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> Banning drug use by force is a US pipe dream. It's impossible. Is it though? If harder drugs were legal, wouldn't harder drug use be much more common? Cannab

by czbond 6y ago

> Banning drug use by force is a US pipe dream. It's impossible. Is it though? If harder drugs were legal, wouldn't harder drug use be much more common? Cannabis is one thing, the perceived impact to oneself is relatively low. Meth, a hard, illegal drug - is growing in some areas radically; so are some prescription drug use. There is a large group of citizens who don't try things because they are illegal (because they don't want to bring legal trouble) rather than not trying those things because they are bad for health. (Humans are fairly bad at rejecting things that are bad for them - but good at numbing them). eg: Alcohol, smoke, caffeine, soda, refined sugar.

vb6sp6 6y ago
Drugs have been illegal in the US for a long time. They are still here and, as you noted, usage is going up for some things. The "war on drugs" is over. Drugs won. Other countries practice "harm reduction" while the US is still trying to punish people for their "moral failings".
simonbarker87 6y ago
It’s a totally fair assessment however, imo, many of the trouble that drugs cause for society are caused by the illegality and stigma. Addicts less likely to seek help, more likely to be arrested, loose their job, steal for money to pay exorbitant prices due to its illegal nature, develop health issues that are a drain on resources, relapse due to bad social situations from the above and overuse because of poor quality control. I have a dream of a regulated, taxed and controlled industry from which the profits are used to fund rehab, drug education and social programs to help communities. Is it aggressively progressive? Yes! Is it a bit a scary? Yes! Is it potentially better than the current situation? I think so. I’ve never used drugs. I don’t drink alcohol and haven’t for over a decade (never had a problem, just choose not to) and I don’t drink caffeine - I don’t say this to make myself out to be a saint (my wife can provide a detailed list of my flaws) but I don’t see the system that we currently have as optimal and think we should try something new. Let the down votes commence.
icameron 6y ago
It certainly is impossible to stop drug use with force. Telling Americans not to do something they want to do has never worked. Not in the British colonies, and even today with wearing masks during a pandemic: there are some people willing to throw punches rather than be told to wear a mask. Something about personal freedom, liberty to pursue happiness, its engrained in the psyche of the population. They won't do what you tell them to. That being said, I think you over estimate the number of people who don't use hard drugs simply because its illegal. There is also a stigma, financial cost, health conscious reasons, or just don't like the effects or side effects.
chr1 6y ago
Is there a need for more proof of impossibility after prohibition? Which have been tried in multiple countries and always with similar results. The issue with alcohol, smoke, caffeine, soda, refined sugar, is that they are not very harmful so people can say "my grandfather used to drink every day and lived to 95". The hard drugs have much more visible effects so people are better at rejecting them.

by czbond 6y ago

vb6sp6 6y ago

Drugs have been illegal in the US for a long time. They are still here and, as you noted, usage is going up for some things. The "war on drugs" is over. Drugs won. Other countries practice "harm reduction" while the US is still trying to punish people for their "moral failings".

simonbarker87 6y ago

It’s a totally fair assessment however, imo, many of the trouble that drugs cause for society are caused by the illegality and stigma. Addicts less likely to seek help, more likely to be arrested, loose their job, steal for money to pay exorbitant prices due to its illegal nature, develop health issues that are a drain on resources, relapse due to bad social situations from the above and overuse because of poor quality control. I have a dream of a regulated, taxed and controlled industry from which the profits are used to fund rehab, drug education and social programs to help communities. Is it aggressively progressive? Yes! Is it a bit a scary? Yes! Is it potentially better than the current situation? I think so. I’ve never used drugs. I don’t drink alcohol and haven’t for over a decade (never had a problem, just choose not to) and I don’t drink caffeine - I don’t say this to make myself out to be a saint (my wife can provide a detailed list of my flaws) but I don’t see the system that we currently have as optimal and think we should try something new. Let the down votes commence.

icameron 6y ago

It certainly is impossible to stop drug use with force. Telling Americans not to do something they want to do has never worked. Not in the British colonies, and even today with wearing masks during a pandemic: there are some people willing to throw punches rather than be told to wear a mask. Something about personal freedom, liberty to pursue happiness, its engrained in the psyche of the population. They won't do what you tell them to. That being said, I think you over estimate the number of people who don't use hard drugs simply because its illegal. There is also a stigma, financial cost, health conscious reasons, or just don't like the effects or side effects.

chr1 6y ago

Is there a need for more proof of impossibility after prohibition? Which have been tried in multiple countries and always with similar results. The issue with alcohol, smoke, caffeine, soda, refined sugar, is that they are not very harmful so people can say "my grandfather used to drink every day and lived to 95". The hard drugs have much more visible effects so people are better at rejecting them.