"If drugs were legal, crime will go down"

[The Soviet Technocracy]

Yes.

Also of course because selling, buying and producing drugs would no longer be illegal. ;)

Higher incidences of tax-related crimes, however, as people refuse to pay business tax while selling drugs.

[Zeth Rekia]

Another savings is the cost of housing all the prisoners jailed under pointless and minor drug offenses.

My intuition says that drug use would go up due to its addictive nature but I tend to find facts don't accord with my intuition.

Ultimately, regardless of any conspiracy theories as to why the gvernment continues a failed drug policy, it's simply down to the fact that it would be political suicide to legalise them at the current time.

So, if you got put in jail for doing drugs, and get released, the government gives you compensation to pay for your time?

Okay...

[Amacia]

What's it really about, and sauce please.

It's all about the money Lebowski.

I think it's in there somewhere let me take a look.

But seriously, what's it "really" about.

[The Soviet Technocracy]

Another savings is the cost of housing all the prisoners jailed under pointless and minor drug offenses.

My intuition says that drug use would go up due to its addictive nature but I tend to find facts don't accord with my intuition.

Ultimately, regardless of any conspiracy theories as to why the gvernment continues a failed drug policy, it's simply down to the fact that it would be political suicide to legalise them at the current time.

So, if you got put in jail for doing drugs, and get released, the government gives you compensation to pay for your time?

Okay...

And every single God-fearing, gun hating, drug hating, gay hating American family will be up in arms about it.

[Amacia]

A question for everyone, after doing drugs, would you be more employable if you go to rehab rather than jail?

[Soviet Haaregrad]

A question for everyone, after doing drugs, would you be more employable if you go to rehab rather than jail?

Considering if you're an addict it might help you recover, and regardless jail and a criminal record tends to look bad in the eyes of employers, I'd say yes.

[Amacia]

A question for everyone, after doing drugs, would you be more employable if you go to rehab rather than jail?

Considering if you're an addict it might help you recover, and regardless jail and a criminal record tends to look bad in the eyes of employers, I'd say yes.

The reason I say this is that getting a job and keeping it is a big part of recovery. What ever helps that better I support.

[Barringtonia]

Another savings is the cost of housing all the prisoners jailed under pointless and minor drug offenses.

My intuition says that drug use would go up due to its addictive nature but I tend to find facts don't accord with my intuition.

Ultimately, regardless of any conspiracy theories as to why the gvernment continues a failed drug policy, it's simply down to the fact that it would be political suicide to legalise them at the current time.

So, if you got put in jail for doing drugs, and get released, the government gives you compensation to pay for your time?

Okay...

Yes, that is exactly what I wrote.

[Terra Agora]

A libertarian wouldn't care if crime rates rose or fell and would rely on the moral necessity of personal rights.

Im a libertarian and dont believe in natural rights. Your statement fails.

[Wikkiwallana]

Have a look at Portugal, decriminalizing (still not legal but you get therapy instead of jail) drugs works quite well to reduce both crime and drug usage.

Sounds like a good idea to me. Still, just to be safe, where might I find the data on it?

[Sociobiology]

well cannabis was banned to make it easy to deport illegal and legal immigrants from Mexico during a time of job scarcity, when immigration was a perceived threat, since cannabis was the drug of choice for these immigrants at the time. Opium (and its Derivatives) was banned to make it easier to deport Asian immigrants during an economic downturn were immigration was a perceived threat.
I see a reoccurring theme

Are you sure these reasons apply for the drugs in question being banned in, say, various european or asian countries?

don't know those were the reasons in the US, however. I would guess every country had its own reasons.

[Sociobiology]

So, if you got put in jail for doing drugs, and get released, the government gives you compensation to pay for your time?

Okay...

And every single God-fearing, gun hating, drug hating, gay hating American family will be up in arms about it.

yes because such people always want to believe they have a clue about psychology, come to think of it everyone does, must be a fluke caused by wiring us to model other peoples brains in ours.

[Blazedtown]

There's a balance between the effort to get drugs on the black market and the convenience of paying a higher premium through tax by just getting them from the newsagent. Tobacco and alcohol would be similar, sure I can get them cheaper from Sid down at The Pig & Whistle but it's just a bother.

Effort? Its easier for a 16 year old to get a 20 sack than it is to get cigarettes.

[Make up your own mind]

yes because such people always want to believe they have a clue about psychology, come to think of it everyone does, must be a fluke caused by wiring us to model other peoples brains in ours.

Sigged.

[Make up your own mind]

Have a look at Portugal, decriminalizing (still not legal but you get therapy instead of jail) drugs works quite well to reduce both crime and drug usage.

Sounds like a good idea to me. Still, just to be safe, where might I find the data on it?

this would be a good place to start

[Bottle]

There's a balance between the effort to get drugs on the black market and the convenience of paying a higher premium through tax by just getting them from the newsagent. Tobacco and alcohol would be similar, sure I can get them cheaper from Sid down at The Pig & Whistle but it's just a bother.

Effort? Its easier for a 16 year old to get a 20 sack than it is to get cigarettes.

So true.

When I was 16, getting alcohol or cigarettes required the use of a fake ID, or bribing somebody older to procure them for me. Getting weed, coke, acid, or speed was both easier and cheaper.

[Ifreann]

Effort? Its easier for a 16 year old to get a 20 sack than it is to get cigarettes.

So true.

When I was 16, getting alcohol or cigarettes required the use of a fake ID, or bribing somebody older to procure them for me. Getting weed, coke, acid, or speed was both easier and cheaper.

When my cousin was 18(the legal age for drinking here) he moved to California. His parents, being reasonable people, were happy enough to let him have some beer or wine with them. Even then, he still found it easier to get weed.

[Bottle]

So true.

When I was 16, getting alcohol or cigarettes required the use of a fake ID, or bribing somebody older to procure them for me. Getting weed, coke, acid, or speed was both easier and cheaper.

When my cousin was 18(the legal age for drinking here) he moved to California. His parents, being reasonable people, were happy enough to let him have some beer or wine with them. Even then, he still found it easier to get weed.

Oh, to be sure, my parents let me drink from the time I was 7, because my father's family are wine people. I just meant if I wanted to get alcohol myself, as a minor, since I figure my home experience wasn't really typical for most teens.

[Make up your own mind]

According to one source selling cigarettes is big business for organized crime.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/41785506/Gangs_T ... Cigarettes

[Kobeanare]

A libertarian wouldn't care if crime rates rose or fell and would rely on the moral necessity of personal rights.

Im a libertarian and dont believe in natural rights. Your statement fails.

...what.

[Barringtonia]

Effort? Its easier for a 16 year old to get a 20 sack than it is to get cigarettes.

So true.

When I was 16, getting alcohol or cigarettes required the use of a fake ID, or bribing somebody older to procure them for me. Getting weed, coke, acid, or speed was both easier and cheaper.

Happy Birthday by the way...

[Charlotte Ryberg]

I feel that there is a good reason why some drugs, which may be fatal upon overdose, needs to be controlled. One of the main reasons is public health. Another one is the potential for extraordinary levels of addiction.

[Seperates]

A libertarian wouldn't care if crime rates rose or fell and would rely on the moral necessity of personal rights.

Im a libertarian and dont believe in natural rights. Your statement fails.

Then obviously you're not a libertarian.

[Threlizdun]

No, people will not buy from cartels to obtain tax free drugs for the same reason no one buys tobacco from cartels to avoid taxes; human beings are too lazy to go out of their way to get something when they can just get it from a store.

[Make up your own mind]

No, people will not buy from cartels to obtain tax free drugs for the same reason no one buys tobacco from cartels to avoid taxes; human beings are too lazy to go out of their way to get something when they can just get it from a store.

Actually there are people who buy cigarettes from gangs. Weird world, eh?