Hm
Everyone here seems to be considering the idea that somehow drug stores would open up on every street corner. I was under the impression that legalising "illegal" drugs would instead mean that drug users would not be turned into criminals merely for possessing drugs and/or using them and that the orgonised crime groups currently smuggling large quantities of drugs and dealing them would come under slightly revised but just as severe legislation.

Coupled with certain very controlled outlets supplying cheap clean and legal drugs to addicts (at prices that would drive the orgonised criminal groups out of buisness) this seems like quite a good way of not only cutting off revenue to the orgonised criminal groups profiting from the desire for illegal recreational drugs but also ensuring that people truly addicted to drugs don't just fall through the net, that they aren't criminalised and don't neccisarily have to resort to violent crime to get enough money to feed their habit.
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:12, 5 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

I think you are correct in your reasons for this change.

( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:14, Reply)

according to that BBC article
they would merely decriminalise not legalise.

Meh it's obviously an error of conscience with me, but I find it difficult to give a damn about drug-abusers. It's their lookout, everyone knows the risks associated and if you choose to risk them and fuck your life up, then that's your own fault. How long before the first of the junkies tries to sue the government for making drugs available?
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:20, Reply)

Thing is not everyone does know the risks associated.
Or they just don't consider them. Or they're so fucking depressed and down about their situation that drugs seem a fairly good way of quitting the universe temporarily. Think about it - if people are so well informed, and know what it's like to be a junkie and everything how desprate would you have to be for escape, any escape from your situation that something like Heroin seems a viable alternative?
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:22, Reply)

Well then
rather than focusing on how to get the largest quantity of drugs to the people least suited to be able to cope once they are on them, people with mental health problems, depression etc who can't afford them in the first place, I think there are other more worthwhile avenues to put money in. Awareness of the damage they do, better education to provide an alternative, and better pinpointing of that vulnerable sub-section of society. Don't give them more to alleviate their pain, do something about it.

Edit: I should stress here, that I am not anti drug-decriminalisation but that I think it is far too complex to simply be implemented, and that there are other more worthwhile avenues. Plus weed shouldn't even be part of the argument. That should just be legalised
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:26, Reply)

Oh don't get me wrong
There's no way this would realy work without some form of pretty major social policy change - focusing on some of the more unpleasent aspects of society that most of us don't realy like thinking about - mental health issues, poverty gap ect... I'm just saying that decriminalisation and supply of cheap and clean alternatives would mean that junkies are not criminalised on top of their other problems and don't have to commit various crimes to fund their habit.
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:33, Reply)

It's a difficult one
I think I'm probably just a bad person, because I have less sympathy in this instance. Other addictions you can see how they start things like alcohol, cigarettes, gambling, even cocaine etc. Smack and crack are a bit beyond my comprehension. Regardless it is society that needs to be fixed, rather than what is essentially a 'make life easier' for the junky fix
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:37, Reply)

Ah. Well I guess it depends
And I do totaly agree with you. There are aspects of our society that realy do need changing. Trouble is how to go about it. I personaly think that decriminalisation would be a rather usefull tool if it's combined with certain other social reforms.
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:41, Reply)

Has anyone ever tried to sue the government
for making alcohol available?
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:27, Reply)

I don't think alcohol
is on the same level as crack. And I'd point out that several cigarette companies have been sued (success is not the point)
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:31, Reply)

Volenti non fit injuria would presumably prevent liability for the brewers etc
I suppose you could attempt to JR the government's decision to make alcohol legal but you would fail, it being a non justiciable subject and a whole host of other reasons.

In summary, your idea is made of fail.
( WormuIus, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:35, Reply)

What idea is that?
Amber said junkies might try to sue the govt for making drugs available, all I did was point out that this has not happened with alkies and the govt.

So, my post contains no idea of mine nor of anyone else, and thus in summary, your post is made of fail.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:42, Reply)

there's no place here for your sensible and realistic arguments

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:20, Reply)

Goddamnit!
erm... Drugs are bad? Will that do?
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:25, Reply)

nope
I've smoked drugs every day for 10 years or more, and it hasn't done me any harm.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:26, Reply)

Erm, we're over here, mate.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:27, Reply)

^ same as this enlightened chap

( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:28, Reply)

Heh, well I tried making it more simple...
Drugs are good?
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:33, Reply)

damn right

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:35, Reply)

I agree with you
I've tried to write it like that myself, but you're much better than me.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:27, Reply)

Eh, To be fair I did focus on stuff like this in my degree
Personaly I beleive that the criminalisation of certain drugs just leads to the development of an underclass of junkies ect. that we can all safely ignore because it's probably their fault right? I mean, it's not like we realy have to consider the bigger picture or some of the slightly more moraly grey areas if we just dismiss them all as dirty junkies robbing grannies and that.
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:36, Reply)

I think that's a bit complex
a lot of them do steal, rob and occasionally kill to fund their habit. And regardless a lot of them did choose to go on the stuff to begin with.

Yes there are problems that need to be sorted, but I don't think painting drug-abusers as merely in need of sympathetic help will work
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:40, Reply)

True.
But I'm not realy saying that we should paint all drug addicts as merely in need of sympathetic help, after all stating that they're all just victims is just putting another label on them, what is needed is intelligent investigation into the problem in the mainstream media, not just one opinion or another that can be eisily summed up with a soundbite.
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:44, Reply)

People do seem to think that
these drug shops would be available as some kind of private enterprise. I would envision it as more the Canadian off-licence model. They have specific outlets owned and regulated directly by the government under a kind of franchise scheme.

People in effect buy their booze from the government through an intermediary.
( Kroney, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:36, Reply)

Thats more or less what I was thinking too
It's been suggested before now, but the entire idea of government intervention in such things and the expansion of the state is rather unpopular with the right wing, and most left wing parties know that if they even suggested such a thing it'd be more or less political suicide.
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Tue 17 Aug 2010, 11:39, Reply)