Nick Clegg - Being caught with drugs during youth should not hinder prospects.

By youths, I thought he meant secondary school kids. Whilst I don't agree that a small infraction should lead to a complete block on their chosen career, particularly without any conviction, but I'd argue that a student really ought to know better.

Young adults should not be prevented from applying for jobs because of a “stupid youthful mistake” with drugs, according to Nick Clegg. Right now, a teenager cautioned for possession of drugs for personal use will have to declare it for six years when applying for certain jobs, and if convicted and fined, for eleven years.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/generalelection/nick-clegg-makes-new-appeal-to-the-young-by-promising-drug-laws-overhaul-10083377.html

Do you find Nick Clegg's argument persuasive? Personally, I do think that if a student is caught with a tiny amount of drugs after a night out, it should not stop them from becoming, say, a doctor or a nurse some years later.

Oppose.

So long as such actions are illegal then people who exercise poor judgement should be punished for it. There's always a risk you'll be convicted for it, that's the entire point of a deterrent.

It's illogical to argue that something should be illegal because it's illegal.
It's about whether it should be illegal/ criminalized so arguing that it should be because it is doesn't make sense.

There are murderers, thieves, money launderers out there and as a society we're worried about a few teenagers with a bit of dope?

Which has proven to be far less harmful then alcohol.

No.

Your asking two different questions here..

1) Should Cannabis be legal.

2) Should people who break the law be punished for it.

For the first question i actually support fining people in the same way you'd get a speeding ticket or be caught urinating on the street rather than convicting you and sending you to prison.

For the second question, i fully support the upholding of justice. Whether one likes it or not these things are currently illegal, if you choose to break the law you should be punished for it.

'upholding of justice'. So an 18 year old who goes to uni and smokes pot deserves to have his career prospects damaged? Have you ever done it? I'd guess most uni students have. It's a victimless 'crime' with zero legitimate justification for it's legality.

But even if you want to make it illegal why not decriminalize it? In Portugal they have and have seen far lower Cannabis abuse because of it.

I don't get this. If he's already going to be convicted/fined, why punish the poor chap further by ruining his job prospects?

Posted from TSR Mobile

If your convicted you have a criminal record, that's what damages your job prospects for 7 years.

Which shouldn't be the case (except maybe jobs like teaching and healthcare)

Posted from TSR Mobile

If he's stupid enough to get caught. Yes. It's justification is irrelevant, the law does not work on the basis of 'do people think it's fair', it's works on the basis of 'parliament says this is illegal'.

Because not every country is the same. There's no guarantee you'll get such a drop here.

the law does not work on the basis of 'do people think it's fair',