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That again holds a lower standard for alcohol, a far more dangerous drug. You want to get a prescription for a bottle of wine?

ceejayoz 4y ago
Alcohol is basically legal due to tradition. If you were starting a fresh-slate society, with no history and all the knowledge/technology we have today, you'd probably ban alcohol and legalize marijuana.
- willcipriano 4y ago
  Tobacco use in America predates the United States. It was probably in use before alcohol. Also since when is "it's tradition" a defense for nonsensical public health policy?
  - krrrh 4y ago
    An important point here is that traditional use of nicotiana rustica was more far more widespread than nicotiana tabacum. This was a much more potent (higher concentration of nicotine), and people would smoke less and less frequently. The other recent announcement from the administration is to reduce the amount of nicotine in cigarettes which a lot of harm reduction specialists are concerned will result in more smoking rather than less.
  - ceejayoz 4y ago
    > Also since when is "it's tradition" a defense for nonsensical public health policy? It doesn't make for good public health policy, but as the pandemic made quite clear, the general population gets a pretty big say in it. People get pretty grumpy when you go against traditions, even for a good reason.
- krrrh 4y ago
  Yet basically 100% of the societies started post agricultural revolution made alcohol central to their cultures. If it were such a no brainer you’d think that somewhere in the last 10,000 years a society would have found alcohol-free optimality, instead attempts at prohibition have mostly proven ruinous. The fact is that alcohol provides a huge number of social benefits to a huge number of people and it outweighs the harms. I’d probably prefer a cannabis-dominant culture myself, but it’s not for everyone.
  - ceejayoz 4y ago
    > Yet basically 100% of the societies started post agricultural revolution made alcohol central to their cultures. Yes, but because it provides a safer drinking supply. We've got water purification plants now.

ceejayoz 4y ago

Alcohol is basically legal due to tradition. If you were starting a fresh-slate society, with no history and all the knowledge/technology we have today, you'd probably ban alcohol and legalize marijuana.

willcipriano 4y ago
Tobacco use in America predates the United States. It was probably in use before alcohol. Also since when is "it's tradition" a defense for nonsensical public health policy?
- krrrh 4y ago
  An important point here is that traditional use of nicotiana rustica was more far more widespread than nicotiana tabacum. This was a much more potent (higher concentration of nicotine), and people would smoke less and less frequently. The other recent announcement from the administration is to reduce the amount of nicotine in cigarettes which a lot of harm reduction specialists are concerned will result in more smoking rather than less.
- ceejayoz 4y ago
  > Also since when is "it's tradition" a defense for nonsensical public health policy? It doesn't make for good public health policy, but as the pandemic made quite clear, the general population gets a pretty big say in it. People get pretty grumpy when you go against traditions, even for a good reason.
krrrh 4y ago
Yet basically 100% of the societies started post agricultural revolution made alcohol central to their cultures. If it were such a no brainer you’d think that somewhere in the last 10,000 years a society would have found alcohol-free optimality, instead attempts at prohibition have mostly proven ruinous. The fact is that alcohol provides a huge number of social benefits to a huge number of people and it outweighs the harms. I’d probably prefer a cannabis-dominant culture myself, but it’s not for everyone.
- ceejayoz 4y ago
  > Yet basically 100% of the societies started post agricultural revolution made alcohol central to their cultures. Yes, but because it provides a safer drinking supply. We've got water purification plants now.