Should drugs be decriminalized?

I think they should be. Adults should be able to put whatever they want into their own bodies and not be incarcerated for it. The Government really shouldn't be able to control what Adults do with their own bodies. Besides Criminalizing things like drugs really doesn't work. Look at what happened with Prohibition when they banned Alcohol. People still got their Alcohol during Prohibition by using speakeasy bars. I feel that legally selling drugs in actual drug stores to Adults would be okay. I mean, selling cigarettes is legal and cigarettes is literally putting smoke into your lungs and a bunch of unhealthy chemicals into your body. So why not legally selling a gram of Coke to Adults for $60 plus tax in an actual drug store?

Marijuana should be legal (in many States it effectively is -but as long as it is federally illegal, its an issue-), as long as alcohol is legal I see no defense for it being criminalized.

As for other drugs, I don't know. Generally, I am in favor of decriminalization, and treating people in a health context versus the criminal justice system. But, I don't know if it would be great if such drugs were sold on in stores.

Methadone clinics are a good example of people getting certain drugs (or a close alternative) in a safe setting (of course the problem is they are very sporadic because nobody wants one in their neighborhood or near their business). I also think safe needle sites are good (of course same problem as above). A lot of drugs are dangerous because they are used in unsafe settings (at least as far as overdose deaths go), so there is a good argument for harder drugs to legalize in medical settings under supervision.

Oregon decriminalized possession of hard drugs a couple years ago, and the results are ... mixed.

see: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/oregon-decriminalized-drugs-2020-hows-83846382

Quote: missedhervee

Oregon decriminalized possession of hard drugs a couple years ago, and the results are ... mixed.

see: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/oregon-decriminalized-drugs-2020-hows-83846382

I'm not really surprised at one-year results. People who get caught using any highly addictive drugs aren't likely to quit until they either die, or know they have to quit or die. The same ones that didn't take advantage of the program likely will quit or die over the next decade.

So, sooner or later they may use those same services.

Quote: Gandler

Marijuana should be legal (in many States it effectively is -but as long as it is federally illegal, its an issue-), as long as alcohol is legal I see no defense for it being criminalized.

As for other drugs, I don't know. Generally, I am in favor of decriminalization, and treating people in a health context versus the criminal justice system. But, I don't know if it would be great if such drugs were sold on in stores.

Methadone clinics are a good example is people getting certain drugs (or a close alternative) in a safe setting (of course the problem is they are very sporadic because nobody wants one in their neighborhood or near their business). I also think safe needle sites are good (of course same problem as above). A lot of drugs are dangerous because they are used in unsafe settings (at least as far as overdose deaths go), so there is a good argument for harder drugs to legalize in medical settings under supervision.

BC had the first safe injection sites in Canada 10 years ago. Every year for the last 5 years has been a record number of OD deaths. BC has just decriminalized personal possession of hard drugs we will see if it makes any difference.

Quote: Gandler

As for other drugs, I don't know. Generally, I am in favor of decriminalization, and treating people in a health context versus the criminal justice system. But, I don't know if it would be great if such drugs were sold on in stores.

We have history to look at. In the late 1800s and early 1900s you could buy heroin, cocaine, and opium at your corner store. It was making the USA a nation of dope fiends. In the 60s and 70s doctors wrote a ton of prescriptions for speed in the form of diet pills. Results were not good.

Quote: kenarman

BC had the first safe injection sites in Canada 10 years ago. Every year for the last 5 years has been a record number of OD deaths. BC has just decriminalized personal possession of hard drugs we will see if it makes any difference.

If you do not have a clean supply you will have problems. For every Walter White putting out a good product you have 10 Todd's who do not know what they are doing.

Weed should be legalized and controlled nationwide, same as alcohol.

It has not been proven to be addictive, nor a precursor drug which leads automatically to using "the hard stuff."

Now if only they bred a strain of cannabis that didn't give you the munchies...

Dealers in deadly drugs should be put away for life.

Two drug traffickers released on own recognizance from California jail days after caught with 150K fentanyl pills. Enough to kill several million people.


'California man had enough fentanyl ‘to kill 12 million people,’ DA says

These dirtbags are only facing a maximum of 80 months.

Quote: AZDuffman

If you do not have a clean supply you will have problems. For every Walter White putting out a good product you have 10 Todd's who do not know what they are doing.

That is what the safe injection site is about AZD. They will test the drugs if you ask. Clean new needle every time and help if you do OD. Seems like a great idea but it isn't helping the problem.