Harvard Economist: Legalizing Drugs Suits Ideal of American Freedom

Discussion in 'Politics' started by bigarrow, Mar 4, 2013.

  1. Harvard Economist: Legalizing Drugs Suits Ideal of American Freedom
    Harvard University professor Jeffrey Miron has advocated the legalization of drugs for decades. In a SPIEGEL ONLINE interview, he explains why prohibition is more dangerous than selling drugs in supermarkets.

    SPIEGEL: Mr. Miron, why should heroin, cocaine and marijuana be legal?

    Miron: The prohibition of drugs is the worst solution for preventing abuse. Firstly, it brings about a black market that is corrupt and costs human lives. Secondly, it constrains people who wouldn't abuse drugs. Thirdly, prohibiting drugs is expensive.

    SPIEGEL: How expensive?

    Miron: If it legalized drugs, the United States could save $85 billion to $90 billion per year. Roughly half that is spent on the current drugs policy and half that is lost in taxes that the state could have levied on legal drugs.

    *for the rest of this interesting interview:*

    http://www.spiegel.de/international...n-why-drugs-should-be-legalized-a-886289.html

    I lean toward legal drug use and sales, but I'm not 100% sure about it. I have some family and exfriends with drug and abuse problems and the shit being illegal sure hasn't stopped them from getting and using the stuff or from stealing my tools to buy it!!
     
  2. Lucrum

    Lucrum

    Same with me.
     
  3. I really sucks to have to agree with somone from harvard after this BS story.
    http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=260243

    Yet as a libertarian I agree with him completely no drug should be outlawed for sale to adults.

    Pay a small consultancy fee (to the pharmacist) if you need information, uses, contraindications then just buy whatever you want over the counter.
     
  4. Most of the hazards with illicit drug use are a CONSEQUENCE of the illegality not the lethality of the substance.

    cocaine was in coca-cola.

    It's use was widespread for dental maladies when dentistry was more like butchery(btw those days are coming back with socialized medicine rights that you can't collect)

    indians chewed coca leaves and measured distances by how many leaves it took to get you there.
     
  5. pspr

    pspr

    I'm not for it. We have enough crazy people already running around.

    But, if most narcotics were legalized and taxed sufficiently to pay for all the medical treatment, death payments, attacks to get money to buy more, payments because they can't hold a job and damage caused by the druggies then I guess it would be OK. That would probably make the tax on cigarettes pale in comparison.

    It would certainly cull a lot of people from the job market so the non-druggies could find a job. They would also need to teach the dangers in school to kids so they know what might befall them should they choose to try drugs.

    Some people cannot control their drug use once started. A few can. I don't want to be paying the bills or suffer the consequences for those who can't or even those who can, for that matter.

    The other problem is that government will just spend the taxes collected for something else like they've done with Social Security. We'll wind up paying for other's drug use twice.
     
  6. Of course not. This moralized is what got you guys killed in the last election. Get it together piss poor, or you will spend the rest of your days here in the basement whining.:D
     
  7. Lucrum

    Lucrum

    Believe me I know where you're coming from. But aren't we paying for it already?
     
  8. pspr

    pspr

    Hey asshole. Everything is an us vs them thing with you. Every time you show up here I swear your IQ is a few points lower than the last time.

    If you have nothing to contribute why don't you just go somewhere else to post your racist crap?
     
  9. The only racist here is you. You demonstrated it on numerous occasions. Another silly pissed off redneck.
     
  10. pspr

    pspr

    Legalize it and I'm sure it would be at least 10 times worse. What country with citizens who can afford it legalized anything other than pot for public consumption?
     
    #10     Mar 4, 2013