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You can say that about anything. Should the government stop people from eating junk food? from participating in dangerous sports activities? Why are drugs di

You can say that about anything. Should the government stop people from eating junk food? from participating in dangerous sports activities? Why are drugs different?

JoeAltmaier 11y ago
Because, car accidents, child neglect, spouse abuse, healthcare, time lost to work... Some of those other things are regulated as well. E.g. You can't rappel in many state parks, because idiots kept getting hurt and costing the state $$$ in rescue attempts to remote locations. Its not all cruel government heedlessly restricting rights. That's an immature viewpoint. Count the cost and see that nothing is free.
- sixQuarks 11y ago
  So that means you ARE for prohibition of alcohol. Read your last sentence: count the cost and see that nothing is free. Do you think prohibition of alcohol had no costs? Same thing with drugs - which the article pointed out. The cost of keeping it illegal far outweighs the potential costs resulting from irresponsible users (which we still pay for even when it is illegal)
  - JoeAltmaier 11y ago
    Alcohol is regulated in almost every state in the US. Because its dangerous.
- lm______ 11y ago
  Show me any evidence that taking a drug causes a person to beat their spouse or neglect their child. And, for anyone who would drive intoxicated or cripple their health via drug abuse, that is already easy to do -- drugs aren't hard to find if you're looking. Prohibition hasn't and will not stop any of the negative consequences of drug use.
- pstuart 11y ago
  Count the cost of prohibition and do the math. It's cheaper to not spend billions of dollars on prisons and courts then to treat drug abuse like the health issue that it is. Perhaps the police need to come and kick down your door and throw you in prison to keep you from drinking any more alcohol. You know, for your own good and to protect society.
  - JoeAltmaier 11y ago
    They'd have the wrong house :) I don't drink.
    - pstuart 11y ago
      Well that would be too bad, because it's happening today over drugs. Mistakes happen, and if it's to protect citizens from hurting themselves then it's all for good, right? Meanwhile people are dying all over the world due to the Drug War but you can feel smug and secure knowing that you are above it all.
bredren 11y ago
This sub-thread seems to be begging for an anecdote. https://www.reddit.com/r/oakland/comments/3pf0xk/machete_wielding_lunatic_at_37th_and/ https://www.reddit.com/r/oakland/comments/3pf0xk/machete_wie...

You can say that about anything. Should the government stop people from eating junk food? from participating in dangerous sports activities? Why are drugs different?

JoeAltmaier 11y ago

Because, car accidents, child neglect, spouse abuse, healthcare, time lost to work... Some of those other things are regulated as well. E.g. You can't rappel in many state parks, because idiots kept getting hurt and costing the state $$$ in rescue attempts to remote locations. Its not all cruel government heedlessly restricting rights. That's an immature viewpoint. Count the cost and see that nothing is free.

sixQuarks 11y ago
So that means you ARE for prohibition of alcohol. Read your last sentence: count the cost and see that nothing is free. Do you think prohibition of alcohol had no costs? Same thing with drugs - which the article pointed out. The cost of keeping it illegal far outweighs the potential costs resulting from irresponsible users (which we still pay for even when it is illegal)
- JoeAltmaier 11y ago
  Alcohol is regulated in almost every state in the US. Because its dangerous.
lm______ 11y ago
Show me any evidence that taking a drug causes a person to beat their spouse or neglect their child. And, for anyone who would drive intoxicated or cripple their health via drug abuse, that is already easy to do -- drugs aren't hard to find if you're looking. Prohibition hasn't and will not stop any of the negative consequences of drug use.
pstuart 11y ago
Count the cost of prohibition and do the math. It's cheaper to not spend billions of dollars on prisons and courts then to treat drug abuse like the health issue that it is. Perhaps the police need to come and kick down your door and throw you in prison to keep you from drinking any more alcohol. You know, for your own good and to protect society.
- JoeAltmaier 11y ago
  They'd have the wrong house :) I don't drink.
  - pstuart 11y ago
    Well that would be too bad, because it's happening today over drugs. Mistakes happen, and if it's to protect citizens from hurting themselves then it's all for good, right? Meanwhile people are dying all over the world due to the Drug War but you can feel smug and secure knowing that you are above it all.

bredren 11y ago

This sub-thread seems to be begging for an anecdote. https://www.reddit.com/r/oakland/comments/3pf0xk/machete_wielding_lunatic_at_37th_and/ https://www.reddit.com/r/oakland/comments/3pf0xk/machete_wie...