Yep, some of you have definately heard this rant before. Legalize drugs used for recreational purposes. Way, way too many fairly harmless people are being tossed in jail for this victimless crime.
First off, legalizing drugs would kick a major leg out from under organized crime. Once legalized, reputable people can sell it for a lot less, prices go way down and it no longer becomes as absurdly profitable as it is now.
Many, many crimes are commited by drug addicts to support their habits. With drugs dramatically cheaper and easier to come by, their incentive to steal to support their habit also decreases. Also a good thing. People are more likely to hold down regular jobs since they don't a have a hugely expensive habit they can only indulge in sporatically. Plus, those with uncontrollable habits can get enough to overdose themselves out of existance and end their long term negative contributions to society.
Black market goods are completely unregulated. Making drugs legitimate makes overdosing much less likely and creates a huge source of potential tax revenue.
Narco states loose their major source of funding and druglords fall right and left. Heh heh. This is especially true if the USA starts manufacturing its own drugs. Rebel groups in south american and terrorist organizations like the Taliban lose another source of funding. The world becomes better off.
I'm torn on the issue of making drugs free. That seems a bit excessive, plus it removes potential revinue. I'm envisioning a clinic where people can anonymously check themselves in and self administer drugs to their hearts content while under supervision, and this clinic being the only legitimate drug dispenser. I think that would still create a black market for those afraid of stigma and want to do drugs in their own home. I dunno, something to debate.
So here it is, my reasonings for legalizing drugs (well, leaving out my whole "goverment wasn't given this power in the constitution. Darn overuse of interstate commerce clause" arguement).
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3 comments:
I really can't find much I can disagree with here. I have somewhat of an issue with letting people overdose themselves to death, but thats because once you get to that level, you really don't understand whats going on with you. Beyond that ... lets go for it.
CW
I have been talking about this issue for years. It’s funny how we with some many years between us can come down on the same side of an issue. Most people, when they here my opinion on this think I’m nuts considering how conservative I am on so many other issues. I don’t know why we have these moral “blue” laws on the books but some element keeps pushing them through whether the general populace wants them or not.
These laws are one of the few that I know of that perpetuate more crime. Because drugs are illegal they are sold for high profit on the black market and the users must commit crimes to support their habit. It is a never ending downward spiral that leads no where good. Because of this habit they are pushed outside normal society and drop into the drug abuser subculture which normally ends in death.
Don’t misunderstand me now. I don’t like drugs or condone their use but I hate the stigma that society places on it worse. These laws are a move against choice and a strike against freedom and that is something I can never support. All freedom and rights belong to and come from the people and the government only has the power to control the things that we let it. Rights are not derived from the government but belong to the people already and the constitution is supposed to guarantee that our rights are not infringed upon.
The government has overstepped its bounds on many occasions but I think none more clear than here. You cannot legislate morality! That comes from religion or philosophy. Each time the government tries to make us safer with a law they erode the freedoms on which our land is based. Freedom isn’t free or easy. It comes with great responsibility. True freedom has no safety net, each individual lives or dies by the choices made. It may be scary but that’s what this is really about. The right to choose.
Dad
Wow. Okay, not much of a debate here.
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