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If drugs were legalised, would they be as dangerous?
Milton Friedman once said
'I'm in favor of legalizing drugs. According to my values system, if people want to kill themselves, they have every right to do so. Most of the harm that comes from drugs is because they are illegal.'
Do you think this is true? and moreover, do you think that 'if people want to kill themselves, they have every right to do so'.
'I'm in favor of legalizing drugs. According to my values system, if people want to kill themselves, they have every right to do so. Most of the harm that comes from drugs is because they are illegal.'
Do you think this is true? and moreover, do you think that 'if people want to kill themselves, they have every right to do so'.
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Some of the harm does indeed come from the fact that they are illegal which makes the price high and the needles dirty. However, drugs would still be damaging if they were legal. The NHS would still be required to treat the drug users and many would probably still be unable to afford the drugs and would resort to crime to pay for them.
On the point of killing themselves. There is no reason why not so long as their suicide doesn't effect other people. This means not jumping off buildings or under trains. To a lesser extent it also means not causing unnecessary pain to relatives, but you'll die anyway at some point so I'm not sure how much unnecessary pain is caused by suicide over normal death.
On the point of killing themselves. There is no reason why not so long as their suicide doesn't effect other people. This means not jumping off buildings or under trains. To a lesser extent it also means not causing unnecessary pain to relatives, but you'll die anyway at some point so I'm not sure how much unnecessary pain is caused by suicide over normal death.
It isn't technically illegal to commit suicide, so on that count the criminal justice system has no mandate to oppose drug abuse. However, to function as a society with a level of commensuality we need to be able to provide people with addictions help and advice. I'm quite sure that the majority of drug takers are not doing so with the intention of killing themselves, that is instead one of the risks which they have to consider.
The legalisation of drungs is one of those muggy issues simply because it can be nearly impossible to gauge the 'street level reaction' to the decision. If drug abuse/use is facilitated by its illegality (an act of social defiance or to gain appreciation amongst a peer group) then it may have an effect. It would also remove 'bad quality' drugs from the market and replace them with a better quality and -dare I say it- healthier product.
However, the second one drug becomes legal and its street price drops it would have become economically unsustainiable to continue selling it. Therefore drug dealers would simply move on to another more lucrative drug. The only way to combat this would be a blanket legalisation of drugs, but as you can imagine, that's a very risky proposition indeed.
However, if drug dealing/use = rise in crime then its legalisation seems like little more than an amnesty to criminals and the 'green light' for people to turn away from social solutions to their problems and into dysfunctional drug-aided 'solutions'.
The legalisation of drungs is one of those muggy issues simply because it can be nearly impossible to gauge the 'street level reaction' to the decision. If drug abuse/use is facilitated by its illegality (an act of social defiance or to gain appreciation amongst a peer group) then it may have an effect. It would also remove 'bad quality' drugs from the market and replace them with a better quality and -dare I say it- healthier product.
However, the second one drug becomes legal and its street price drops it would have become economically unsustainiable to continue selling it. Therefore drug dealers would simply move on to another more lucrative drug. The only way to combat this would be a blanket legalisation of drugs, but as you can imagine, that's a very risky proposition indeed.
However, if drug dealing/use = rise in crime then its legalisation seems like little more than an amnesty to criminals and the 'green light' for people to turn away from social solutions to their problems and into dysfunctional drug-aided 'solutions'.
riux
Milton Friedman once said
'I'm in favor of legalizing drugs. According to my values system, if people want to kill themselves, they have every right to do so. Most of the harm that comes from drugs is because they are illegal.'
'I'm in favor of legalizing drugs. According to my values system, if people want to kill themselves, they have every right to do so. Most of the harm that comes from drugs is because they are illegal.'
I wonder what he was on when he said that.
I don't agree with him either way. Legalising drugs would simply make them easier to get hold of. This would make it easier to take them in larger quantities, subsequently doing more damage.
Tory Dan
I agree with a full legalisation, it opens a huge section in business and pharmaceuticals to sell recreational drugs, the benefits to the economy would be good and society would be better.
Do you ever think about anything apart from benefits to the economy?
In response to Mr Freidman, no drugs would still be harmful even if they were legal.
I'm of the belief that generally whether drugs are legal or illegal, if someone wants to purchase them and take then they will, regardless of whether they buy them off a drug dealer, or a pharmacist. I guess legalizing drugs would lead to things being more open, and I wouldn't have thought they would be a big increase in people taking them, because as I said, anyone who wants to take drugs now, does it regardless of whether is legal or not. If things are more open, then maybe they'll be more money to spend of getting people off the drugs, and giving support to drug takers. It is a really hard topic to predict, because its impossible to judge how society would react.
Socrates
Do you ever think about anything apart from benefits to the economy?
In response to Mr Freidman, no drugs would still be harmful even if they were legal.
In response to Mr Freidman, no drugs would still be harmful even if they were legal.
I mentioned society as well!
What is so bad about the benefit of a free market, sometimes I find it hard to believe your in the same party as me.
More or less dangerous to whom?
They don't solely effect the individual who happens to be taking them, other parties can be affected by drugs; i.e the person who gets their window smashed and their valuables stolen by someone who is trying to get money in order to pay for their next fix.
I think that if drugs were legalised, and if the government even went as far as establishing shooting galleries for users of drugs such as heroin, then it could be better than the current scenario we have now. Prices would fall, making the necessity for other crimes to be committed by drug users far less likely. As we are never going to be able to entirely get rid of drug users, surely the best course of action is to make sure that the only people drug users are harming are themselves?
They don't solely effect the individual who happens to be taking them, other parties can be affected by drugs; i.e the person who gets their window smashed and their valuables stolen by someone who is trying to get money in order to pay for their next fix.
I think that if drugs were legalised, and if the government even went as far as establishing shooting galleries for users of drugs such as heroin, then it could be better than the current scenario we have now. Prices would fall, making the necessity for other crimes to be committed by drug users far less likely. As we are never going to be able to entirely get rid of drug users, surely the best course of action is to make sure that the only people drug users are harming are themselves?
Axiom
More or less dangerous to whom?
They don't solely effect the individual who happens to be taking them, other parties can be affected by drugs; i.e the person who gets their window smashed and their valuables stolen by someone who is trying to get money in order to pay for their next fix.
They don't solely effect the individual who happens to be taking them, other parties can be affected by drugs; i.e the person who gets their window smashed and their valuables stolen by someone who is trying to get money in order to pay for their next fix.
My point exactly. I'm all for the private sphere; I'm not sure that drug taking fits in that category.
Hi all, here is my view to consider...
Don't you think our government has far too much control over our lives? I believe in freedom, and in a free country you should be able to consume any substance you want.
Yes, some people will ruin their lives with chemicals, but that's their own fault and their own responsibility. The majority of us would remain responsible, if drugs were legalized. Plus the quality and price of drugs would improve drastically, so they would be much safer to use.
In fact its only in the last hundred years that almost every good recreational drug has been made illegal, but has the drugs problem really improved? Prohibition has been a disaster and causes a huge amount of violent crime.
Really, why are we letting our government decide which drugs we can and can't take? Because they let us buy addictive poisons like nicotine when we're just 16, whereas much less harmful drugs and softer drugs carry hefty prison sentences, even when used medicinally.
So anyway, its time we started standing up for our rights!
Let me hear your view,
Sinking
Don't you think our government has far too much control over our lives? I believe in freedom, and in a free country you should be able to consume any substance you want.
Yes, some people will ruin their lives with chemicals, but that's their own fault and their own responsibility. The majority of us would remain responsible, if drugs were legalized. Plus the quality and price of drugs would improve drastically, so they would be much safer to use.
In fact its only in the last hundred years that almost every good recreational drug has been made illegal, but has the drugs problem really improved? Prohibition has been a disaster and causes a huge amount of violent crime.
Really, why are we letting our government decide which drugs we can and can't take? Because they let us buy addictive poisons like nicotine when we're just 16, whereas much less harmful drugs and softer drugs carry hefty prison sentences, even when used medicinally.
So anyway, its time we started standing up for our rights!
Let me hear your view,
Sinking
I'm all for legalisation. If all recreational drugs were available cheaply and safely at pharmacies or in shops or whatever, crime would decrease dramatically and it would be easier to help addicts.
Without the social stigma attached to drug use I think many more people would try to get help - plus some young people may not even bother in the first place, if all the glamour and intrigue was taken away.
Without the social stigma attached to drug use I think many more people would try to get help - plus some young people may not even bother in the first place, if all the glamour and intrigue was taken away.
Axiom
More or less dangerous to whom?
They don't solely effect the individual who happens to be taking them, other parties can be affected by drugs; i.e the person who gets their window smashed and their valuables stolen by someone who is trying to get money in order to pay for their next fix.
I think that if drugs were legalised, and if the government even went as far as establishing shooting galleries for users of drugs such as heroin, then it could be better than the current scenario we have now. Prices would fall, making the necessity for other crimes to be committed by drug users far less likely. As we are never going to be able to entirely get rid of drug users, surely the best course of action is to make sure that the only people drug users are harming are themselves?
They don't solely effect the individual who happens to be taking them, other parties can be affected by drugs; i.e the person who gets their window smashed and their valuables stolen by someone who is trying to get money in order to pay for their next fix.
I think that if drugs were legalised, and if the government even went as far as establishing shooting galleries for users of drugs such as heroin, then it could be better than the current scenario we have now. Prices would fall, making the necessity for other crimes to be committed by drug users far less likely. As we are never going to be able to entirely get rid of drug users, surely the best course of action is to make sure that the only people drug users are harming are themselves?
Good point. Many 'minor' criminal offences (often theft and crimes associated with the facilitation of theft) are conducted simply to sell the proceeds in order to be able to buy the next 'fix'. This is a major problem in towns and cities where shopping centres exist in relatively low income/high unemployment areas, therefore easing the access to petty theft and drugs. If you also consider subsiduary crimes as a result of drug abuse (criminal damage, assault, underground drug rings) legalisation could potentially serve to reduce a large proportion of frontline crime and thus free up police resources to deal with other issues.
kidintheriot
I'm all for legalisation. If all recreational drugs were available cheaply and safely at pharmacies or in shops or whatever, crime would decrease dramatically and it would be easier to help addicts.
Without the social stigma attached to drug use I think many more people would try to get help - plus some young people may not even bother in the first place, if all the glamour and intrigue was taken away.
Without the social stigma attached to drug use I think many more people would try to get help - plus some young people may not even bother in the first place, if all the glamour and intrigue was taken away.
If the use of drugs is a social phenomenon for some (to create an impression) then legalisation would certainly remove "the glamour", but like I said, if it is not anchored to the drug use itself (an actual biological addiction) then these young people may simply divert the glamour associated with drugs onto something more lethal (again it is guns that seems the most likely 'next step'). By legalising are we not admitting that when a problem gets too tough, we'll just give in and create an effective amnesty? It's certainly a difficult issue with many seemingly contradictory results.
Legalisation can lead to regulation and regulation in turn would certainly help to draw those who fear seeking treatment/support out of the woodwork for they will not need to fear recrimination, not to mention slowing or discouraging a particuarly lucrative sphere for international gangs. Is there not the danger though that legalisation of drugs will merely refocus a criminal elite onto other more dangerous illegal activities (importing guns for example)?
riux
Milton Friedman once said
'I'm in favor of legalizing drugs. According to my values system, if people want to kill themselves, they have every right to do so. Most of the harm that comes from drugs is because they are illegal.'.
'I'm in favor of legalizing drugs. According to my values system, if people want to kill themselves, they have every right to do so. Most of the harm that comes from drugs is because they are illegal.'.
He's chatting breeze. Drugs aren't illegal because they kill, nor are they legal because they don't kill. How many people have died from taking E; 1) Leah Betts 2) umm....er.....
How many from tabacco? How many noughts have you got...
Socrates
Do you ever think about anything apart from benefits to the economy?
In response to Mr Freidman, no drugs would still be harmful even if they were legal.
In response to Mr Freidman, no drugs would still be harmful even if they were legal.
Dr. Friedman, actually
But yes, I don't think he said what you seem to attribute to him. He did not suggest legalised drugs were harmless, but rather that most of the present-day harm caused by drugs comes about as a result of their illegality. On that note, I must agree with him.
B_e_x
They would get tax whacked on them, probably put addicts even more out of pocket. Though it may rid of dirty dealers - it wont rid the problem of addiction.
Taxing them would be hugely problematic for that very reason. I'd advocate them being tax-free, to addicts at the very least, or to only have VAT placed upon them.
_jackofdiamonds
Drugs aren't illegal because they kill, nor are they legal because they don't kill. How many people have died from taking E; 1) Leah Betts 2) umm....er.....
I believe Leah Betts died from water intoxication actually.
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