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This is how I feel about many things that are illegal as well. We can sell our physical and mental health to our employers till the day we die, yet there are pe

This is how I feel about many things that are illegal as well. We can sell our physical and mental health to our employers till the day we die, yet there are people imprisoned because of sex/drug crimes? Absolute insanity if you step back and look at it. Even worse is that in a country like the US, they practically have their own version of slavery with how inmates are effectively forced into labour for insignificant wages, which then benefit private corporations. This is definitely an aspect of humanity that will be looked upon very poorly in the future.

scottyah 5y ago
My apologies if you're mainly talking about relatively harmless drugs like weed/psychedelics, but the hard drugs like meth and heroin are absolutely devastating to humans and I don't see any benefit to legalizing their sale. I realize drug dealers aren't forcing anyone to take them, but seeing what meth can do to a community is horrifying to the point where I feel most would agree it shouldn't happen (which is what laws are for). Certainly the way our prison systems run needs a major overhaul, but imprisonment due to permanently destroying lives, their potential children's lives, and communities for personal monetary gain (drug trafficking) does not sound like absolute insanity.
- jessaustin 5y ago
  No one would become a meth addict if better drugs were cheap and legal. Even meth addicts would probably prefer some nice cocaine. Eventually, the most effective treatments for addiction will include supervised doses of psilocybin. Research is difficult when the law interferes, however.
- Karsteski 5y ago
  I am extremely against criminalization for any drugs, regardless of their impact to the person. Yes, some drugs are horrible and people should not take them. That does not mean ruining their lives and imprisoning them is something to even consider. Especially given that their family's lives are impacted even more so from them being absent, and the worse yet the dark cloud that continues to follow them for the rest of their lives now that they have federal charges, which makes them discriminated against for employment and forces crime through desperation. Harmful drugs and drug addiction should be treated through education, healthcare and community involvement. It actually disgusts me at this point that people think drug criminalization is a good thing despite what prisons are in much of the world.
  - phreack 5y ago
    The post above yours said 'sale' though, not consumption. Do you think it should be permitted to sell heroin freely?
    - Karsteski 5y ago
      Unfortunately yes, but even more so I would prefer if there were safe, licensed places to buy these drugs so that people can do them safely if they so choose. If/when we do eventually go down that road, I certainly hope people are well educated in the harms of these drugs, and that they are in a position mentally/physically/socially to not have to turn to such things...
      - sokoloff 5y ago
        Your first two words are pretty much exactly how I feel as well. I can't see how to avoid supporting the black market in any other way. I would like to see some kind of hurdle erected to give kids (and young adults) a serious educational blast before selling them their first dose, but otherwise I think it has to be legal if you're interested in harm-minimization.
        jimmygrapes 5y ago
        In my experience the only effective education about these particular drugs is experimentation. Problem here is that if they were administered safely and legally, there would be (predominantly) zero downsides. Barring unexpected negative side effects, the only time "this is bad" comes into play is long, long after addiction takes hold. You can tell somebody for 30+ years "this is bad don't do it" even up to the point of using unethical methods (i.e. force a teen to smoke a whole pack of cigs, or give a preteen a shot or three of Popov)... it doesn't really click that first time, or even after several times. The missing element with drug legalization is the preventative aspect. It simply doesn't happen in large enough numbers using the exposure/education method. However, shame based propaganda has been showing significantly positive(?) results with cigarettes. Most people I've e countered from younger generations cannot fathom smoking a cigarette. Vaping, sure, but stinky cigarette? Ewwww, gross. Meth and heroin legalization and "it's all good if you're responsible" mentality isn't going to work.

scottyah 5y ago

My apologies if you're mainly talking about relatively harmless drugs like weed/psychedelics, but the hard drugs like meth and heroin are absolutely devastating to humans and I don't see any benefit to legalizing their sale. I realize drug dealers aren't forcing anyone to take them, but seeing what meth can do to a community is horrifying to the point where I feel most would agree it shouldn't happen (which is what laws are for). Certainly the way our prison systems run needs a major overhaul, but imprisonment due to permanently destroying lives, their potential children's lives, and communities for personal monetary gain (drug trafficking) does not sound like absolute insanity.

jessaustin 5y ago
No one would become a meth addict if better drugs were cheap and legal. Even meth addicts would probably prefer some nice cocaine. Eventually, the most effective treatments for addiction will include supervised doses of psilocybin. Research is difficult when the law interferes, however.
Karsteski 5y ago
I am extremely against criminalization for any drugs, regardless of their impact to the person. Yes, some drugs are horrible and people should not take them. That does not mean ruining their lives and imprisoning them is something to even consider. Especially given that their family's lives are impacted even more so from them being absent, and the worse yet the dark cloud that continues to follow them for the rest of their lives now that they have federal charges, which makes them discriminated against for employment and forces crime through desperation. Harmful drugs and drug addiction should be treated through education, healthcare and community involvement. It actually disgusts me at this point that people think drug criminalization is a good thing despite what prisons are in much of the world.
- phreack 5y ago
  The post above yours said 'sale' though, not consumption. Do you think it should be permitted to sell heroin freely?
  - Karsteski 5y ago
    Unfortunately yes, but even more so I would prefer if there were safe, licensed places to buy these drugs so that people can do them safely if they so choose. If/when we do eventually go down that road, I certainly hope people are well educated in the harms of these drugs, and that they are in a position mentally/physically/socially to not have to turn to such things...
    - sokoloff 5y ago
      Your first two words are pretty much exactly how I feel as well. I can't see how to avoid supporting the black market in any other way. I would like to see some kind of hurdle erected to give kids (and young adults) a serious educational blast before selling them their first dose, but otherwise I think it has to be legal if you're interested in harm-minimization.
      - jimmygrapes 5y ago
        In my experience the only effective education about these particular drugs is experimentation. Problem here is that if they were administered safely and legally, there would be (predominantly) zero downsides. Barring unexpected negative side effects, the only time "this is bad" comes into play is long, long after addiction takes hold. You can tell somebody for 30+ years "this is bad don't do it" even up to the point of using unethical methods (i.e. force a teen to smoke a whole pack of cigs, or give a preteen a shot or three of Popov)... it doesn't really click that first time, or even after several times. The missing element with drug legalization is the preventative aspect. It simply doesn't happen in large enough numbers using the exposure/education method. However, shame based propaganda has been showing significantly positive(?) results with cigarettes. Most people I've e countered from younger generations cannot fathom smoking a cigarette. Vaping, sure, but stinky cigarette? Ewwww, gross. Meth and heroin legalization and "it's all good if you're responsible" mentality isn't going to work.