Should All Drugs Be Legalized?

[Yumyumsuppertime]

Not legalized, but not quite illegal either. It shouldn't be illegal to have the drugs, but it should be illegal to sell them.

The only exceptions are opiates and marijuana, which should be completely legal, sold by the government.

I think that I understand where you're coming from. However, we still run into the issue of dangerous, impure drugs being sold by criminals, with money going towards the funding of violent cartels.

[Cat Rangoon]

Drugs like marijuana? Absolutely. They should be legalized. Harder drugs like cocaine or heroin? On the fence leaning towards not. Unless there's a very compelling argument to the contrary.

I do wish coca leaf tea were something I could buy in the US, tbqh. I've had it before and it's incredibly fortifying.

[Chestaan]

Drugs like marijuana? Absolutely. They should be legalized. Harder drugs like cocaine or heroin? On the fence leaning towards not. Unless there's a very compelling argument to the contrary.

I do wish coca leaf tea were something I could buy in the US, tbqh. I've had it before and it's incredibly fortifying.

Cocaine should be legal, its effects aren't even close to as bad as heroin. And at the very least it should be legal to possess heroin, not necessarily to sell it.

Anyway, I'm glad that the general consensus here is that drug laws need to be relaxed considerably.

[Republic of Coldwater]

Drugs like marijuana? Absolutely. They should be legalized. Harder drugs like cocaine or heroin? On the fence leaning towards not. Unless there's a very compelling argument to the contrary.

I do wish coca leaf tea were something I could buy in the US, tbqh. I've had it before and it's incredibly fortifying.

Cocaine should be legal, its effects aren't even close to as bad as heroin. And at the very least it should be legal to possess heroin, not necessarily to sell it.

Anyway, I'm glad that the general consensus here is that drug laws need to be relaxed considerably.

Why can't we just fully legalize the sale and use of heroin? If people choose to use such substances on their own body, why stop them?

[New Chilokver]

Cocaine should be legal, its effects aren't even close to as bad as heroin. And at the very least it should be legal to possess heroin, not necessarily to sell it.

Anyway, I'm glad that the general consensus here is that drug laws need to be relaxed considerably.

Why can't we just fully legalize the sale and use of heroin? If people choose to use such substances on their own body, why stop them?

Because then people complain to the government that it's their fault that they're addicted.

[West Aurelia]

Why can't we just fully legalize the sale and use of heroin? If people choose to use such substances on their own body, why stop them?

Because then people complain to the government that it's their fault that they're addicted.

Why would they do that? Do you see people complaining to the government that it's their fault that they're addicted to smoking or alcohol?

[Svaskiv]

sure, I mean the government should tax the living hell of them but in the end: their body their choice...

[Baiynistan]

Legalized, regulated and taxed to High Hades. The revenue from taxes can then be used to fund rehabilitation programmes, support families affected by abuse etc.

[New Chilokver]

Because then people complain to the government that it's their fault that they're addicted.

Why would they do that? Do you see people complaining to the government that it's their fault that they're addicted to smoking or alcohol?

Probably.

[West Aurelia]

Why would they do that? Do you see people complaining to the government that it's their fault that they're addicted to smoking or alcohol?

Probably.

Really? Give me an example of this happening on a wide scale.

[Camelza]

Why would they do that? Do you see people complaining to the government that it's their fault that they're addicted to smoking or alcohol?

Probably.

Idiots do tend to blame the government when they fail regarding their reponsibilities.

[West Aurelia]

Probably.

Idiots do tend to blame the government when they fail regarding their reponsibilities.

I've never seen an example of this happening on a wide scale, but even if it does happen, you're right - it's not the government's responsibility.

[Geanna]

I was in a conversation with two of my colleagues and they were both of the opinion that all drugs should be legalized. Their reasoning was that everyone has the right to choose how they want to live their lives, even if that choice leads to an unhealthy lifestyle. The government has no say in what people do or say to themselves.

My opinion was that some drugs, such as marijuana, was ok for legalization, but harder drugs like cocaine and heroin were not. My reasoning was that the more accessible hard drugs are, the more likely people will get into them and cause self-destruction. I feel that the government has an obligation to keep people out of unnecessary trouble if they can help it. I know I would not want my family members, friends, or future children having an easy access to hard drugs.

So my question to all of you is if all drugs should be legalized and why?

EDIT: Removed the "Some, but not all" because it muddles the question. Please revote if you can.

I'm often conflicted on this. I can either go conservative and go ''No! It could kill them!'' or go liberal and go ''Yes! It's their body'' - Sadly, things aren't so easily black and white. I'll just say yes - if a person wishes to self-destruct they may do so, it is their body - however I'd have an issue if the substance resulted in having the person cause harm to someone else. Thus the dilemma.

[Republic of Coldwater]

Why can't we just fully legalize the sale and use of heroin? If people choose to use such substances on their own body, why stop them?

Because then people complain to the government that it's their fault that they're addicted.

People complain to the government for addiction of alcohol and tobacco, so should we go ban them too?

[The Flood]

Because then people complain to the government that it's their fault that they're addicted.

People complain to the government for addiction of alcohol and tobacco, so should we go ban them too?

We should ban tobacco, yes.

[Republic of Coldwater]

People complain to the government for addiction of alcohol and tobacco, so should we go ban them too?

We should ban tobacco, yes.

Because we won't go back to a tobacco black market.

[Imperializt Russia]

Alcohol's been legal for the last eighty years or so in the US and has been popular through history. "Drugs", which also includes alcohol, nicotine, anything pharmaceutical, caffeine etc have only been particularly popular in the last century or so.

Cartels will still be illegal because they are violent criminal gangs, the membership of alone is illegal. No drug legalisation programme in the US would ever legalise the cartel's drug trade because this would NOT FIX THE ISSUE that cartels pose, or their drug trade.

Not true. Lots of drugs have been popularly in impure forms for ages- eg. Aztecs and cocaine. And yes, you would have cartels, but they wouldn't be drug cartels. If all drugs all legal, who's going to by an illegal variant?

The Aztecs are not presently culturally relevant.

Per cartels, hence why I would have the state act as distributor.

I was in a conversation with two of my colleagues and they were both of the opinion that all drugs should be legalized. Their reasoning was that everyone has the right to choose how they want to live their lives, even if that choice leads to an unhealthy lifestyle. The government has no say in what people do or say to themselves.

My opinion was that some drugs, such as marijuana, was ok for legalization, but harder drugs like cocaine and heroin were not. My reasoning was that the more accessible hard drugs are, the more likely people will get into them and cause self-destruction. I feel that the government has an obligation to keep people out of unnecessary trouble if they can help it. I know I would not want my family members, friends, or future children having an easy access to hard drugs.

So my question to all of you is if all drugs should be legalized and why?

EDIT: Removed the "Some, but not all" because it muddles the question. Please revote if you can.

I'm often conflicted on this. I can either go conservative and go ''No! It could kill them!'' or go liberal and go ''Yes! It's their body'' - Sadly, things aren't so easily black and white. I'll just say yes - if a person wishes to self-destruct they may do so, it is their body - however I'd have an issue if the substance resulted in having the person cause harm to someone else. Thus the dilemma.

The main person harmed through drug abuse is, technically, everyone. I say this as a legalisation/decriminalisation advocate and occasional user.

Medical costs incurred require institutions like the NHS in the UK to need to allocate more funds to combating drug-related injury or fatality, public awareness campaigns etc which may leech money from other frontline services or require a funding hike to accommodate.
An issue particularly relevant for Americans is that drug abuse probably leads to significant hikes on medical insurance premiums - it harms everybody.

Proper government regulation could help combat this, hence why I would have the NHS run narcotic dispensaries - supply is controlled, regulated, safe and would bring in lord knows how much tax and sales revenue.

[Fanosolia]

Cocaine should be legal, its effects aren't even close to as bad as heroin. And at the very least it should be legal to possess heroin, not necessarily to sell it.

Anyway, I'm glad that the general consensus here is that drug laws need to be relaxed considerably.

Why can't we just fully legalize the sale and use of heroin? If people choose to use such substances on their own body, why stop them?

I'm going to paraphrase someone if you don't mind: free markets have their downsides, like an item was one the market that was so transfixing that anyone with said item would find it hard to leave there house and go to work thus making economy less efficient. this why heroine's illegal.

[The Lycan Empire]

Yes and no.

If we legalize drugs then people wouldn't use them as much because they wouldn't feel "rebellious" or make profit off of drug dealing.
If we don't legalize drugs then people would be less prone to violence, injury, or illness.

[Tule]

While I find it morally wrong to punish someone for using a mind-altering substance, it's their body and their choice after all, I am strongly opposed to the advertisement of any psychoactive substance and those who sell psychoactive substances should not put them on display for their customers, with the possible exception of those who sell nothing but said substances.

Accessibility to anything makes a huge difference to how often it is used. There is a reason why illegal drugs are used far less often than legal drugs.

[Imperializt Russia]

Why can't we just fully legalize the sale and use of heroin? If people choose to use such substances on their own body, why stop them?

I'm going to paraphrase someone if you don't mind: free markets have their downsides, like an item was one the market that was so transfixing that anyone with said item would find it hard to leave there house and go to work thus making economy less efficient. this why heroine's illegal.

I'm going to go with "no" on that one.

[Ashmoria]

Not legalized, but not quite illegal either. It shouldn't be illegal to have the drugs, but it should be illegal to sell them.

The only exceptions are opiates and marijuana, which should be completely legal, sold by the government.

but if the manufacture, distribution and sale is illegal doesn't that mean that the product is less safe than it ought to be?

[Grand Russian Federation]

Not true. Lots of drugs have been popularly in impure forms for ages- eg. Aztecs and cocaine. And yes, you would have cartels, but they wouldn't be drug cartels. If all drugs all legal, who's going to by an illegal variant?

The Aztecs are not presently culturally relevant.

Per cartels, hence why I would have the state act as distributor.

I'm often conflicted on this. I can either go conservative and go ''No! It could kill them!'' or go liberal and go ''Yes! It's their body'' - Sadly, things aren't so easily black and white. I'll just say yes - if a person wishes to self-destruct they may do so, it is their body - however I'd have an issue if the substance resulted in having the person cause harm to someone else. Thus the dilemma.

The main person harmed through drug abuse is, technically, everyone. I say this as a legalisation/decriminalisation advocate and occasional user.

Medical costs incurred require institutions like the NHS in the UK to need to allocate more funds to combating drug-related injury or fatality, public awareness campaigns etc which may leech money from other frontline services or require a funding hike to accommodate.
An issue particularly relevant for Americans is that drug abuse probably leads to significant hikes on medical insurance premiums - it harms everybody.

Proper government regulation could help combat this, hence why I would have the NHS run narcotic dispensaries - supply is controlled, regulated, safe and would bring in lord knows how much tax and sales revenue.

Occasional user? Which drugs? This interests me.

I do agree with "everyone is harmed by drug abuse" though. You got your workplace (missing work by staying in rehab, or just plain being high when you work), your family (you can act out), and ultimately your government (the loss of a worker if you overdose and die).

[The Flood]

We should ban tobacco, yes.

Because we won't go back to a tobacco black market.

Why have any laws? People are just going to break them!

That's what you sound like.

[Camelza]

Because we won't go back to a tobacco black market.

Why have any laws? People are just going to break them!

That's what you sound like.

He's reasoning may be false, but yours is not better. You practically support the notion that human adults aren't capable to decide what's best for them and that's why they need some short of higher authority to provide them with a safe way of life.
Laws are needed and do protect individuals from harm in an organised society, but I consider it extremely unjustified to ban harming one's self.
I bet you're also against legalising euthanasia.