6 ms·

Decriminalizing drugs was just a quick way to ensure the drug economy kept going. I think criminalization of drugs is essential, what isn't is the method of ja

Decriminalizing drugs was just a quick way to ensure the drug economy kept going. I think criminalization of drugs is essential, what isn't is the method of jailing individuals under the influence. Jail doesn't make them clean and it puts them with the sort of people who enable their habits. We need a more diverse system that helps people get passed the subtance abuse.

mardifoufs 4y ago
Canada has only legalized/decriminalized weed as far as I know. So I'm not sure what impact it has on opioids, which are very much still illegal here.
- randomdata 4y ago
  Canada provided an exemption to allow decriminalization of small amounts of opioids, crack/cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA in British Columbia (where, as it relates to the article, Vancouver is located). It came into effect at the beginning of this year.
  - mardifoufs 4y ago
    Ah so the federal government allowed the provincial gov to pass that exemption? Or was it unilaterally decriminalized by BC, while still being federally illegal like it is in some US states?
    - randomdata 4y ago
      Federal exemption. In place for three years.
BossingAround 4y ago
A system to help people get pass the substance abuse is amazingly expensive. Criminalization also implies that the government has any right to tell citizens what they can and cannot do with their mind. Ridiculous.
- Sparkyte 4y ago
  Is that any different than being on drugs? Added effect of stealing. Not being in control of yourself is no different than be on drugs, but one adds a layer of support providing we can implement a system to aid and clean a person. The problem with criminalizing comes with the negative connotation of being unemployable. The benefit is that it obligates that the drug abuser to be processed through our system. Fundamentally it is the no flexibility in our legal system.
tyingq 4y ago
There's a cycle here where once you have a conviction record, you're very unemployable. That didn't used to be the case in the US...back in the 80's and prior, only really big employers could do thorough background checks, more undocumented jobs/work, etc. It's also not the case in other countries where the government just gives employers a yes/no of a candidate/job pairing based on the offense. Chronic unemployment is underrated as a one of the underlying problems.
- Sparkyte 4y ago
  We demonize people who have been through the criminal system which is entirely wrong. Being convicted shouldn't prevent you from work. Be convicted of something that conflicts with your occupation yes. I don't disagree with you. It is just that we need a better model. The black and white, night and day. Non-flexible meanings in criminalization and rehabilitation are problematic.

mardifoufs 4y ago

Canada has only legalized/decriminalized weed as far as I know. So I'm not sure what impact it has on opioids, which are very much still illegal here.

randomdata 4y ago
Canada provided an exemption to allow decriminalization of small amounts of opioids, crack/cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA in British Columbia (where, as it relates to the article, Vancouver is located). It came into effect at the beginning of this year.
- mardifoufs 4y ago
  Ah so the federal government allowed the provincial gov to pass that exemption? Or was it unilaterally decriminalized by BC, while still being federally illegal like it is in some US states?
  - randomdata 4y ago
    Federal exemption. In place for three years.

BossingAround 4y ago

A system to help people get pass the substance abuse is amazingly expensive. Criminalization also implies that the government has any right to tell citizens what they can and cannot do with their mind. Ridiculous.

Sparkyte 4y ago
Is that any different than being on drugs? Added effect of stealing. Not being in control of yourself is no different than be on drugs, but one adds a layer of support providing we can implement a system to aid and clean a person. The problem with criminalizing comes with the negative connotation of being unemployable. The benefit is that it obligates that the drug abuser to be processed through our system. Fundamentally it is the no flexibility in our legal system.

tyingq 4y ago

There's a cycle here where once you have a conviction record, you're very unemployable. That didn't used to be the case in the US...back in the 80's and prior, only really big employers could do thorough background checks, more undocumented jobs/work, etc. It's also not the case in other countries where the government just gives employers a yes/no of a candidate/job pairing based on the offense. Chronic unemployment is underrated as a one of the underlying problems.

Sparkyte 4y ago
We demonize people who have been through the criminal system which is entirely wrong. Being convicted shouldn't prevent you from work. Be convicted of something that conflicts with your occupation yes. I don't disagree with you. It is just that we need a better model. The black and white, night and day. Non-flexible meanings in criminalization and rehabilitation are problematic.