Should drugs be legalized in the USA ?

[Rude]

Originally posted by capt. apathy
the thing is you can't really have a honest discussion on why some drugs should be legal (and why others are not)  if you bring into the argument wether or not the drugs are illegal in the first place, in a discussion on the validity of making a drug legal or not, is just not relivant.  saying "it should be illegal because it's illegal, and others shouldn't be illegal because they are legal now" is just childish and illogical.

your argument seems to be that some drugs should be illegal (those that are illegal now), yet you don't want to talk about why they should be on the list and your drug of choice shouldn't.  it's a relivant question.

if your contention is that we should have certain drugs classified as illegal,  the obvious next question is which ones should be on this list and why?

OK...last effort.

The title of the thread is, Should Drugs Be Legalized In The USA?

I believe they should not becuase they are destructive to our society.

You seem to want to discuss my smoking cigarettes as being relevant to Milo's thread....why I have no clue.

I kinda know Milo, because we go to lunch together and live in the same city as well as belong to the same squad....I do not believe he was speaking to drugs such as caffiene, cigarettes or alcohol...I could be wrong I guess, but I don't think so.

As to your reference of my contention regarding the classification of some drugs as being illegal and others not, the question is moot....the drugs mentioned as to being legalized are obviously already illegal.

Lastly, do you just like to argue?

[Rude]

Originally posted by icemaw
Legalize them. Tax them. Set age limits. Set intoxication limits for driving etc etc etc. Just like booze. You have a better chance of getting rid of cigs then you do drugs.

  Rude you can quit all you have to do is want to. I know I quit. I tried many many many times. Only to start again. Finally I wanted to and guess what I did.

I hear ya...to be honest, I don't want to quit badly enough. I have never even tried due to watching my friends kid themselves over and over, only to start again.

I hope and pray that someday I'll quit...not the brightest choice I've ever made in my life for sure.

[midnight Target]

Originally posted by Rude
I thought you could differentiate between accepted social vices and the subject of this thread...legalization(meaning that they are currently illegal)of drugs.

I do teach my children...I do lead by example(except for the Winstons). What you said is correct, however, what does it have to do with fighting those who smuggle thousands of pounds of illegal drugs into our country and then distribute them to children and adults?

Ya wanna give up and legalize the stuff because it cost too much money? What's it cost to treat the social problems connected with drug use? What cost do you place on a human beings life?

I can differentiate Rude. Actually I think we probably are closer to agreeing on this issue than you think.

The point I think you are missing is that most of the ills perpetrated on society by illegal drugs stem from their illegality, not their effects on the person.

A person addicted to any illegal drug will rob or steal or cheat to get more. If the drugs were controlled ala cigarettes, they would be cheaper, and there would be whole industries developed to help kick the habit. (nicorette, nicoderm, nick-at-night... )

[llyr69]

Yes marijuana should be legalized.

I smoke cigarettes and have about 1 bottle of Baileys every 6 months.

In the 10 years I worked at a regional trauma center, I never saw a diagnosis at admission of "cannabis overdose".  OTOH, I'd see MANY ETOH /related diagnoses.

I wouldn't recommend using either of the two drugs....

I find it amazing that we attempted this same thing with Prohibition and alcohol--and the same thing happened---the growth of organized crime.

I often wonder how many of those strongly against marijuana legalization type up their reply with a beer at hand?

If I were the boss, I'd legalize marijuana and tax the hell out of it.  Proceeds would be earmarked for treatment programs for users and jail cells for dealers.  (No more of that early release due to prison overcrowding BS)

Just my US$.02

Edited for spelling, ok I know I can't type worth beans......

[capt. apathy]

ok, last thing first,  yes I do like to argue.  how can you tell?

The title of the thread is, Should Drugs Be Legalized In The USA?

I believe they should not becuase they are destructive to our society.

You seem to want to discuss my smoking cigarettes as being relevant to Milo's thread....why I have no clue.

why I also want to include cigarettes is quite clear to me but I'll try again.

cigarettes are also a drug. they are also distructive to our society (likely the most costly).

when discussing moving different drugs from one list to another(lega/illegal)it is reasonable and relivant. to discuse other drugs that are on one list or another and why they are there.

it's very simple-  cigerettes are a drug, they are much more addictive and deadly than marijauna.  when deciding what list something should go on a reasonable person would look at other items and see how they are classified,  then place those items under discussion on a list with simular items.

so which list other items fall on is relivant, along with why they deserve their place on that list when other items more apropriet for that list aren't included.

so far the reasons given for making pot ilegal are-
1. it's ilegal so it should be ilegal -completely assignine argument
2. adictive - not nearly so much as either alcohol, caffien, or cigearettes
3. it's a "gate-way drug"- actually most people I know started with either cigarettes, alcohol, or both long before trying pot.  the only reason it is declared the gate-way is thats where the law draws the line (again where the law draws the line is not relivant in an argument deciding where the law SHOULD draw the line)
4. lack of reasoning or sense while using- not nearly as bad as alcohol, and while both make you dumber alcohol is more likely to make you violent and confrontational.  with pot you're stupid, but easily controlled.

it's simple, if pot should be ilegal then it would be reasonable to include, tobacco, alcohol, and caffine as they are all either more adictive, more dangerouse or both.

or if these 3 should stay legal then pot should be included in the legal drugs also.

[AKS\/\/ulfe]

Originally posted by Rude
I understand what your saying...cept smokes, alcohol, caffeine are not illegal.

Not yet anyway, you seem to forget prohibition - hey alcohol was made illegal, so it should stay illegal. Smokes, take a look around - just exactly what movement do you think is in progress around you as we speak? It sure ain't to keep smokes nice and cheap, or legal to smoke in bars or even certain places outside.

Caffeine, well thats about the only thing thats made it this far. For how much longer? Who knows.

Just because its illegal doesn't mean that the law is right, did you know in some states its legal to marry a sheep? Its legal so its right!
-SW

[Mark Luper]

Originally posted by AKS\/\/ulfe
Just because its illegal doesn't mean that the law is right, did you know in some states its legal to marry a sheep? Its legal so its right!
-SW

In what states is it legal to marry a sheep? I really want to know. I can't beleive it myself.

[ra]

Originally posted by Mark Luper
In what states is it leagal to marry a sheep? I really want to know. I can't beleive it myself.

I'm packing my bags, where is this state?

[Seeker]

Why should any one legislate what you do to your self?

It's not like it's a gun or anything.

[Eagler]

try it straight - you might even remember it ...

[SaburoS]

Originally posted by ygsmilo
A take off of the of the Tommy Chong thread,

I would like opinions please no mud slinging or name calling.  It has been a good ongoing argument for my group of friends.

YES!
It should be a medical issue, not a criminal one.

[bigsky]

how many billions of dollars do we spend each year through taxes to pay for law enforcement, and insurance to pay for the property crimes that people commit to suport there habits? ive seen too many work-a-day people get ripped off so the thief can sell there stuff for ten cents on there dollar of what they payed for it to buy dope. most of your law enforcement types dont want them decriminalized because they would be out of a job. just think about it; the entire DEA, 30% to 50% of the police and proscuters, thousands of insurance adjusters and, my god, just think of all the people who would half to be let out of prison and there guards. and think of all the pawnshops loan/check cashing shops who would take a very serious hit to there bottom line. if you legalized drugs they would have to go out and get real jobs where they would have to show some sort of accomplishment, not like now where the worse they do the more money we have to give them. all those people hitting the job market would cause a resession. no friends illegal drugs is a very big business in this country. you shouldnt look at is cops vs. crooks, no. look at is cops+crooks both walking hand-in-hand to the bank with our money. and they will never let drugs be legalized because they would lose the most important thing, CONTROL

[Rutilant]

Big fat stinking pile of warm NO.

[Eagler]

Originally posted by bigsky
how many billions of dollars do we spend each year through taxes to pay for law enforcement, and insurance to pay for the property crimes that people commit to suport there habits? ive seen too many work-a-day people get ripped off so the thief can sell there stuff for ten cents on there dollar of what they payed for it to buy dope. most of your law enforcement types dont want them decriminalized because they would be out of a job. just think about it; the entire DEA, 30% to 50% of the police and proscuters, thousands of insurance adjusters and, my god, just think of all the people who would half to be let out of prison and there guards. and think of all the pawnshops loan/check cashing shops who would take a very serious hit to there bottom line. if you legalized drugs they would have to go out and get real jobs where they would have to show some sort of accomplishment, not like now where the worse they do the more money we have to give them. all those people hitting the job market would cause a resession. no friends illegal drugs is a very big business in this country. you shouldnt look at is cops vs. crooks, no. look at is cops+crooks both walking hand-in-hand to the bank with our money. and they will never let drugs be legalized because they would lose the most important thing, CONTROL

LOL

you know why we haven't "won" the war on drugs?

because ppl use drugs

its very simple - wanna "win" this war? Don't do drugs

seems strange - those using drugs, breaking the law - complaining on the amount of money the gov has to spend trying to enforce the law they are breaking

[Ripsnort]

The Bong thing is a waste of taxpayers money, Asscroft needs to go.  Pot should be legalized and treated/taxed like alcohol.