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I can't help wondering... is alcohol damage worse because more people use it because it's legal? I accept weed is somehow different, but what if opiates or amph

by narag 7y ago

I can't help wondering... is alcohol damage worse because more people use it because it's legal? I accept weed is somehow different, but what if opiates or amphetamine were legal and easy to get? You can convince me that testing mind-altering drugs as an experience is a human right or something like that. Really, no sarcasm here. But dealing with a sizable portion of a society getting hooked on artificial gratification is on a totally different level. Not liking war on drugs, still don't buy that 'alcohol is worse' is a valid point. On the contrary, it seems proof of how things can go astray when you normalize an addictive substance.

pier25 7y ago
> is alcohol damage worse because more people use it because it's legal? It's certainly possible but if we look at countries like Portugal people actually consume less drugs now than before the decriminalization. https://beckleyfoundation.org/2018/04/23/lessons-from-portugal-the-case-for-drug-policy-reform/ https://beckleyfoundation.org/2018/04/23/lessons-from-portug...
- narag 7y ago
  In Portugal they can't buy drugs legally. So they need to resort to black market, just like anywhere else, except countries where weed is legal from authorized vendors. If you're caught with heroin, I understand the government makes an intervention, confiscating the substance and forcing you into some rehab program. Of course better than jail, but still far from walking into a bar and, no joke, asking for a beer. As an aside, could somebody (specially someone with specific knowledge) enlighten me about the difference with Spain? Here possesion of weed was legalized in the eighties (though later re-punished in public with a fine and confiscation) and possesion in general was decriminalized while it's an amount small enough to assume it's for own use. Has the situation in Portugal really improved there because of legal status or because rehab programs receiving proper funding? Or even economic upturn?
  - pier25 7y ago
    I'm from Spain actually, but I really don't know the technical differences between the two countries.

by narag 7y ago

pier25 7y ago

> is alcohol damage worse because more people use it because it's legal? It's certainly possible but if we look at countries like Portugal people actually consume less drugs now than before the decriminalization. https://beckleyfoundation.org/2018/04/23/lessons-from-portugal-the-case-for-drug-policy-reform/ https://beckleyfoundation.org/2018/04/23/lessons-from-portug...

narag 7y ago
In Portugal they can't buy drugs legally. So they need to resort to black market, just like anywhere else, except countries where weed is legal from authorized vendors. If you're caught with heroin, I understand the government makes an intervention, confiscating the substance and forcing you into some rehab program. Of course better than jail, but still far from walking into a bar and, no joke, asking for a beer. As an aside, could somebody (specially someone with specific knowledge) enlighten me about the difference with Spain? Here possesion of weed was legalized in the eighties (though later re-punished in public with a fine and confiscation) and possesion in general was decriminalized while it's an amount small enough to assume it's for own use. Has the situation in Portugal really improved there because of legal status or because rehab programs receiving proper funding? Or even economic upturn?
- pier25 7y ago
  I'm from Spain actually, but I really don't know the technical differences between the two countries.