Drugs: [il]legal

Brief Background:

Vidal first published "Drugs" in 1970 on the New York Times's op-ed page and then includen the essay in Homage to Daniel Shays: Collected Essays 1952-1972. In just twelve short paragraphs, Vidal analyzes several sets of cause and effect: why making drugs illegal does not work to stop drug addiction and trafficking, why legalizing drugs would work, and why nonetheless legalization is unlikely to occur. “Drugs†is dated in some ways, but the problem it addresses has only worsened. Lately, an increasing number of social scientists, medical professionals, and politicians have urged that we consider just such a radical solution as Vidal proposes.​

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Who agrees with Vidal, that Drugs should be legalized in order to stop drug addiction?

I sure as hell do.

 

Because then some people will think it's not cool to have them anymore because they are legal.

 

I Agree
I Read The Whole Thing
It Makes Alot Of Sense!!!

 

There will still be a drug traffic by underground purposes. -_-

The theory is solid, kind of, but hardly relevant, imo. Too many variables to consider with this. *shrugs*

 

I read the essay and it flat out sucks, Vidal.

The statement you made of the U.S. being responsible for the deaths of drug-related incidents is stupid. The U.S. was doing the right thing in stopping drug trades.

Make them legal, yeah, most people might take a moment and not use drugs. However, making it legal it becomes dangerous. People aren't responsible with this drug (many aren't)

Perhaps it would help if they were legalized, but don't make idiotic points in your essay. It ruins the entire document,

 

Legal or not, people will still sell and use em'.

 

Read up on "Prohibition".

And it wasn't his essay, if you bothered to read you would see that this was an article published in the 1970's New York Times.

 

If the drugs were legalized, chances are substances like marijuana and cocaine would become regulated and distributed by the government.

 

But someone would probably find some way to pull off some sort of fraud and get some "kush".

 

And? It would be no different then someone "pulling off a fraud" to get a 6 pack of beer, or some aspirin.

 

Thats exactly my point, nothing really changes.

 

Except that people no longer have to steal, kill, rob, smuggle, influence others, or put themselves in dangerous situations to obtain something that (depending on the substance) isn't any better or worse then legal things like Alcohol, Cigarettes, or some of the Prescriptions passed over the counter.

Do you see people "committing a fraud" to get a bottle of Heineken, or a pack of smokes? 'Course not, because it's legal, if you wish to obtain it just go to a bar or a gas station. You don't expect people to do horrible things for a drink or a cig, because they're everyday things to us nowadays, they're legal and the government can regulate the substances and turn it into a business.

 

Actualy those things will still probably happen because some one will still try to make a profit off of drugs. The goverment won't just hand over coke and weed to anyone. And no the goverment wouldn't turn it into a business, they would try to keep it out of public hands and use it only for medical purposes.

 

Were there still underground smuggling rings for Alcohol after the Dry Law was repealed? There was no point to, the people making a business off of selling potentially harmful bad-batches of Alcohol cooked up in their bath tubs couldn't compete with a government sanctions Alcohol industry built on a high-quality product.

Now I doubt cocaine would become something you can get a 6-pack of at any point, but if it weren't illegal then it wouldn't be something of a holy ground for rebels to dabble in, it could probably end up prescription-based. Though things like Marijuana can be less harmful to you then a night at the bar, so really the Cigarette industry could get in on Cannabis and basically make them the new Cigars. Euphorics like MDMA could basically become like Oxygen Bars (breathe in pure oxygen in a soothing environment to relax and get all giggly), only moreso with dark rooms and glow sticks then fluffy pillows and soothing music =P

 

Less harmful things, yes that probably would happen but other drugs like heroine and meth would probably remain illegal.

 

I have for a long time thought that drugs should be legalized. It would stop quite a few things from happening and other negative things would dwindle down. Are people still going to take drugs and is the problem going to miraculously fade away?... of course some people will. But there are positives to allowing drugs to be legalized, as I've stated elsewhere in this section.

One is that instead of putting people in for the petty crime of possession or with intent to sell pot or some drug (Unless it's to minors)...they could be out and we could hold better those who are actually serious criminals such as rapists, murderers, etc. It's a damn shame when we can hold people on drug charges longer than we can rapists or murderers or those who brutalize people in our society.

Next, we could open up actual rehabilitation centers, comprehending not just drug addiction, but alcohol addiction and even other addictions such as people that destroy their lives off gambling. There could be help for people with addictive personalities that would be superior to the crappy 12-step program out now which lets about 10% of people to see some marginal improvement. Also, teens and adults that are afraid etc wouldn't be so afraid to go get help for their addictions because they wouldn't risk jail time and would earnestly be assisted.

Thirdly, it would mean that we would be able to have our police do what they are supposed to be doing which is protect us instead of bothering with drug stings. We could call them and they would come to domestic disputes and accidents faster. Wouldn't that be nice? I have waited for 2 hours after a domestic dispute for cops to get to a call before. I don't think that should really happen. Also, our military and police could do more meaningful things and stop being seen as people that take away other people's rights so much.

Fourth, I do think with drugs being legalized, well, we already let alcohol which kills worse than any other drug, as well as tobacco get sold by industries. Why not let drugs be done that way too with clear labels on what they do to people? Prevent the sales to minors. Make the rules the same as with alcohol for driving and intoxicated behavior in public, as well as it's no excuse for domestic violence etc. I don't think the government should necessarily sell drugs to people, but I do think that if it was handled as alcohol is, then things would go better.

It just seems clear to me that no matter what we do, people will keep making more drugs and selling them, causing gang warfare etc over them and more because it's big money. Also, pot was a lot less harmful than heroin and crack, and now we have ecstasy and meth, which suck big time. The more people prohibit the stuff the worse it seems to get. The same thing happened with the prohibition of alcohol where people were drinking lighter stuff than moonshine and everclear...and making alcohol out of old boots and car motors. If people want something, they are going to get it and I think we could just protect ourselves better if we did legalize them and punish those who harm others because it is THEIR choice to take the drugs in the first place. It would also mean idiots who drink and drive could pay higher penalties when they do some crime and instead of 'involuntary' manslaughter, they get charged straight out because it is their fault they got into a car that way. There can be penalties imposed for people who want to do drugs or alcohol and let themselves act too stupid. Also, when they are ready, solid systems could be in place for rehabilitation so that we just don't dump people in jail and ruin their future lives. Jail does ruin people's chances of good employment and a lot of people just go to a life of going in and out of jail with no real future. Most of the time it is because of drug possession as the first charges.

So, though I view the article above to be right in some regards, it has its areas I don't agree with too, but I do think drugs should be made legal so that they could be sold to those people 18 or 21 years of age and above. If they are going to trash their own lives, they are. If they want help to stop, it could be there and we'd be giving more people jobs and our cops could do what they should be doing. Gang violence would go down because gangs will run out of crap to sell and teens won't be so involved in gang stuff and can get their butts back to learning and schools instead of being used by adults for money scams. Businesses selling drugs could be monitored to make sure the nasty extra 'fillers' added on the streets aren't in there and clearly people would get the truth about drugs instead of DARE's exaggerations. Also, with how expensive drugs can cost on the street but a company could make them cheaper, it would definitely force drugs on the streets to not be able to compete with a 'clean' operation. Of course, if people keep doing what they are with cigarettes and taxing the hell out of them, well we will lose that battle.

 

well, it sounds bad at first but if you think about it the benefits MIGHT outweigh the negatives. i mean, if it were legalized then, no one would kill ppl to get some because they can probably just buy it for a lot less trouble. true, it's not going to stop everyone from doing it because some ppl will just keep getting it seeing as it's legal but it can stop those idiots who want to be rebels. i dont' agree with some points of the essay such as the part about a man having the right to die when he chooses but it has good points. also, if it were legalized the government could tax it and help improve things, i don't remember if cigarettes were taxed but if not they should be taxed too. but the VERY dangerous stuff needs to stay illegal in my opinion, because it shouldn't just be readily avialable if they want it because it's too dangerous.

 

The benefits do outweigh the losses. In either situation of legalizing or keeping them illegal, drugs are running rampant through the streets. Police cannot hope to get rid of the problem and it has only grown worse. As a soldier who sat down in Panama...I can tell you that you don't want to know the things we've stopped from crossing the border. It's a pointless job and people die because of supporting this drug trade. In our way, countries that make drugs illegal are helping out other countries to have it smuggled in at ridiculous prices to people and those people will pay, not be able to get help when they want a way out etc because it's illegal.

As offending as it is to some people that others do have the ability to take their lives and waste them or end them is just how it is. Suicide happens each year whether drugs are used or not in droves. I think legalizing drugs and telling the truth as well as providing solid rehabilitation for people who want to recover without losing their jobs etc is a far better and helpful option. It already exists as a rule in most corporations and smaller businesses, so really people are ready for it. Parents will also be more inclined to be able to send their kids for help because it won't go on some police record and tarnish the kid for years to come if they do get a habit. Also, schools can tell the truth about what drugs do instead of exaggerated stories that border on lies. Legalizing drugs doesn't mean we stop caring. It just means that we care to help people recover instead of throwing them in jail to occupy cells that are meant for people that are far more damaging to society.

Also, as I said, it's not like people will just get away with behavior that while on drugs make them more stupid. If they are willing to put the stuff in them and do rotten things, they could be made to understand that legally they 'chose' to put the substance in them, which includes alcohol, and that the behavior will be punished as if they were sober. In a way, I think things could get better because in all seriousness, I can't see it getting much worse than it is now with gangs, mafias, drug lords that are threatening communities in South America, etc. Taking money and power off the streets with these groups and letting companies manage it instead with truthful statements seems a much smarter move, even if some people feel it compromises ethics. Especially when you have people that are making drugs all the time and putting stuff in it like Drano.

 

in my opinion they should legalize drugs for a couple of months and see what happens but that could increase crime cuz drug dealers relay on drugs to get money
so if they cant deal they r gonna start robbing for money cuz they need it to survive

 

well, i expect a HUGE increase in drug use in the first few months actually because it's only natural that would happen.