4 ms·

Legalization has not stopped alcohol poisoning. Is there some reason it would stop heroin overdoses?

by enkid 6y ago

barry-cotter 6y ago
Known purity, quality control, known quantity. If you actually know how much it’ll take you to get high you’re not going to overdose because you coverage got a stronger than average batch. You certainly aren’t going to get fentanyl sold as heroin. Wouldn’t stop overdoses entirely obviously.
- SirSourdough 6y ago
  I don't think this really addresses the point though. Alcohol is sold with known purity, quality, and quantity. You aren't going to overdose due to an impurity. Yet dangerous drinking is still very common, and alcohol causes significant strains on our society, perhaps more than any other drug. Why do we think that the situation would be different with legalizing other drugs? A major decline in the risk per use massively outweighed by a huge increase in use over time due to legalization.
- rtisdale 6y ago
  Can't reply directly to SirSourdough because of thread limits. >I don't think this really address the point though. Alcohol is sold with known purity, quality, and quantity. You aren't going to overdose due to an impurity. Their argument was never that it would stop everything, only that it would help (and I agree). How many people have you met that have gone blind from drinking "bad" alcohol? During the prohibition era, this was an actual issue people faced. https://www.pastemagazine.com/drink/alcohol-history/prohibition-history-methanol-poisoning-bootlegging-alcohol/ https://www.pastemagazine.com/drink/alcohol-history/prohibit... >A major decline in the risk per use massively outweighed by a huge increase in use over time due to legalization. There is evidence that decriminalization when paired with other policies can potentially cause decreases in usage as well as a decrease in negative outcomes such as HIV transmission rates and drug deaths. https://transformdrugs.org/drug-decriminalisation-in-portugal-setting-the-record-straight/#:~:text=Background,as%20fines%20or%20community%20service https://transformdrugs.org/drug-decriminalisation-in-portuga....
that_guy_iain 6y ago
It's not so much it stops them but saving their life if they have one. If you see someone overdosing from heroin and intervene the person can live. Whereas, if they're sat alone in some house they'll die. Saferooms are about watching them and making sure they get medical treatment if needed. But then there is also the purity issue someone else mentioned.
chefkoch 6y ago
Because we have data to back this up. Countries like the Netherlands or Portugal have was fewer OD deaths than countries where a hard drugs use is more punished. https://www.statista.com/statistics/632372/total-number-of-drug-deaths-in-the-netherlands/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/632372/total-number-of-d... https://transformdrugs.org/drug-decriminalisation-in-portugal-setting-the-record-straight/ https://transformdrugs.org/drug-decriminalisation-in-portuga...
- enkid 6y ago
  Thank you. That's very useful to know.

Legalization has not stopped alcohol poisoning. Is there some reason it would stop heroin overdoses?

by enkid 6y ago

Legalization has not stopped alcohol poisoning. Is there some reason it would stop heroin overdoses?

Known purity, quality control, known quantity. If you actually know how much it’ll take you to get high you’re not going to overdose because you coverage got a stronger than average batch. You certainly aren’t going to get fentanyl sold as heroin. Wouldn’t stop overdoses entirely obviously.

SirSourdough 6y ago
I don't think this really addresses the point though. Alcohol is sold with known purity, quality, and quantity. You aren't going to overdose due to an impurity. Yet dangerous drinking is still very common, and alcohol causes significant strains on our society, perhaps more than any other drug. Why do we think that the situation would be different with legalizing other drugs? A major decline in the risk per use massively outweighed by a huge increase in use over time due to legalization.
rtisdale 6y ago
Can't reply directly to SirSourdough because of thread limits. >I don't think this really address the point though. Alcohol is sold with known purity, quality, and quantity. You aren't going to overdose due to an impurity. Their argument was never that it would stop everything, only that it would help (and I agree). How many people have you met that have gone blind from drinking "bad" alcohol? During the prohibition era, this was an actual issue people faced. https://www.pastemagazine.com/drink/alcohol-history/prohibition-history-methanol-poisoning-bootlegging-alcohol/ https://www.pastemagazine.com/drink/alcohol-history/prohibit... >A major decline in the risk per use massively outweighed by a huge increase in use over time due to legalization. There is evidence that decriminalization when paired with other policies can potentially cause decreases in usage as well as a decrease in negative outcomes such as HIV transmission rates and drug deaths. https://transformdrugs.org/drug-decriminalisation-in-portugal-setting-the-record-straight/#:~:text=Background,as%20fines%20or%20community%20service https://transformdrugs.org/drug-decriminalisation-in-portuga....

that_guy_iain 6y ago

It's not so much it stops them but saving their life if they have one. If you see someone overdosing from heroin and intervene the person can live. Whereas, if they're sat alone in some house they'll die. Saferooms are about watching them and making sure they get medical treatment if needed. But then there is also the purity issue someone else mentioned.

chefkoch 6y ago

Because we have data to back this up. Countries like the Netherlands or Portugal have was fewer OD deaths than countries where a hard drugs use is more punished. https://www.statista.com/statistics/632372/total-number-of-drug-deaths-in-the-netherlands/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/632372/total-number-of-d... https://transformdrugs.org/drug-decriminalisation-in-portugal-setting-the-record-straight/ https://transformdrugs.org/drug-decriminalisation-in-portuga...

enkid 6y ago
Thank you. That's very useful to know.