Why do governments feel the need to make drugs illegal? If anything, it causes a lot more problems than there were before. If they were legalized, there would not be nearly as many violent actions over getting them since the prices would not be nearly as high. There would not been as many people over doing it with drugs, since it would eventually just become a normal thing in day-to-day life.
You'd see a rapid increase of car crashes under the influence etc.
Some of the research I've seen says that its significantly safer to drive while high than drunk, with it more likely that you will drive slower and try harder to stay in your lane. I'm not recommending it, but its not all that dangerous.
And it being legal for a certain age is bound to attract children to it more
I doubt they could get more attracted to it than they are now with it being completely illegal.
I understand there's a difference between being under the influence of alcohol as opposed to drugs, and i agree with:
significantly safer to drive while high than drunk, with it more likely that you will drive slower and try harder to stay in your lane.
But if it was made legal to everyone, more people would indulge in it and not everybody will be safe drivers or be able to read a situation properly.
& my thought on kids getting more attracted is with the idea that alcohol is legal here at the age of eighteen and because my older brothers were able to drink and i seen that, i wanted to be apart of it and managed my first drink at a young age (which of course i got grounded for) and now that i'm 20, drinking isn't even that appealing. So for drugs, my theory would be if younger people saw those of age taking drugs legally and there was no fear factor of the polce or parents, they too might also want to start younger. In higher numbers, that could be a real problem.
So for drugs, my theory would be if younger people saw those of age taking drugs legally and there was no fear factor of the polce or parents, they too might also want to start younger
I supposed that would depend on how its sold. I think that in the Netherlands they can only sell a limited amount to those of age. Something like that could help, with no one able to buy an unlimited amount there would be no way to obtain it, aside from the current method which would be just as illegal as it is today.
Mmm, i see the logic but sadly society is too flawed to have that system in place. In Amsterdam for example - Even if you're only allowed a limited amount, you can walk right next door into another 'cafe' which won't refuse your service. I've only been to the netherlands three times, and as amazing as a place it is - there's no cap on how much you can smoke and eat.
The flip side (Arguing against myself now) is that so many tourists go to Amsterdam and although they create revenue, they can also create trouble, so yeah i guess if drugs were legal, that would cease. Bit of a pro and con in one right there.
In Amsterdam for example - Even if you're only allowed a limited amount, you can walk right next door into another 'cafe' which won't refuse your service.
I didn't even think of that...
I've only been to the netherlands three times, and as amazing as a place it is - there's no cap on how much you can smoke and eat.
Guess I heard or read something wrong.
I've been trying to think of a better way to regulate it, and I'm drawing a blank. Its too hard to guess exactly what would happen and how society would react to prepare something beyond setting age limits. The best thing I can some up with would be to only have the government sell it to the public, since they are the only ones who could actually monitor how much someone buys. But even that has serious issues and would probably lead to people selling their own like they do now.
If there was a better way to regulate it, they would probably already be doing it for alcohol and tobacco. I mean, there is definitely a lot of underage drinking and smoking going on now, and the government doesn't know how to stop that, so I assume if pot was legalized it would face similar issues.
On the other hand, right now, if anything, you get in LESS trouble for smoking pot if you are young than if you are older. Just like with any crime- there's a lot of forgiveness in the law for younger people.
So if you were to legalize it and set an age limit, some people would be encouraged to wait until they are old enough. Unlike now, where you risk less by trying it sooner.
I don't think drug tourism would be a big deal in the US, because it is such a big country that the effects would be spread out.
Drugs kill your brain cells. Without brain cells, you dumb. The government is obligated to ban such things that have this effect on one's body
The same can be said about alcohol, yet it is still freely available on the market despite age restrictions. What I'm saying is that without considering such apparent things one's argument becomes greatly discredited.[first page '08]
Speaking about the question itself, there is some reasonably valid rationale for legalizing drugs yet the most apparent thing that surprisingly no one has yet mentioned throughout all these pages is the very nature of such an act. No matter how beneficial and optimistic an idea may be, with reform comes opposition, which is a very natural element of social and economic change. And as we can all understand, the initial implications of such a change do not possess neither of the above qualities. Simple put, the very idea seems absurd in itself and very difficult to adjust to a current political agenda.
There is of course much more to it that can be discussed. And as for the consequences, to justify or otherwise, the rationale behind such an action, there are loads of points made throughout these 90+ pages, although a bit disorganized. For the possibility of any kind of consensus I think it would be a good idea to avoid any further rhetorical questions apart from the topic itself, and adapt a more dialectic style to limit the never-ending cycle of bias and counter-argument. But that's entirely up to ya'll; maybe it's ok to just exchange random ideas for the sake of it since I've just noticed this topic exists for around 2 years.. Don't think I'll be visiting this topic again because I'm having difficulty searching for those which I have replied to :P Any tips on that? Would appreciate if someone wrote to me in the comments on my page.
would be to only have the government sell it to the public, since they are the only ones who could actually monitor how much someone buys. But even that has serious issues and would probably lead to people selling their own like they do now.
No i think you're on to something Moe. If there was a possibility of rationing/monitoring i reckon it would be a great idea, but aknerds right, if possible they could do it with alcohol.
I guess monitoring it would lead to more illegal selling etc, but if possible i think it'd be a great success, not to mention create new jobs > bonus ;o
well look its not just health its also social.. how would u like it is ur body husband came back home high and start beating ur kid because he duzent know wht hes doing? you cant do much it will lead to many more divorces kids will hate their parents for doing things and like smoking and alchohol kids ultimately some of them will get heir hands on the stuff...
I have noticed thru my years in the world and on AG, that the only people who think cannabis is a bad drug are the people who are both ignorant of its effects, who are fresh from the "drugs are bad" mantra taught in school or who have had a bad experience from it (or knows someone who has)
This argument is like God. Pointless and insular. Im not arguing anymore.
It should be legal, anyone who disagrees is clearly wrong and this is proven many times over within this thread alone, to say otherwise is to be the Devils Advocate or to be ignorant of the matter at hand.
Regulation is an issue and its one Im confident that the human race can rather easily overcome. I think that this should become the main focus of the topic, not the continued arguing about the harmful effects. What an old and consistently quashed point of view.
Amsterdam have, I believe, stopped selling to non-residents of the country i.e. tourists
Can anyone offer enlightenment on this? As far as I was aware the selling of cannabis was quite successful within Holland, esp. in the Dam! What has set this in motion?
As to the person who could just walk from shop to shop, essentially buying as much weed as they want, I think this is not a problem in itself. The problem comes back to the root causes of why someone would want to buy sooooo much as to totally lose themselves in an addiction of any substance. Escape? Love of the substance and its effects? Buying for a party?
Its not as if there is a limit on many other drugs available and the same could be said for Paracetamol, I could just walk to another store and buy even more (I think we have a limit of about two packets per person here in Scotland) and alcohol doesnt have a limit yet is consistently proven to be one of the most damaging drugs freely available.
This is no longer an argument, its a battle against ignorance, suppression and blind obedience.
My grand-father would refuse to take small doses of cannabis as medical treatment, although it could have helped him a bit or at least relieved some pain, only because it is an illegal drug.
Also, I think the Global Commision On Drug Policy has said that the war against drug is lost and has devastating consequences around the globe. Making drugs legal is one of the last things left to do to relax the situation.
Can anyone offer enlightenment on this? As far as I was aware the selling of cannabis was quite successful within Holland, esp. in the Dam! What has set this in motion?
I'm not sure, but I know many germans used to cross the border just to get the drugs, maybe the border conrtols where in a dispute about that? Or maybe local residents have made bad experiences with violent and drugged up tourists, but this is pure speculation X)
I'm not sure, but I know many germans used to cross the border just to get the drugs, maybe the border conrtols where in a dispute about that? Or maybe local residents have made bad experiences with violent and drugged up tourists, but this is pure speculation X)
I could see the border controls being a large issue as well as the influx of idiot tourists coming only to smoke weed. Best solution, make it legal worldwide and, hey presto! no more idiots running to get high in another country.
