4 ms·

Drug dealers are typically willing to sell their wares to children. This makes sense, since what they are doing is illegal anyway. If we legalize a drug (say,

by jlgreco 13y ago

Drug dealers are typically willing to sell their wares to children. This makes sense, since what they are doing is illegal anyway. If we legalize a drug (say, alcohol), then the people who sell that particular drug will typically no longer be willing to sell that drug to minors, since minors represent a very small percentage of the market and (with the legalization of the larger segment of the market) carry a much greater risk that cannot be justified by the marginal profit gains they could see. This is why it is easier for a teenager to buy marijuana than alcohol in significant quantities.

DanBC 13y ago
> If we legalize a drug (say, alcohol), then the people who sell that particular drug will typically no longer be willing to sell that drug to minors, The years of campaigning and changing laws to prevent shops (and pubs) from selling alcohol and cigarettes to children show that actually they don't give a fuck who they sell to so long as they sell. Marketing tobacco products with youth friendly cartoon camels or with names like Skol Bandits is sleazy. Big tobacco had no problem targeting children even though they knew it was illegal. {As always in these discussions: I am strongly in favour of legalising all drugs}
- jlgreco 13y ago
  The laws need to be enforced to work, I would never suggest otherwise. The fact is when the laws are enforced it becomes difficult for teenagers to buy liquor themselves and, absent people who make a living selling liquor illegally (these people still exist in some remote parts of Alaska, and in some very poor areas of the rural Appalachians, but not really elsewhere), teenagers will have a difficult time finding a reliable source of alcohol (Joe's older brother who goes to college may pick you up a keg once in a while for your parties, but Joe's older brother has better things to do than buy teenagers booze all the time, even if he's gouging them) On the other hand, reliable sources of pot is easy for a teenager. The people who are willing to illegally sell pot to teenagers are already selling to a larger more affluent audience illegally as well (adults). Basically: Selling alcohol to everybody illegally: Laws are enforced: profitable, and risky. Laws are not enforced: profitable. Selling alcohol to only adults legally: profitable. Selling alcohol to only minors illegally: Laws are enforced: not profitable, and risky. Laws are not enforced: not profitable. Selling alcohol to adults legally and minors illegally: Laws are enforced: profitable, but needlessly risky for what you gain. Laws are not enforced: profitable. Given that you want to restrict childrens' access to substances, you want to be in a position where no adult considers it worth it to sell to children. The best place for that is "selling to adults is legal, selling to children is illegal, the law is enforced".
  - alandarev 13y ago
    How is selling a same product, to already willing to buy customer, is not profittable? Increasing the sales by several percent without any extra expenses is certainly profitable. To sell alcohol to kids, they do not need to invent new 'kid friendly bottles' and dump millions into 'kid oriented marketing', they are already here to buy, just sell the damn same product and here is the profit.

by jlgreco 13y ago

DanBC 13y ago

> If we legalize a drug (say, alcohol), then the people who sell that particular drug will typically no longer be willing to sell that drug to minors, The years of campaigning and changing laws to prevent shops (and pubs) from selling alcohol and cigarettes to children show that actually they don't give a fuck who they sell to so long as they sell. Marketing tobacco products with youth friendly cartoon camels or with names like Skol Bandits is sleazy. Big tobacco had no problem targeting children even though they knew it was illegal. {As always in these discussions: I am strongly in favour of legalising all drugs}

jlgreco 13y ago
The laws need to be enforced to work, I would never suggest otherwise. The fact is when the laws are enforced it becomes difficult for teenagers to buy liquor themselves and, absent people who make a living selling liquor illegally (these people still exist in some remote parts of Alaska, and in some very poor areas of the rural Appalachians, but not really elsewhere), teenagers will have a difficult time finding a reliable source of alcohol (Joe's older brother who goes to college may pick you up a keg once in a while for your parties, but Joe's older brother has better things to do than buy teenagers booze all the time, even if he's gouging them) On the other hand, reliable sources of pot is easy for a teenager. The people who are willing to illegally sell pot to teenagers are already selling to a larger more affluent audience illegally as well (adults). Basically: Selling alcohol to everybody illegally: Laws are enforced: profitable, and risky. Laws are not enforced: profitable. Selling alcohol to only adults legally: profitable. Selling alcohol to only minors illegally: Laws are enforced: not profitable, and risky. Laws are not enforced: not profitable. Selling alcohol to adults legally and minors illegally: Laws are enforced: profitable, but needlessly risky for what you gain. Laws are not enforced: profitable. Given that you want to restrict childrens' access to substances, you want to be in a position where no adult considers it worth it to sell to children. The best place for that is "selling to adults is legal, selling to children is illegal, the law is enforced".
- alandarev 13y ago
  How is selling a same product, to already willing to buy customer, is not profittable? Increasing the sales by several percent without any extra expenses is certainly profitable. To sell alcohol to kids, they do not need to invent new 'kid friendly bottles' and dump millions into 'kid oriented marketing', they are already here to buy, just sell the damn same product and here is the profit.