacco was still way ahead.

Alcohol actually made it into the top 3, only topped by heroin in addictiveness, related health problems and numbers of deaths associated. Many of the experts stated that if alcohol was a new drug, it would be regarded as extremely dangerous, but since it's got such a long cultural history, people tend not to take it serious.
Amor Pulchritudo
06-02-2008, 14:54
There is a thread about legalising drugs that are currently illegal - what about substances that are currently legal (I am thinking mainly of things like Salvia Divinorum), should they be made illegal? Is what we really need in terms of drugs policy is a consistent approach rather than the current rather messy and illogical system?

Are you suggesting we criminalise alcohol? That's a widespread, readily available, legal recreational drug.

[PS: This thread was really unecessary.]
B E E K E R
06-02-2008, 15:05
There was an interesting show in BBC 2 last night. They were scientifically analysing 20 of the most commonly used drugs to estimate their potential danger. The aspects they were looking at were addictiveness, health dangers and related deaths.

The hierarchy they established that way was extremely interesting : Tobacco was at number 11, more dangerous than extasy, cannabis or LSD. That was mostly due to the number of people dying from the effects each year in the UK, with tobacco killing somewhere around 150 000, and cannabis, LSD and extasy killing 0. Even taking it in proportion with the estimated number of users of each drug, tobacco was still way ahead.

Alcohol actually made it into the top 3, only topped by heroin in addictiveness, related health problems and numbers of deaths associated. Many of the experts stated that if alcohol was a new drug, it would be regarded as extremely dangerous, but since it's got such a long cultural history, people tend not to take it serious.

I watched Horizon too...and to be honest...ive used at least 14-15 of the drugs mentioned with no ill effects with the exception of alcohol and cigarettes...which is probably doing more damage to me than any...it makes me laugh how law enforcement will pull a person up for having a joint...when there are idiots out there drinking themselves stupid and kicking the fuck out of each other...its a topsy turvy world we live in...
VietnamSounds
06-02-2008, 15:08
Listerine destroys lives!
Rambhutan
06-02-2008, 15:08
Are you suggesting we criminalise alcohol? That's a widespread, readily available, legal recreational drug.

[PS: This thread was really unecessary.]

I am suggesting that laws should be based on logic - we need to decide what the reasons we ban substances are. If it is harm then alcohol and tobacco would be top of the list to make illegal.
Euadnam
06-02-2008, 15:23
That's a widespread, readily available, legal recreational drug.

Thank God. :)
Yootopia
06-02-2008, 17:07
Any Salvia. I've lost a couple of mates to that shit, and if they banned it then it might be a lot harder for them to have gone down that road :(
Euadnam
06-02-2008, 17:07
Listerine destroys lives!

Won't someone please think of the poor bacteria? :(




:D
Conserative Morality
06-02-2008, 17:08
I like to look at it like this: If somone wants to screw themselves over by taking drugs, let them do it! it's not my body, they can do what they want with themselves. Short of harming somone else phisically or finacially.
Constantanaple
06-02-2008, 17:10
the government doesnt have the right to tell us wether we can smoke or take drugs. Its not their right
Amor Pulchritudo
06-02-2008, 23:03
the government doesnt have the right to tell us wether we can smoke or take drugs. Its not their right

I agree. Everyone's upset that Missisippi or wherever (in some other thread) is trying to ban fatty food for the obese, and that's outraging everyone. But the fact that the government is dictating what we do in our own home? That's ok... :rolleyes:
Knights of Liberty
06-02-2008, 23:12
Are you suggesting we criminalise alcohol? That's a widespread, readily available, legal recreational drug.

[PS: This thread was really unecessary.]



Thatd be a fantastic idea.



Oh wait. We tried that in the US. It was called Prohibition. That worked out well.
Redwulf
07-02-2008, 04:28
Any Salvia. I've lost a couple of mates to that shit,

How so? I've heard a few reports of suicides or murders, but Salvia is supposed to make you damn near immobile when you're high on it. Given that I chalk such reports up to either their Salvia being cut with something else (or the user mixing in other drugs ON PURPOSE) or complete BS. Of course if you mean instead that you lost them to being stoned all the time you could just have easily lost them to something like spending all their time online.