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Prohibiting drugs is one way of trying to do that. Has it succeeded? No. Criminalizing it often makes it even more difficult to deal with the societal damage
by SamPatt 3y ago
Prohibiting drugs is one way of trying to do that.
Has it succeeded? No.
Criminalizing it often makes it even more difficult to deal with the societal damage of addiction. Dealing with an addict is difficult, but dealing with an addict who is now a criminal is that much harder.
Society has all sorts of tools to help people who are struggling. Our criminal justice system is one of the least effective.
An addict is harming their family whether drugs are legal or not, and it's obvious from our current situation that their legal status doesn't prevent people from using drugs.
- seanmcdirmid 3y agoNot even Western Europe, especially Western Europe, has tried "decriminalizing drugs" yet. They might offer treatment as an alternative to incarceration for users, but they definitely don't allow police to ignore the problem (like we seem to do here in Seattle). An addict who is now a criminal can be forced into treatment at least. An addict who can freely buy their drugs (because we aren't prosecuting dealers either) and do them on the street anywhere will just die faster (especially with fentanyl).