legalize all drugs...

[Sandman]

Originally posted by lukster
Exactly when do you think the FDA will "approve" heroine and crack for recreational use? How about never.

Has the FDA approved caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol?

[lukster]

I've seen the argument that drugs became cheaper after the "war on drugs' began. That might be true for some drugs but in the lates 60's - early 70's marijuana typically sold for $10 an ounce. What's the going rate now?

[lukster]

Originally posted by Sandman
Has the FDA approved caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol?

No, alcohol is controlled by the ATF.

I'm guessing you expect there to be a clear distinction between recreational drugs which would presumably fall under control of the ATF or some similar government organization? What about prescription drugs which are abused for recreational purposes? Do you really think anyone would accept jail time for someone caught abusing pain killers but not heroin?

[Sandman]

I don't care about the distinction at all. Decriminalize all of it.

The fact that this creates a bureacratic hassle just tells me that we have too much bureacracy tied around it.

[lukster]

Originally posted by Sandman
I don't care about the distinction at all. Decriminalize all of it.

The fact that this creates a bureacratic hassle just tells me that we have too much bureacracy tied around it.

I agree completely with there being too much bureacracy. Trying to control all of the newly legalized drugs will create an even greater bureacracy than we have now though. Furthermore, how will you control anything without laws?

Once again, don't misunderstand my position. I don't like the current situation at all but we need to look before we leap and I think it's foolish to imagine we can maintain control over the "good" drugs without controlling the "bad".

[Sandman]

It's rather simple... Let the medical profession decide. If you want to buy a "good drug" and you want your insurance company to cover it, you'll need a prescription.

If you don't have a prescription, you will have to use your own money.

I think the FDA should exist to enforce quality, not access.

[mora]

Originally posted by lukster
I've seen the argument that drugs became cheaper after the "war on drugs' began. That might be true for some drugs but in the lates 60's - early 70's marijuana typically sold for $10 an ounce. What's the going rate now?

I'd say the price is affordable. MJ is of little interest to organized crime. The profits and addictivity potential are so low that it's not as good business as meth or coke, and therefore there's less supply than demand.

[lukster]

Originally posted by Sandman
It's rather simple... Let the medical profession decide. If you want to buy a "good drug" and you want your insurance company to cover it, you'll need a prescription.

If you don't have a prescription, you will have to use your own money.

I think the FDA should exist to enforce quality, not access.

Ok, now you're talking about what insurance companies will pay for and have relagated the FDA into an approval agency for insurance claims. I have no problem with that but it won't stop people who can't afford or decide they no longer need health insurance from self diagnosis and medication which was my original assertion.

[lukster]

Originally posted by mora
I'd say the price is affordable. MJ is of little interest to organized crime. The profits and addictivity potential are so low that it's not as good business as meth or coke, and therefore there's less supply than demand.

So you're saying then that it is supply and demand that determine the price of drugs and not the "war on drugs"?

[Sixpence]

Originally posted by lukster
I've seen the argument that drugs became cheaper after the "war on drugs' began. That might be true for some drugs but in the lates 60's - early 70's marijuana typically sold for $10 an ounce. What's the going rate now?

First of all, how many pot heads have you met that steal to support their habit? If anything they just grow it themselves. You're reaching if you are going to compare pot to cocaine and heroin. I say an alcoholic poses much more a threat to you than a pot head.

[lukster]

Originally posted by Sixpence
First of all, how many pot heads have you met that steal to support their habit? If anything they just grow it themselves. You're reaching if you are going to compare pot to cocaine and heroin. I say an alcoholic poses much more a threat to you than a pot head.

All I'm doing is asking what an ounce of pot costs today. I know what it cost 35 years ago but have no idea what an ounce costs today. I'm curious to see how low the "war on drugs" has driven it down as has been claimed by some here. I'll allow for inflation of course.

[Sandman]

Originally posted by lukster
Ok, now you're talking about what insurance companies will pay for and have relagated the FDA into an approval agency for insurance claims. I have no problem with that but it won't stop people who can't afford or decide they no longer need health insurance from self diagnosis and medication which was my original assertion.

I don't have a problem with people self-medicating.

[lukster]

Originally posted by Sandman
I don't have a problem with people self-medicating.

I don't especially either but I think many will including the vast majority of health care professionals.

The reason for this is to reduce the numbers in our prisons and eliminate the profit earned by gangs and other predatory organizations right? What do you suppose these people will do to support their organizations when this easy money dries up?

[Sixpence]

Originally posted by lukster
All I'm doing is asking what an ounce of pot costs today. I know what it cost 35 years ago but have no idea what an ounce costs today. I'm curious to see how low the "war on drugs" has driven it down as has been claimed by some here. I'll allow for inflation of course.

It drove up the price of pot, because it is alot harder to smuggle pot, it takes up alot of space, and you have to smuggle alot to make a buck. Cocaine was, and still is, alot easier to smuggle, so smuggling pot just wasn't worth the trouble, so smugglers turned to smuggling cocaine, flooding the market.

There was so much cocaine they didn't know what to do with it, it dropped to $25 a gram, with alot less cut. They were cooking into rock(crack anyone?), shooting it, you name it. Why pay $2000 for a pound of pot and barely make any money when you can get cocaine on the cheap, cut it, and make quadruple your money?

It was no longer the rich man's aspirin, anyone could afford it.

The war on drugs caused a flood in supply.

[lukster]

If pot is expensive now and cocaine is cheap why hasn't the trend reversed? Is it still more profitable to sell cocaine than marijuana? Is there no demand for marijuana?