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I just wrote this, in reply to an essay about The Irishman https://jakeseliger.com/2019/12/18/links-lessons-to-unlearn-carbon-capture-and-storage-status-and-sig

I just wrote this, in reply to an essay about The Irishman https://jakeseliger.com/2019/12/18/links-lessons-to-unlearn-carbon-capture-and-storage-status-and-signaling-and-more https://jakeseliger.com/2019/12/18/links-lessons-to-unlearn-... : “The lonesome Irishman.” On the movie The Irishman; the essay almost makes me want to watch it, but not quite enough, because I feel like I’ve seen enough mob movies. After The Sopranos, Goodfellas, The Godfather, and probably some more, plus reading Diego Gambetta’s Codes of the Underworld: How Criminals Communicate, I think that universe is pretty played out. Killing people is also bad. Many of the things that thrive in the underworld should be legalized, like gambling has been and marijuana is being. If gambling, prostitution, and most non-opioid drugs are legal, there’s not much left for the mob to do, and it will be starved of revenue, because most activities are best done using conventional means and corporate or legal structures. We've seen gambling move from being illegal to being conducted by the state (lottos) or sanctioned and taxed by it. Marijuana is moving in the same direction. Certain other things, we should probably be seeing move that way too.

np_tedious 7y ago
Why shouldn't opiods be legal? Sure, they are bad. But so is tobacco. Most overdoses happen precisely because of unstable dosages or unexpected fentanyl.
- jm__87 7y ago
  I think you need to balance the risks of addiction and negative health consequences against the cost of having gangs/cartels profiting off of the fact that the substance is controlled. With marijuana, it is neither very addictive nor are the health consequences of using marijuana very severe, at least in the short term. Legalization is a bit of a no brainer for marijuana. Opioids are at the other end of the spectrum - they are highly addictive and aside from the possibility of accidental overdose, even just using them at the correct dosage carries a lot of negative health consequences. It is not clear that you get a net win for society by legalizing opioids.
  - M2Ys4U 7y ago
    Decriminalisation (as opposed to legalisation) is a good step, though. Remove the jeopardy from seeking help from healthcare professionals and the state. Keep the supply of the substances illegal, but provide safe places - staffed with medics - where people can have their drugs tested, take the drugs in as safe a way as possible and be signposted to rehab and recovery services, including mental health services.
seibelj 7y ago
There is enormous money in fleecing government programs, particularly medicade / medicare, and it's a lot easier if you control many touchpoints (ambulance, urgent care, specialists, etc.). The book Overcharged describes many of the common scams https://www.amazon.com/Overcharged-Americans-Much-Health-Care/dp/1944424768 https://www.amazon.com/Overcharged-Americans-Much-Health-Car... Organized crime has moved out of overtly sleezy industries like gambling into much more profitable ones.

np_tedious 7y ago

Why shouldn't opiods be legal? Sure, they are bad. But so is tobacco. Most overdoses happen precisely because of unstable dosages or unexpected fentanyl.

jm__87 7y ago
I think you need to balance the risks of addiction and negative health consequences against the cost of having gangs/cartels profiting off of the fact that the substance is controlled. With marijuana, it is neither very addictive nor are the health consequences of using marijuana very severe, at least in the short term. Legalization is a bit of a no brainer for marijuana. Opioids are at the other end of the spectrum - they are highly addictive and aside from the possibility of accidental overdose, even just using them at the correct dosage carries a lot of negative health consequences. It is not clear that you get a net win for society by legalizing opioids.
- M2Ys4U 7y ago
  Decriminalisation (as opposed to legalisation) is a good step, though. Remove the jeopardy from seeking help from healthcare professionals and the state. Keep the supply of the substances illegal, but provide safe places - staffed with medics - where people can have their drugs tested, take the drugs in as safe a way as possible and be signposted to rehab and recovery services, including mental health services.

seibelj 7y ago

There is enormous money in fleecing government programs, particularly medicade / medicare, and it's a lot easier if you control many touchpoints (ambulance, urgent care, specialists, etc.). The book Overcharged describes many of the common scams https://www.amazon.com/Overcharged-Americans-Much-Health-Care/dp/1944424768 https://www.amazon.com/Overcharged-Americans-Much-Health-Car... Organized crime has moved out of overtly sleezy industries like gambling into much more profitable ones.