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there is zero chance we're going to legalize heroin I agree, although it's necessary that we legalize them all. If we just legalize marijuana and not cocaine

there is zero chance we're going to legalize heroin I agree, although it's necessary that we legalize them all. If we just legalize marijuana and not cocaine or heroin, we'll be opening an even bigger problem with the cartels, who would then have to push harder drugs on school children in order to make the same money that they're currently making from the marijuana black market. The point is that drugs are a horrible reality, but legalizing them is by far the lesser of two evils. We could take the money we're currently wasting on the war on drugs and put it towards programs to prevent and help addiction.

tptacek 17y ago
We can talk about this all day, but even if I agreed with you, it's completely irrelevant. The policy issue in this article, and in 2010, is the legalization of marijuana. If the benefits your comment suggests aren't going to be realized with the legalization of marijuana, then we aren't getting them. In not one of the top 40 economies of the world, including the Netherlands, have narcotics been legalized.
- rmorrison 17y ago
  In not one of the top 40 economies of the world, including the Netherlands, have narcotics been legalized. Not true. Portugal, "in 2001 became the first European country to officially abolish all criminal penalties for personal possession of drugs, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine." http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1893946,00.html http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1893946,00.ht...
  - tptacek 17y ago
    You are arguing entirely for the sake of arguing, because Portugal didn't legalize cocaine, heroin, and meth; it legalized personal possession. You will still go to prison if you open a heroin store in Lisbon.
  - bitwize 17y ago
    Man, I bet Portugal is growing a KILLER party scene right now.
deleted 17y ago
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coryl 17y ago
who would then have to push harder drugs on school children in order to make the same money that they're currently making from the marijuana black market. What? School children aren't the largest base of recreational drugs. Cartels aren't in the business of dealing on street level, let alone to children. Thats also not the way drugs work, they aren't substitute goods and marijuana isn't a "gateway drug" as shown by statistics.
- smhinsey 17y ago
  As many people have said, marijuana is only a gateway drug in the sense that you have to buy it from a drug dealer.
  - coryl 17y ago
    I've never heard of it in that context. Gateway drug usually refers to drugs in a stepping stone manner. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_drug_theory http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_drug_theory
    - smhinsey 17y ago
      I'm sure you get the spirit of that statement, but if not, it's not really about the actual idea of some sort of natural progression but rather that because you have to seek out an illegal source for it, you're more likely to come into contact with sources of other illegal drugs, and therefore more likely to try them as well.
metamemetics 17y ago
Please... no one "pushes" drugs, it's a completely demand driven market. With illegal drugs demand ALWAYS outstrips supply and the consumers find and "pull" the dealers, not the other way around.

tptacek 17y ago

We can talk about this all day, but even if I agreed with you, it's completely irrelevant. The policy issue in this article, and in 2010, is the legalization of marijuana. If the benefits your comment suggests aren't going to be realized with the legalization of marijuana, then we aren't getting them. In not one of the top 40 economies of the world, including the Netherlands, have narcotics been legalized.

rmorrison 17y ago
In not one of the top 40 economies of the world, including the Netherlands, have narcotics been legalized. Not true. Portugal, "in 2001 became the first European country to officially abolish all criminal penalties for personal possession of drugs, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine." http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1893946,00.html http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1893946,00.ht...
- tptacek 17y ago
  You are arguing entirely for the sake of arguing, because Portugal didn't legalize cocaine, heroin, and meth; it legalized personal possession. You will still go to prison if you open a heroin store in Lisbon.
- bitwize 17y ago
  Man, I bet Portugal is growing a KILLER party scene right now.

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coryl 17y ago

who would then have to push harder drugs on school children in order to make the same money that they're currently making from the marijuana black market. What? School children aren't the largest base of recreational drugs. Cartels aren't in the business of dealing on street level, let alone to children. Thats also not the way drugs work, they aren't substitute goods and marijuana isn't a "gateway drug" as shown by statistics.

smhinsey 17y ago
As many people have said, marijuana is only a gateway drug in the sense that you have to buy it from a drug dealer.
- coryl 17y ago
  I've never heard of it in that context. Gateway drug usually refers to drugs in a stepping stone manner. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_drug_theory http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_drug_theory
  - smhinsey 17y ago
    I'm sure you get the spirit of that statement, but if not, it's not really about the actual idea of some sort of natural progression but rather that because you have to seek out an illegal source for it, you're more likely to come into contact with sources of other illegal drugs, and therefore more likely to try them as well.

metamemetics 17y ago

Please... no one "pushes" drugs, it's a completely demand driven market. With illegal drugs demand ALWAYS outstrips supply and the consumers find and "pull" the dealers, not the other way around.