4 ms·

"Decriminalizing drugs is a good first step." No, it really isn't. Changing the punishment would be.

• TelmoMenezes 13y ago
  Do you have any data to support this assertion? Because I have data to support decriminalization: http://www.cato.org/publications/white-paper/drug-decriminalization-portugal-lessons-creating-fair-successful-drug-policies http://www.cato.org/publications/white-paper/drug-decriminal... I can also give you the view from the ground level: I grew up in Portugal and in the 80s people shooting heroin in the streets was common. Now it's almost unheard of. Addicts are helped, not punished, and it just works.
  • digitalengineer 13y ago
    In The Netherlands some cities provide addicts with methadone and they give away free needles if they returns their old (and used) needles. There is a quit and private place to 'shoot' as well.
• DanBC 13y ago
  Really, many of the problems of drugs come from illegality. Decriminalizing drugs means that the very real health problems that drugs cause the users can be addressed as health concerns without the weird job-risking hoops that people jump through.
  • Xylakant 13y ago
    Even more important: Most of those very real health problems that drugs cause the user are actually not caused by the drug itself but rather by impurities added by the dealer, dirty needles, less-than-ideal sanitary conditions etc. Those can all be tackled if drugs are not illegal.