[Chloe'sMommy]

How would you feel about legalizing all drugs? Many people had stated they believe marijuana should be legalized and taxed. What about other drugs? Should the same thing happen (legalize and tax)?

[Banned-Elena * K&E's Mama]

Yep.
The people who are motivated to do drugs, are doing drugs. With such easy access and widespread disregarding of the law, I'm not convinced decriminializing drugs would increase use or create any issues. It might even lessen some of them, not to mention lessen the burdens on the prison system for personal use offenders.
Might as well profit.

[Chloe'sMommy]

Originally Posted by CricketInPeril

Yep.
The people who are motivated to do drugs, are doing drugs. With such easy access and widespread disregarding of the law, I'm not convinced decriminializing drugs would increase use or create any issues. It might even lessen some of them, not to mention lessen the burdens on the prison system for personal use offenders.
Might as well profit.

If they were to be legalized, do you think we should try and make it 'safe' for them to use? For example, providing sterile needles so that we could reduce the risk of diseases that are transferred from sharing dirty/used needles?

[Banned-Elena * K&E's Mama]

Originally Posted by Chloe'sMommy

If they were to be legalized, do you think we should try and make it 'safe' for them to use? For example, providing sterile needles so that we could reduce the risk of diseases that are transferred from sharing dirty/used needles?

Sure. Paying for sterile needles is definitely be better than spending $35,000/yr per prisoner, or having transmittable diseases flood the healthcare systems.

Originally Posted by CricketInPeril

Sure. Paying for sterile needles is definitely be better than spending $35,000/yr per prisoner, or having transmittable diseases flood the healthcare systems.

Well good, you like and defend druggies. For a while there I was thinking you considered everyone beneath you.


To the OT, I agree with legalizing and taxing drugs, as well as providing safety measures.

[Linzie]

I just can't help but think legalizing drugs will leave it open to those who don't do for fear of the consequences. The less consequences there are for doing drugs, the more people are willing to try them. Hey, we're not gonna go to jail for it, so what's the big deal?

And those parents who do drugs instead of taking care of their kids, or the pregnant woman who would have gotten her baby taken away because of drug use? Since drugs are now legal, technically they aren't doing anything wrong. Or would that fall just under endangerment? Still, any sentence they would get would be shortened because they don't have a drug use charge.

Legalizing drugs leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I wouldn't support it. *shrug*

[RTMOM]

Don't worry, I agree linzie. I just couldn't support legalizing drugs .

Well at the very least, let's legalize marijuana. I have arthritis in my neck. lol

[*Jillian*]

Originally Posted by foxfire_ga79

Well at the very least, let's legalize marijuana. I have arthritis in my neck. lol

Ditto. Except I don't have arthritis..yet. lol

[Linzie]

This may sound a bit contradictory, but I don't see MJ as being as damaging as other drugs. I wouldn't necessarily be against legalizing marijuana, but I won't be lobbying for it. I don't see it as harmful as the other drugs. I don't think you can OD on MJ. I've seen a lot of drugs being used first hand and witnessed the after affects, marijuana is the least destructive from what i've seen. It's probably the safest drug. I don't know, i'm really conflicted. ???

[Tersh]

Originally Posted by Linzie

This may sound a bit contradictory, but I don't see MJ as being as damaging as other drugs. I wouldn't necessarily be against legalizing marijuana, but I won't be lobbying for it. I don't see it as harmful as the other drugs. I don't think you can OD on MJ. I've seen a lot of drugs being used first hand and witnessed the after affects, marijuana is the least destructive from what i've seen. It's probably the safest drug. I don't know, i'm really conflicted. ???

No, I totally get you. I'm not sure if I am for legalizing any drug (as opposed to say, decriminalizing it), but I definitely have far less concern about legalizing MJ vs. legalizing meth. I think for me, it comes down to addiction potential/health effects.

[Banned-Elena * K&E's Mama]

Originally Posted by foxfire_ga79

Well good, you like and defend druggies. For a while there I was thinking you considered everyone beneath you.


To the OT, I agree with legalizing and taxing drugs, as well as providing safety measures.

Oh my freaking god, do you ever give up? Seriously, find a hobby. Do you really even have an argument with my point, or did you just want another jab? How many more do you need?

I never said I liked druggies. Really, you are too easy and predictable now, though I was expecting a better, more virulent refutation. I should make your argument for you. This is what it should have sounded like:

"Here you are, being a selfish b*tch again, only thinking about your bottom line. What about those poor druggies? I guess they're too far beneath you to care about how those drugs affect their health and family, you just care that they don't burden the prisons and healthcare systems."

[Banned-Elena * K&E's Mama]

Originally Posted by Linzie

I just can't help but think legalizing drugs will leave it open to those who don't do for fear of the consequences. The less consequences there are for doing drugs, the more people are willing to try them. Hey, we're not gonna go to jail for it, so what's the big deal?

And those parents who do drugs instead of taking care of their kids, or the pregnant woman who would have gotten her baby taken away because of drug use? Since drugs are now legal, technically they aren't doing anything wrong. Or would that fall just under endangerment? Still, any sentence they would get would be shortened because they don't have a drug use charge.

Legalizing drugs leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I wouldn't support it. *shrug*

I agree with all your reasons for wanting it to still be illegal, but I just think that it only really works when the laws work. And the laws don't work right now.

I don't like drugs and alcohol use at all. I guess it's just my cynical mind that's leading me to think it'd jsut be easier to let them self destruct legally at this point. Let them drag themselves down rather than drag all of society down. With one of the world's largest per-capital prison population, it just seems like the laws don't really matter to them. They don't care that they're going to jail anyway! It's not much of a deterrent as is, would it really be all that different if we decriminalized it?

The benefits I see of drugs being legal are as I mentioned above, taking the fiscal responsibility off the country, and also that it would allow for regulation of the industry, which would not only make it "safer" (if there is such a thing) but probably also put a lot of the gangs and trafficking out of business. Not entirely, but it'd hit em where it hurts.

Originally Posted by CricketInPeril

Oh my freaking god, do you ever give up? Seriously, find a hobby. Do you really even have an argument with my point, or did you just want another jab? How many more do you need?

I never said I liked druggies. Really, you are too easy and predictable now, though I was expecting a better, more virulent refutation. I should make your argument for you. This is what it should have sounded like:

"Here you are, being a selfish b*tch again, only thinking about your bottom line. What about those poor druggies? I guess they're too far beneath you to care about how those drugs affect their health and family, you just care that they don't burden the prisons and healthcare systems."

I just wanted another jab. I'm sure you'll provide me with plenty more. I don't know why I'M the one that needs to find a hobby any more than you do. YOU'RE still here snarking off so why can't I?

[Linzie]

You do have a point, once people are hooked into drugs nothing matters but their next fix.

But instead of saying nobody follows the laws so lets just do away with em, I would rather see fiercer drug abuse laws in place. Longer sentences, more severe consequences. I don't know what the more severe consequences would be, but just giving up? I feel it would do more harm than good.

[Cereal Killer]

Laws do not stop people from doing drugs. Drugs should be decriminalized, as far as I am concerned. When we have violent criminals being pushed out of prisons to make room for non-violent offenders, we have a serious problem. Our prisons are overcrowded and underfunded because the majority of the population are non-violent drug offenders.

[kinnmt]

Originally Posted by CricketInPeril

I don't like drugs and alcohol use at all. I guess it's just my cynical mind that's leading me to think it'd jsut be easier to let them self destruct legally at this point. Let them drag themselves down rather than drag all of society down. With one of the world's largest per-capital prison population, it just seems like the laws don't really matter to them. They don't care that they're going to jail anyway! It's not much of a deterrent as is, would it really be all that different if we decriminalized it?

I completely see what you're saying here. My question to you is would they just self destruct legally or would these now legal addicts continue committing other crimes while they are on mind altering drugs. In addition, now some others have started using these drugs because they are legal and they start committing crimes. So now others rights are being infringed upon because these people on mind altering drugs. Would this really help the prison population or just get these people arrested for different crimes?

[*Jillian*]

Originally Posted by StaceyC

Laws do not stop people from doing drugs. Drugs should be decriminalized, as far as I am concerned. When we have violent criminals being pushed out of prisons to make room for non-violent offenders, we have a serious problem. Our prisons are overcrowded and underfunded because the majority of the population are non-violent drug offenders.

^That.

[Poncho06]

Originally Posted by StaceyC

Laws do not stop people from doing drugs. Drugs should be decriminalized, as far as I am concerned. When we have violent criminals being pushed out of prisons to make room for non-violent offenders, we have a serious problem. Our prisons are overcrowded and underfunded because the majority of the population are non-violent drug offenders.

Pretty much this word for word.

[Jintana]

I'm in camp "legalize 'em all and let things sort themselves out."

And voting "yes" on Proposition 19.