Should we legalize all drugs for personal use?

Exactly. A more sedated, less creative population is perfect for controlling the masses. Big corporations and corrupt politicians will have an even EASIER time staying in power!

Don't worry about anything else, just do what makes you feel good!

Absolutely.

Legalize all of it and develop better mental health care for our citizens. Americans need help. We have a health problem, not a drug problem. Our current healthcare system is not sufficient to handle the health problems we have. Prison rehabilitates no one. Give people the help they need.

the problem with legalization I have is the amazing skills of our pharma companies.

I have zero doubt that if they can make money on it legally and profitably, Pfizer could devise a drug so frighteningly addictive that it would destroy lives in one taking. And I'm sure they could modify MJ to be much much stronger too.

I personally adults should be educated about the decisions they make and then if the choose to male poor decisions it's on them. I don't see how drugs being illegal has done any good in this country. I also believe that if drugs were legal and people properly educated about them that it may be more difficult for children to obtain them. That might just be wishful thinking however.

The downside to legalizing all drugs is it would put a lot of people out of work. Specifically drug dealers and many law enforcement officers. And I'm not sure it would be good for anyone if large numbers of people from either of those groups end up with too much time on their hands.

Middle of the Road wrote:

Exactly. A more sedated, less creative population is perfect for controlling the masses. Big corporations and corrupt politicians will have an even EASIER time staying in power!

Don't worry about anything else, just do what makes you feel good!

Yes, yes. Take your soma. Orgy porgy. Talk about missing the point. You know that Huxley was a psychedelics enthusiast, right?

Who benefits from the drug war more than big corporations and corrupt politicians? If you're worried about a sedated, powerless general public, you should spend a lot more time worrying about television consumption and campaign finance reform.

Following Portugal's lead, legalizing possession of all recreational drugs seems to lead to a better society. Focus on treatment instead of incarceration.

The class of drugs that I wouldn't want legalized would be antibiotics. People's idiotic overuse causes bacterial resistance which leads to other people's deaths.

I am for legalizing all narcotics. Despite all these drugs beings illegal, you can still get them if you want. Or you can make them at home, like meth. The illegality of the drugs does not prevent drug abuse, but rather, individuals make the decision to withhold from abusing drugs for their own personal well being.

The prohibition of narcotic drugs is related to massive amounts of violence both in this country, south of the border, and other countries around the world. In addition, the entire system built around "fighting the drug war" is a massive drain on public resources and institutions.

Unfortunately, the entrenched interests that largely benefit from the drug war through public funding hold too much influence and power and have no interest in turning things around. The drug war is too profitable, both illegally and legally.

The drug war is complete bullsh!t and will never be won. It is not concerned with ending drug abuse and trafficking, but rather creating a boogeyman that will always need to be funded.

agip wrote:

the problem with legalization I have is the amazing skills of our pharma companies.

I have zero doubt that if they can make money on it legally and profitably, Pfizer could devise a drug so frighteningly addictive that it would destroy lives in one taking. And I'm sure they could modify MJ to be much much stronger too.

This would be stupid, the pharmaceutical companies depend upon returning customers. They wouldn't make something so strong that it would kill off their customer base in one use. They aren't that stupid. Heck, the drug gangs aren't even that stupid, they aren't going to put out product so strong that it kills their customers.

vivalarepublica wrote:

agip wrote:

the problem with legalization I have is the amazing skills of our pharma companies.

I have zero doubt that if they can make money on it legally and profitably, Pfizer could devise a drug so frighteningly addictive that it would destroy lives in one taking. And I'm sure they could modify MJ to be much much stronger too.

This would be stupid, the pharmaceutical companies depend upon returning customers. They wouldn't make something so strong that it would kill off their customer base in one use. They aren't that stupid. Heck, the drug gangs aren't even that stupid, they aren't going to put out product so strong that it kills their customers.

Oops, I misinterpreted your reply, you said addictive, not fatal.

The tobacco industry still has 15%-20% of the nation hooked, they could just take a page from them.

vivalarepublica wrote:

vivalarepublica wrote:

This would be stupid, the pharmaceutical companies depend upon returning customers. They wouldn't make something so strong that it would kill off their customer base in one use. They aren't that stupid. Heck, the drug gangs aren't even that stupid, they aren't going to put out product so strong that it kills their customers.

Oops, I misinterpreted your reply, you said addictive, not fatal.

The tobacco industry still has 15%-20% of the nation hooked, they could just take a page from them.

your defense is 'well the tobacco companies started it!'

really?

and anyway, with modern science, big pharma can make something far, far more addictive than bloody nicotine. I mean come on. They are some of the best scientists in the world. Vs. a plant.

you don't want to turn those boys and girls loose.

Legalizing all drugs will greatly reduce our health care costs by allowing patients to freely obtain their prescribed drugs from cheaper foreign sources. Criminalizing the obtaining of prescription drugs hurts us all.

Clapton Coke wrote:

Legalize everything. Focus on treatment for addicts. Have safe, clean locations for people to use instead of out in the streets.

People don't need to be locked up for using or selling. We're wasting money housing prisoners.

We're wasting money treating them as well.

agip wrote:

and anyway, with modern science, big pharma can make something far, far more addictive than bloody nicotine. I mean come on. They are some of the best scientists in the world. Vs. a plant.

you don't want to turn those boys and girls loose.

I'm don't see your point on this. Big Pharma already makes and sells plenty of goodies that are far more addictive than nicotine. This is a problem NOW, and it's one that can be addressed with more effective government oversight (i.e., tyranny!!!!).

*I*

Legalize all substances.

The country will be better.

We are not free.

We are repressed slaves to the government who is afraid of us becoming aware.

Ayahuasca, DMT, LSD, Cocaine, Crystal, Heroin, ad infinitum

President Obvious wrote:

Legalize all substances.

The country will be better.

We are not free.

We are repressed slaves to the government who is afraid of us becoming aware.

Ayahuasca, DMT, LSD, Cocaine, Crystal, Heroin, ad infinitum

Viagra, Insulin, Lipitor.

Learn what ad infinitum means.

agip wrote:

the problem with legalization I have is the amazing skills of our pharma companies.

I have zero doubt that if they can make money on it legally and profitably, Pfizer could devise a drug so frighteningly addictive that it would destroy lives in one taking. And I'm sure they could modify MJ to be much much stronger too.

I'd like to think that in this hypothetical "anything goes" legal drug market, popular demand would be for low-toxicity mood-lifting drugs with relatively low risk of dependence - vs. "a drug so frighteningly addictive that it would destroy lives in one taking." Most people wouldn't hear that all drugs are now legal and think "sweet" and ask Siri "where can I buy heroin?" In the case of your nightmare drug, I imagine people would avoid it like a nightmare drug!--like poison. There'd be "Duncaritol" survivor groups with guys with stories of how their ex-wives poisoned them unknowingly with Duncaritol so they immediately went on line and bought $2,000 worth. 3 years later they're 6 months Duncaritol free and still struggling to find a reason to get up each morning.

Yes