To think drugs should be made legal?

[Justholdthesmile]

Maybe not start with all drugs, but then eventually progress to that stage. Obviously with an age restriction.

Therefore you can tax it and it would lower crime.

I think everyone knows the risk of drugs - but they will still take them regardless so being illegal doesn't stop them.

Are you speaking ALL drugs including the Class A's like Heroin and Crack ?
Personally the only drug I think should be made legal is Cannabis , as its a naturally growing plant and in some tests the oil from Cannabis has been known to shrink tumors and cure or delay spread of cancers .. My theory is that the only reason Cannabis is NOT legal is to placate the big pharma companies with their legal drugs .

Canabis can also help MS sufferers as well so I agree with the itsnot but really, legalising other drugs such as heroin, cocaine, etc.......bonkers! For some people I am sure the fact that drugs are illegal is a massive reason they don't "dabble" in them for starters and apart from that it's just a mad idea anyway.......no way do I want to be in a world where it's legal to become a druggie! Madness!

It's not just about lowering crime - If they were legal they could be controlled and less harmful. The amount of crap that goes into drugs is shocking. It's impossible to get pure drugs anymore it's all cut with loads of random crap so dealers make more money. If it was legal, at least you would know what you were taking to a certain extent. Just my opinion.

I'm 100% convinced that cannabis should be made legal. It's a plant and could be beneficial to so many people with health problems.

By legalising drugs it won't make them free though so people will steal commit crime to pay for it.

Heroin is highly addictive, most people are unable to function as a member of society whilst addicted.

I am probably with you OP, but no easy way forward.

Alcohol and fags are legal but people end up buying cheaper counterfeit goods and I think if drugs were legalised the same would happen. Also addicts would still steal to fund their habit unless we're going to give free prescriptions as well which wouldn't be very popular with the taxpayer.

I agree with you OP, I think all drugs should be legal and taxed heavily.

I agree, if drugs were legal they could be regulated and taxed - I know there would always be a black market but the vast majority of drug users would be a whole lot safer.

i was thinking this yesterday but came to the conclusion it wouldnt help any one.. they would still ruin their lifes and still need help.

i think.. there could be an adjustment.. say if the drugs dealsers etc didnt cut it and made it as pure as possable... they should get a lower sentance when caught (only slightly mind.. ) .. for the only fact that half the times drugs kill is becasue of what its mixed with.

Actually, it's not really about the morality of drug use or anything. The international drug trade brings misery to millions of people. Corporations might do dreadful things, but that generally pales into insignificance next to the 'business' practices of drug cartels.

Tbh, I think the best argument against illegal drug use is that buying, say, cocaine is to enable all sorts of really awful stuff. There really is no such thing as ethically sourced cocaine.

Also addicts would still steal to fund their habit unless we're going to give free prescriptions as well which wouldn't be very popular with the taxpayer

People steal now to fund this. I don't think making it legal would result in more people stealing.

No free prescriptions either.

Out of interest, how many people advocating legalising drugs know anyone who has been badly screwed up as a result of taking drugs?
My own DH thought it all sounded a great idea, until my DS got involved. Cannabis can have a massive, negative impact on people (as can alcohol) but many people seem to think it's fine.

I'm not even in favour of legalising cannabis. But then I've observed the decline and fall of a sibling due to mental health problems which I'm 99% certain were heavily worsened by cannabis use.

I don't understand how you could legalise something so dangerous though? The links with cannabis and MH problems are well established, just one dose of heroin or cocaine could kill you if you took too much, how would you ever know how much was safe? The ones addicted to drugs couldn't afford them taxed or otherwise. Some heroin habits are up to £300 a day how would legalising and taxing it help anyone?

If alcohol and tobacco is legal then all drugs should be legal.

Alcohol and tobacco kill more people than other drugs do. Either ban them all or legalise them all.

Won't work. Methadone is legally available on prescription to aid Heroin withdrawal.How many addicts use only the Methadone prescribed? I don't know actual figures but I imagine very few < as does a certain friend from our Community Drug Team >. Street drugs are available just round the corner from the pharmacy where the Methadone is dispensed.

It's an interesting and actually compelling argument, but this country would never go for it. Too hypocritical. The theory is that if they were legal, the price would go right down. Tax would bring it up again.

It's nothing to do with morals or health or anything. It's to do with openness, safety, and money.

High Society by Ben Elton is quite a good read.

Alcohol and tobacco kill more people than drugs do more they are more easily available and condonable by society. I've a friend who died from a heroine overdose and another who is a heroine addict after starting out smoking cannabis. I don't see how making it legal would have helped either of them. An addict is still an addict whether it's legal to obtain said drug or not.

The argument that more people die through alcohol and tobacco use than drug use, is no doubt true. However, i am not convinced that it works if you relate the percentages. Legalising drugs would then get a lot more people to take up the habit and I believe that the casualty rate would rocket. To argue that "people will do it anyway" is in no way accurate either. SOME people will do it anyway, but not nearly as many as would if it was legal.

I think the argument is a utilitarian one, rather than helping drug addicts, to be honest. Someone who is at risk of becoming a heroin addict will still be at risk, whether they are legal or not.

However, for society as a whole, there is an argument in favour. More tax revenue, less crime.

Very good debate.

Would someone be kind enough to link to 'Transform'?
Their website sets out the a arguments.

I do know someone who is smoking a lot of heroin. He has a very good job. I have not taken it so I can only give limited advice. Apparently the quality is nothing like it used to be and neither is that of E.

There is a drug called Sativex (iirc) for MS, which is derived from Cannabis but with bad bits taken out. There is a definite medical use for cannabis.

I wouldn't have a problem with cannabis based products being available on prescription for certain ailments, but with tight controls and research.

I think they should all be legalised. I have worked in the field and have known addicts personally. I don't use illegal drugs myself.

Reasons:

Safer injecting/using = less Hep C and HIV transmission
Control of dosage = less ODing and less nasty stuff in the drugs
Tax money to fund rehabs and treatment
Criminal users of one drug not another = the law is an ass
Ethics of drug production and reduction of organised crime
No cool kudos because you are sticking it to 'the man'
Addicts have access to HCP easily without fear of arrest

There are other reasons, but the kettle has boiled.

Colorado and Washington have legalised cannabis for recreational use and Uraguay has legalised it for citizens, not drug tourist, (correct me if I am wrong).

A child at dd1's (private) school recently died from taking dodgy MDMA so we have had plenty of 'talks' over the last year. Dd1 says that she is simply not interested and I have no reason to disbelieve her but it is evident that she has access.

Billy, the Sativex manufacturers spent £???? On jumping through hoops of trials. I will look it up later.