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I agree in that perspective. But what if one uses and abuses illegal drugs? It is still their own personal responsibility, but it is something they should be aware enough of the consequences to prevent beforehand. If it were just drugs like medicine or pills, then it would lie in the responsibility of the pharmacies that provided them.
I felt similarly until I learned more about the effects of methamphetamines in particular, and now I am conflicted. It's difficult to support the legal manufacture and distribution of such toxic chemicals for human consumption. There are drugs that are exponentially more harmful than alcohol. On the other hand, I have always disagreed with people trying to make distinctions between drugs that they think are okay for others to use, and drugs that are not.
I think Portugal has a pretty good model, although I am not sure how it would translate in the US. Drug use is completely decriminalized, but trafficking is still illegal. This enables the government to focus time and resources on rehabilitation for people who seek it rather than expensively incarcerating them. So far it seems to have had pretty positive effects.
If you only decriminalize drug use, there still the problem of trafficking, as you mentioned, but again, if it is put into retail stores, trafficking illegal drugs is a business of the past.
if it is put into retail stores, trafficking illegal drugs is a business of the past.
Not entirely accurate. If it is made legal it will be taxed, which will see the rise of an alternative black market whose aim is to evade this levy for the purpose of profit. This has happened with tobacco (i.e smuggled cigarettes) and I see no reason as to why the same logic need not apply to other narcotics.
Who said anything about it being taxed? Cigarettes are highly over taxed.
The government using taxes as a deterrent is obviously ineffective. People still smoke despite tax. The same goes for beer and booze. It is almost taxed 40% more than retail price while cigarettes are 80%.
Maybe we have different goals. While I believe people should not be incarcerated based on what substances they chose to consume, I do not think it is beneficial to anyone for the government to facilitate higher rates of drug use. Legalizing both use and distribution would, I believe, do exactly that, although I admit a regulated system would be preferable to the modern drug market.
I do not think it is beneficial to anyone for the government to facilitate higher rates of drug use.
They won't. Private companies would. It wouldn't be any different than Budweiser or Miller facilitate a drug to the public.
Also, the government has no right to tell how or what should do to their bodies. That is what freedom. America has an illusion of freedom with more and more government.
If people really want to make a difference in THEIR OWN LIFE, then they would take the step in doing so. Arresting, or charging them won't make a difference because when they are released, all they have to do is get into "Grandma's pills" for another high.
Just a quick point I would like to make, abusing drugs should be treated as a matter of public health, but the topic does in fact state "illegal drugs". We should keep in mind that to obtain and use or do something illegal would be against the law, and would be a matter of criminal justice.
Question: To obtain and use illegal drugs would be committing a crime would it not?
People in todays society can be very depressed and lonely or just feel like there is an emptiness in them selves this can lead to drug use which can be illegal drugs which posses a very big problem, but if we view this as a abuse of selling then its criminal justice, aside that, drugs can lead to various affects on the human body and mind, which all come to a horrible end, death, but when a person wants to stop usually they cant because of the addiction that drugs have epically heroine and cocaine, marijuana (weed) is surprisingly in its self not very addictive but dealers put stuff in them to make it addictive to get money, and this very reason is destroying peoples lives, that every day they spend money to feel good from use of bad things instead of feeling good from good things like family to some sports to others the list is endless but nether-the-less drugs are a big problem and sending these people to jail isn't going to help but only make things worse because you starve them of there need and they will break and go crazy, also drugs somehow are easily acquired in prison, but with medical help and supervision people can become better or at least cut there use by half.
having libertarian ideals. i believe that all victimless crimes should be ended. including drugs. most harm is done to the individual taking the drug, not its environment.
people use the addicts will do what ever it takes to get them argument to counter me. well yes, because they are illegal, they have to do illegal things to get them usually. if they were legal, crime would drop because people would be able to buy them and distribute them professionally. if people want to be doped up on acid or pot and live in a RV park with other addicts and waste their life away, so be it.
however, of course some drugs are harmful to not just the addict. a person high on heroin or steroids can easily go on roid rage endangering others, some one on shrooms can hallucinate and hurt some one by mistake. if drugs were allowed there would be laws and regulations on them like there are for drugs now, such as tobacco and alcohol.
Illegal drugs should be treated as criminal activity. Most people with the public health argument are lucky to not have to deal with an addict. You can argue for certain drugs maybe but for the most part an addict is not a reasonable person. They will do whatever they can do to get the next high. Lie, steal, kill, it makes no difference. people have pimped ther kids for drugs. You say rehab, I say unless someone wants to get clean they wont get clean.
No we cant force them to stop, but we can make them aware of the effects of drugs and why they should stop and also the passive effects of drugs and hopefully they will listen or they will die by there own hand.
The answer is obvious since it is a health issue and a crime. We quarantine them and rehabilitate them. It involves punishment so they hopefully don't relapse but also real rehabilitation as if it were a medical condition.
It should be treated as a matter of criminal justice for the simple reason of the wording. The word illegal is so tied up with the criminal justice system that to associate it with anything else would make it legal, and by extension, off topic.
