Originally posted by Chairboy
DUI covers drivers impaired by marijuana already, Eagl. Does that mean you'll support de-criminzalization? Or was that just more talk?
I only support de-criminalization if and only if other laws compensate for this. My comments re: tax benefits for drug users for example, plus other laws that would be necessary such as permitting business owners to discriminate against employees solely on the basis of drug use. Currently drug use is an allowable discriminatory basis, however if drug use is de-criminalized, this would be immediately challenged so further legislation would be required to cement the ability of businesses to manage their workforces and not be forced to hire people who use drugs.
As for DUI already covering drug impaired drivers, note that most states do not automatically yank motor vehicle privledges for DUI for more than what I consider a token timeperiod, resulting in what I consider an unacceptable repeat-offender rate. If you drive impaired, you should lose your right to operate any motor vehicle for at least a year. If you are a repeat DUI offender, I think there should be a permanent lifetime ban of motor vehicle privledges including off-road vehicles and boats.
If the govt would spend a little effort protecting ME from drug users instead of the current system which attempts to simply punish users, then I'd be fully in favor of de-criminalizing almost all drug use. Yea we'd need to toss in some protections such as adding harsh penalties to those who provide drugs to minors who don't have the maturity to understand the consequences of drug use, but even that is a gray area in my opinion. I don't terribly mind if someone destroys their own life, but I take it very seriously when someone messes with MY life.
