# All or nothing?

Category: Let's talk

## Post 1 by Sword of Sapphire (Whether you agree with my opinion or not, you're still gonna read it!) on Monday, 01-Jun-2009 18:01:17

Drug: Any chemical taken into the body that alters the normal processes of either the mind or body.
Biological definition
One question: Can't all drugs be used negatively, or to bring forth satisfying results that cause mental or bodily harm?
Yes. So why are some drugs illegal and some aren't?
I think that all drugs should be legalized. Legalizing drugs will cause the crime rate to decrease, prisons to be less crowded, and deaths related to drug use to decrease. The less crime there is, the less criminals there will be. People won't have to steal, kill, and harm other people to get drugs if the government regulates it. People will not have to pay astronomical prices or go through extreme experiences in order to acquire drugs if the government could just put it in stores, or have stores specifically for drugs such as marijuana.
I say it should be all or nothing. Why is vicatin legal and not cocaine? Any kind of medication out there for pain or anti-depression can be overdosed on. So why some and not all?
And cigarettes cause just as much harm as any other drug.
What do you guys think?

## Post 2 by Daenerys Targaryen (Enjoying Life) on Monday, 01-Jun-2009 18:14:20

Yeah marijuana should be legal. I'm not sure about cocaine or other drugs though.

## Post 3 by Sword of Sapphire (Whether you agree with my opinion or not, you're still gonna read it!) on Monday, 01-Jun-2009 18:19:18

Why aren't you sure? Why shouldn't cocaine and these other drugs be legal? Do you not agree that crime rate, prison population, and drug-related deaths will decrease?

## Post 4 by Eleni21 (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2009 0:29:54

I agree about marajuana but not the rest. While these things may or may not decrease, it's also very possible that the immediate threat to my life would also increase. There are, I'm sure, those out there who don't do drugs cause they're against the law and/or because they're too expensive. I don't want to have more junkies on the streets. Plus which, they'd need to put some kind of antipregnancy law for constant users in affect if they did this. Think how many more babies would be born addicted to things like heroin. That's exactly what happened to me. Born addicted, went through withdrawl and then went blind cause I was born premature. Plus, I've got hyperhydrosis, ensomnia and can feel coldness/dampness faster than most people. No thanks! Btw, there are medical benefits in nicotine but most of these drugs can't be used for health. Also, while we're at it, I'm not too keen on large consumption of alcohol either.

## Post 5 by Mlynwei (Last word? Gimmie the first!) on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2009 15:14:10

I think legalizing all drugs seems to be a big no-no to everyone because there’s a strong possibility that drug use will increase astronomically. And I’m talking everything from grass to the hard stuff. And don’t most drugs impair one’s judgment and generally skew one’s normal thinking patterns? If so there’d most likely be an increase in the crime rate because more people are using, and therefore more people are succumbing to the brain-numbing effects and doing things they ordinarily wouldn’t.
It’s true that if drugs were legalized And sold openly there would be a decrease in drug-related crimes such as possession and distribution. But chances are drug lords would resort to selling, trading and trafficking guns or other illegal weapons. So there could be a massive flood of exotic weaponry coming into the country. And do we really want a rampant gun or nunchuck trade mixed in with an openly drug-soaked society?
Frankly I don’t see any good coming from this. Just IMO, you understand.
Lol, that took all the brain power I thought I had...

## Post 6 by Eleni21 (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2009 15:22:30

Good point. If they can't trade one thing they'll trade another. And then, ontop of drunk drivers killing people we'll have drugged-up ones doing the same.

## Post 7 by Sword of Sapphire (Whether you agree with my opinion or not, you're still gonna read it!) on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2009 15:24:56

Okay, but can't over-the-counter medications have the same effect on you as the other drugs you guys call "the more dangerous stuff?" What I'm trying to get people to understand is that you don't have to find a drug lord to get drugs that will have you hitting the ceiling. You can get stuff that is just as bad from a pharmacy.

## Post 8 by Texas Shawn (The cute, cuddley, little furr ball) on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2009 15:30:08

why not make murder legal, I mean people are going to do it anyway, so why not just make it legal.

## Post 9 by Sword of Sapphire (Whether you agree with my opinion or not, you're still gonna read it!) on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2009 15:34:07

If you think about it murder is already legal. Maybe not so much murder itself, but things or activities that can result in murder i.e., driving, smoking, drinking alcohol, medication from pharmacies, knives, saws, and any other object or activities that can lead to or cause death.

## Post 10 by Eleni21 (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2009 15:50:23

Smoking cannot result in murder unless the person doing it is a complete idiot and purposeful burns a house down, burns someone or smokes while driving and doesn't pay attention to the road. But if we were t9o take things to the extreme as in your example, almost anything can lead to murder. But certain things, like drugs and alcohol have a far grater chance than doing so than others. Most people, for instance, use knives and saws for food and wood respectively. They make conscious decisions not to use these things to kill people. But someone under the influence of drugs can't usually make clear rational decisions and that's what's so dangerous. I don't really care what they do to themselves. If they wanna go somewhere way out in the middle of nowhere and get stoned that's fine with me. It's when they're in society and either hurt people or have children and continue to do these things that I get upset.

## Post 11 by Sword of Sapphire (Whether you agree with my opinion or not, you're still gonna read it!) on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2009 15:55:36

Okay, so you think that legalizing drugs won't decrease the chances of these scenarios, concerning drugs, from happening?

## Post 12 by wildebrew (We promised the world we'd tame it, what were we hoping for?) on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2009 18:11:49

I actually agree on the drug things. You can't create junkies that want to buy illegal weapons, they're not addictive like drugs are, you can't get a 14-year-old to try an AK 47 and then have him or her so addicted he'll buy 3000 of them, it's not the same thing. The ban on alcohol create the U.S. branch of the maphia and brought it unpresidented powers, something we stil don't know how to deal with today.
Legalizing drugs can cut down on abuse, trafficking, prices, cases of HIV, and also allowing, say, heroin users to shoot up only in well clean and confined clinics makes heroin use extremely uncool (Switzerland has tried this and there heroin has gone from the cool drug to one for the pathetic people). Why not try something like this, in a given state or for a given period of time. The existing bullying system isn't working, how many lives, billions of dollars and Columbian killings later, the drug consumption is on the increase. Unfortunately there are people who are stupid enough to do these things and get addicted. I have nothing against safe and very occasional drug use, nothing against pot smoking, in fact I find the smell a heck of a lotmore pleasent than cigarettes. I haven't done any of those myself but in theory I got nothing against trying some day.
An alcohol abuse does not easily lead to murder, it takes a lot of stupidity and other factors for that to happen, mostly through drug driving.
So why can't cancer patients with no hope do heroin to dull the pain where morphine isn't enough, or smoke pot, which is supposed to lesson the effects of chemo therapy drastically. Things like Crystal meth and crack are a problem because how addictive they are, but there are other drugs, extasy, cocaine etc that I think could be legalized to a certain degree in a trial program, to see what happens. Why are drugs such a big no no but anyone and their grand mothers can buy hand guns, machine guns and rifles and if anyone mentions that perhaps it's not a good idea to allow everyone to buy those things people stand up and scream bloody murder (no pun intended) and it's a huge blow against their constitutional freedom.

## Post 13 by Sword of Sapphire (Whether you agree with my opinion or not, you're still gonna read it!) on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2009 21:14:55

Oh, my grapes! Wildebrew, amen, amen, amen! I agree with you 100%! And thank you for backing me up.
Our situation with drugs isn't the same as it was with Prohibition in the 1920's, but haveing the supposed "more dangerous" drugs illegal obviously isn't working.

## Post 14 by SingerOfSongs (Heresy and apostasy is how progress is made.) on Wednesday, 03-Jun-2009 4:48:19

I personally livve by the beleif that if you're not causing harm to others, it's not my business what you're doing. You want to get stoned off your ass, fine. Shoot up other things, great. So long as you don't hurt others. You hurt others though and you should be in trouble. IT's not the drug's faltt really, you made that conscious choice to take it. Take responsibility for what you do.

## Post 15 by turricane (happiness and change are choices ) on Wednesday, 03-Jun-2009 10:03:04

raven, as you know, I'm older than dirt. For the past 40 of the 52 years I've been on this earth, I've mulled legalization of drugs over in my mind. Here's my latest viewpoint on it. Next week, it may be different, but here goes..
From the dawn of time,Altering our consciousness has been universally practiced by societies and cultures. Relaxing with a glass of wine was commonly done in Greece and Rome. Drunkenness was frowned on for the most part. The greek mottoe nothing in excess was practiced by many in that time.
if we look at the history of drugs in this country, before prohibition, marijuana and cocaine were legal. in fact, they could be purchased in pharmacies.
many of the so called patent medications like "mothers friend" were infact elixirs of heroin and were sold door to door. The were purported to relax women and make them happy. Big surprise.
Many of the cholic and teething cures for babies which were available in the early part of the 20th century were made from poppy extracts or contained a huge amount of alcohol. Happy babies and relaxed mommies. Many americans were flying higher than the wright brothers.
Don't forget the iconic american beverage coca cola. Extracts from the coca plant, from whence our friends cocaine and crack came were a key part of the drink. After the drug act, I can't remember the name, was passed which made marijuana, cocaine, and heroin illegal was passed, caffeine was substituted for the coca extracts in the cola.
Many of the drugs becoming illegal were done because of racial prejudice. People were affraid that african americans hopped up on some kind of stimulants would take over the country and cause rioting and murder.
Do you find this all hard to believe? Every american should visit the small but comprehensive museum sponsored by the drug enforcement administration. I did and my eyes were opened.
Once again, we miss the point. Drugs are not the problemm. The societal issues which make escape a viable and desirable option, coupled with poor impulse control are some causes for people to abuse drugs.
There is an important and not discussed difference between drug use and abuse. Relaxing with a joint or a beer is a lot different than pounding down six shots of tequila before lunch.
Granted there are somee people who suffer from the diseases of alcoholism, cigarette smoking, or drug addiction.
These people need help and should receive it.
Two of the most damaging drugs are legal. Cigarettes and alcohol have destroyed many more lives, lost much more productivity, and ruined many more families then all the so called bad drugs put together. Don't even mention the cost to health care from lung cancer emphysema and liver problems. Alcohol fuels violent crimes and family disputes ending in murder and mayhem. Unless it has been adulturated with something else, we usually don't see people who smoke herb punching out their spouse or throwing over a 7/11.
In an ideal world, all drugs should be legal with the following caveats. The underlying causes of abuse should be addressed strongly. Violent crim should be dealt with firmly. Treatment should be readily available for adicts.

## Post 16 by wildebrew (We promised the world we'd tame it, what were we hoping for?) on Wednesday, 03-Jun-2009 10:28:27

I agree. And there should be a tax on the substances in question that is used to deal with the cost of addiction for those who can't handle the substances. This would still keep the illegal drugs at prices way below what they are, and the money saved by possible hue reductions in violent crime and gang activities should pay for these easily. Should, I said, because this hasn't been really tried anywhere in the U.S. and I don't advocate a wholesale change in policy nationwide towards all drugs, I am sure these ideas can be implemented in so many different ways and can turn out anywhere from a total disaster to success, so any such relaxing of the laws has to be done in an organized manner and on a small scale so that tests can be carried out to study its effect on the population in question.
I still think this is the right way to go, if only because the current method of tabooing and bans just doesn't work, if it did work this should be a drug free country by now.

## Post 17 by turricane (happiness and change are choices ) on Wednesday, 03-Jun-2009 15:00:45

wildebrew, i love your idea about taxes on legalized drugs funding rehab. That is truly an idea i never thought of.
instead of reinventing the wheel, we ought to look at holland and switzerland and other european countries who have tried these experiments. What have they learned and what can we do differently.