And by 'it' I mean everything.
I don't partake. I know some that do.
My main issue with drugs being illegal is the idea that nanny should tell me what I can put in my body. If I want to spend my Friday night frolicking with the fluorescent fireflies why do you care? Is it any of your business? No.
All drugs, weed, ecstasy, cocaine, heroin... everything should be available at Boots. Why ensure that the drugs people can buy are unsafe? The anthrax outbreak in Glasgow last year shows what happens when the trade in drugs is unregulated and illegal. You want to stop people overdosing because they're unsure how much actual product is in the package they buy? Legalise the drugs, make them available at any pharmacy - or any shop that wants to stock them for that matter. Make them safe, make them legal.
Switzerland allows heroin users to buy their drugs from clinics and inject in a safe environment - addiction is treated as the medical condition it is and the addicts can be sure the heroin they are using is safe.
By legalising drugs you can also tax them, not something I'd encourage but governments need some reason to do it. Instead of spending money in the war on drugs the money can be spent in other areas or, even better, given back to taxpayers. Since Richard Nixon started the 'War on Drugs' in 1972 the US has spent countless billions combating South American drug lords and imprisoning drug users at home.The War on Drugs has also ensured that America
If someone is willing to pay £40 for a gram of coke then someone is going to find a way to ship a kilo in. There is no way the government can stop it. The illegality of drugs just criminalises millions of people over the globe who are either trying to make a living or have a medical problem. If you legalise drugs you remove a huge part of the financial incentive for growing drugs.
Portugal legalised possession for personal use in 2000/2001 and since then has seen large drops in new HIV/AIDS cases, increased treatment and decreased use.
I don't partake. I know some that do.
My main issue with drugs being illegal is the idea that nanny should tell me what I can put in my body. If I want to spend my Friday night frolicking with the fluorescent fireflies why do you care? Is it any of your business? No.
All drugs, weed, ecstasy, cocaine, heroin... everything should be available at Boots. Why ensure that the drugs people can buy are unsafe? The anthrax outbreak in Glasgow last year shows what happens when the trade in drugs is unregulated and illegal. You want to stop people overdosing because they're unsure how much actual product is in the package they buy? Legalise the drugs, make them available at any pharmacy - or any shop that wants to stock them for that matter. Make them safe, make them legal.
Switzerland allows heroin users to buy their drugs from clinics and inject in a safe environment - addiction is treated as the medical condition it is and the addicts can be sure the heroin they are using is safe.
By legalising drugs you can also tax them, not something I'd encourage but governments need some reason to do it. Instead of spending money in the war on drugs the money can be spent in other areas or, even better, given back to taxpayers. Since Richard Nixon started the 'War on Drugs' in 1972 the US has spent countless billions combating South American drug lords and imprisoning drug users at home.The War on Drugs has also ensured that America
If someone is willing to pay £40 for a gram of coke then someone is going to find a way to ship a kilo in. There is no way the government can stop it. The illegality of drugs just criminalises millions of people over the globe who are either trying to make a living or have a medical problem. If you legalise drugs you remove a huge part of the financial incentive for growing drugs.
Portugal legalised possession for personal use in 2000/2001 and since then has seen large drops in new HIV/AIDS cases, increased treatment and decreased use.
I completely agree with you. The so-called 'nanny state' has some benefits, but in areas such of this where we should have real autonomy over ourselves, there should be less intervention.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, your argument that legalising it would reduce the risks is spot on. It is always argued that the law creates criminals, and that something being defined as bad makes people want to do it. Legalising drugs would have a more positive impact.