Did you really mean that Surfer when you said "this is nonsense. addicts are not criminals" You left something out of that sentence, something which is akin to the saying :"All policitians are corrupt and if they are not they soon will be". freealways
Addicts are not criminals?!? What utopian society do you live in? In my city last week an addict just shot to death a police officer. Property crimes are committed by addicts all the time in this country! I'm trying to have an "intelligent conversation" on the issue, but posts like yours keep getting in the way.
Legalization of drugs will lead to more problems. Look what legalized consumption of alcohol has done? Look at the number of deaths related to alcohol and its abuse, and how many crimes are tied to alcohol and drug abuse.
free, " this is nonsense." this sentence refered to hapaboy's post. the next sentence "addicts are not criminals." is a correct statement. what did i leave out ? best, surf
the legalization of alchohol has eliminate the gangster type crime that was prevalent during prohibition. the legalization of drugs will eliminate the gangster type crime that is prevalent during the current prohibition on drugs. yes, people can and will abuse drugs/ alcohol. drug/alcohol education will go a long way in eliminating the crimes you speak of. best, surfer
addicts are not criminals, although addicts can commit crimes. the current drug laws force some addicts to crime so they can get their fix. addicts need medical help, not jail. best, surfer
By committing crimes, addicts become criminals. The laws are clear. Break them and you are a criminal. Agreed that addicts need medical help. But if they commit a crime, they also need jail and/or prison. If an addict on PCP murders someone, merely giving them medical help does not in any way address the murder. Doing so would invite an all-out crime surge without the threat of imprisonment to deter and punish it.
>>addicts need medical help, not jail.<< I agree. But what the drug dealers. There are two types. 1. Cold calculating crims who set out to distribute to make money and 2. addicts who set out to deal in order to support their own habit. What do you think should or could 'be done' to each of these groups respectively to 'solve the problem' ? freealways
free, the decriminalization of drugs would eliminate both types of "drug dealers". may i suggest the book "our right to drugs" by thomas szasz. he addreses your questions far more eloquently and in depth than i can on a message board.
why does the govt have a right to restrict me from ANY drugs or chemical substances natural or manmade? It is MY body is it not? Am *I* not the sole arbiter of what goes in MY body?? :-| (don't tell me what to do, you already said we are thru)