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Debate Info

3
16
Criminals Victims
Debate Score:19
Arguments:14
Total Votes:35
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Argument Ratio

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 Criminals (3)
 
 Victims (11)

Debate Creator

sayyad99(773) pic



Are people who are addicted to heroin criminals or victims?

Do you think that people who are addicted to heroin are criminals because the act of using heroin itself is a crime and heroin addiction serves a purpose of leading them to commit more crimes? Many murders and crimes are also committed by drug or substance abusers but on the other hand of the argument, do you view these people as criminals or rather as victims to their own addiction due to the severity of negative situations in their lives? Do you think that heroin users should be rehabilitated or sent to jail as a form of deterrence?

Criminals

Side Score: 3
VS.

Victims

Side Score: 16
1 point

heroin addicts are all junkies.they all abuse drugs and abuse other ppl around them.they steal,rob family members,fite, and infest cities. they are all nasty putrid ppl. they let dss take their kids and put them up for adoption. they have babies born addicted to heroin and methadone.this just discusts me. i feel so bad for the unborn babies being tortured by methode cuz their peice of shit mothers do nothing else but use dope. most of the mothers have hep c too and rotten nasty teeth. they most always live in programs of shelters and are on welfare. they take handouts from who ever. their way of life is just NASTY!! they hate on the normal ppl around them to make themselves feel better too. the only job they ever held faithfully is their community service. they walk into stores and just straight steal and are dumb enuf to get caught. then they make the papr and every1 reads their arrest. how embarressing.either that...or they prostitute themselves like its no big deal. they share their needles and never shower.they all have big ass pits in their faces cuz. they are ugly as SHIT AND SMELL TOO.ohh and they all look like ther are in their 70's when they are really like 30. i hate them all. they are a discrace to society 100%. they should be gassed and burried.OUR TAX MONEY COULD BE PUT TO BETTER USE THEN THE METHADONE CLINIC!!!!!!

JUNKIE LOSER LIFE
Side: criminals
-7 points
sayyad99(773) Disputed
1 point

Would you label someone an idiot who loses a close friend or loved one, has no family support and turns to drugs or would you refer them to get the necessary treatment they need? What if their family member was murdered? That makes them a victim as well because they are a family member who have lost a loved one or it could be a victim who was victimized and resorted to drugs because there is no one in their lives to fullfil the role of being a role model or conselor. I dont see them as idiots but I do see them as human beings capable of committing mistakes just like me and you. Who am i to judge them as being an idiot when i myself look like an idiot calling them an idiot.

Side: victims
3 points

I don't find that they are criminals because they are using Heroin. Now the person who sold them the Heroin now that is a criminal. Unless they themselves commited a crime.

I don't they are victims because they "chose" to use the drug. there are many other ways to deal with the situation surrounding them, the heroin is just an easy way out of a problem, but they don't realize that it just creates more problems for them.

They should be in rehab not in prison, I believe that putting someone like that in prison will only make them worse. They just need someone to help them and maybe listen.

Side: victims
1 point

I agree with you to the full extent on your argument. I think that putting people in prison or jail for using drugs is worse because drugs can still be supplied in prison and inmates are encouraged to use drugs in prison especially if they join a gang in prison or jail for protection or immunity from being victimized. Also, inmates who ends up being victimized in jail will retaliate against society once they are released.

People who uses drugs sometimes turn to drugs after they lack support from family or have lost a family member or close friend. This can put them in a state of depression which can lead them into using drugs to "escape the emotional pain." These are people who needs help and not punishment.

Also, since a large portion of people are using drugs, they will cause excessive caseloads in the court system and prison overcrowding which will lead to the commission of more crimes and the attention will be diverted from more serious crimes to petty crimes like these.

Side: victims
2 points

I personally believe the that they are the victims because addiction is a disease. A disease that will never be cured. Even if they are clean, they will still long for that drug, cigarette, or drink for the rest of their lives. They brought it onto themselves but they are still the victims of the disease

Side: victims
2 points

They would only be criminals because the government declares them to be criminals since they aren't seeing any tax dollars from "illegal" drugs. They aren't criminal by any intrinsic standard that can be found in nature.

These are people whose lives have not turned out as planned. They are the lowest of the low, when your life is used to feed your addiction. They take drugs to escape the sad reality of their world and then become addicted, and what do we do with these people? We call them criminals and stick them in jail for essentially having a terribly unlucky life and set of circumstances. This is like stepping on a disabled orphan who is drowning in a lake of acid... in front of a puppy. Get these people some help, the real criminals are those who persecute the lowest of the low.

Side: victims
1 point

Neither, they are weak minded individuals who have taken the wrong path. Most will die as a result of their poor life choices, some will recover.

Side: victims
2 points

Thats true what you are saying. I think we need to step in and help them as much as we can to embetter them and make them productive members of society because if we continue losing people to drugs, then our society will be weakened. Some will recover but they will never be able to recover without us giving them as much support as they need.

Side: victims
1 point

A little of both, really. But they do suffer a disease, and they deserve help.

Side: victims
1 point

They are sheep with out a shepard. It is more destructive spiritually then it is physically to tell you the truth.

Side: Lost

Like cocaine addicts, they fell victim to the drug. They should be rehabilitated and not thrown in jail.

Side: Victims