Should certain illegal drugs be made legal to buy for recreational purposes?

[Conservative,]

Bold: Then surely that shows how the increase in other crimes like burgulary will occur.

Or maybe they won't both to go into that business in the first place?

[Santorefish]

Alcohol and drugs are different things and to compare them would be incorrect.

I believe legalising will give drug addicts a excuse to get MORE adicted and to cause more crimes because they would be taking more of a certain substance

On the other hand i do believe it would be good to find more legal drugs such as miaow miaow for instance, for to perhaps create them to drug addicts can use them as a safer substitute for the dangerous drugs they may already be taking (perhaps a drug you make tea with)

[GommeInc]

It's an interesting topic. Personally, I see no use for drugs in a wider, consumer market as dependence on any sort of substance is in itself depressing and says alot about an individual (naturally boring and uninteresting). There are two methods of looking at it as others have no doubt mentioned:

Supply and demand - underground dealers will lose their control as a legal market comes into view.
Keeping them illegal will further reduce the need for the drugs and will not support any future demand by the general public.

Medicine wise, well, there are already drugs out there which are legal and controllable to avoid any problems like drug overdoses from happening, but this of course depends on the sort of drugs we're talking about. Cannabis is one illegal substance which has some mild benefits and is often compared to alcohol with the "highs" involved (sometimes described as being drunk, but without the need to be sick"), but you could argue and say that these comparisons just reflect the problem with alcohol addiction - the need to feel "high" and drink as much as physically possible to have a good time, which does not reflect the moderate "majority" of alcohol drinkers. Drugs like cocaine, heroin and these drugs which have no benefits should probably remain illegal, as they do more damage than harm, and legalising them will open up future strains on healthcare organisations by people who do not know much about the drugs they are consuming and the risks involved, which, although may be seen as nothing to do with the Government, should still be regulated as it is still money from the public which will fund and assist these issues if it all goes wrong.

You've also got to think about the cost. Seeing as we're still in a state of not wanting to spend too much money, the Government cannot possibly legalise some substances (the ones that are arguably safer or easily comparible to currently legal substances) because the regulations involved, some of which already suggested, would cost a considerable amount of money and put a strain on the already tight spending of public money. It will cost alot for the Police/NHS to regulate who is taking what, and you've also got to remember the privacy restrictions - would the general public really want to have what they are consuming splashed about? It might lead to an unsightly prescedent of Government interfering with what we do in private.

My two cents at the moment.

Alcohol and drugs are different things and to compare them would be incorrect.

Please elaborate I think I know what you mean, but it'll be interesting to see what you mean as an individual.

[Mathew]

"Should certain illegal drugs be made legal to buy for recreational purposes?"

Drugs are illegal for a reason. Call me narrow minded, but why should we legalise something which is a proven killer; for the sole reason of "recreational purposes?" If you take drugs, you're a moron in the first place - why should we feed your habit and legalise them?

The drug industry is a big one and it's obviously largely centered around money. Maybe police and crime experts should get to work and cut down on the drug dealings, rather than just legalise them. Surely legalising is just giving in and backing down? :S

[Conservative,]

"the drug industry is a big one".

The government can make ****loads in tax on them and they can regulate everything.

I personally am against taking drugs, but I think legalising then will:

Stop drug/gang culture
Stabilise additctions
Make the government plenty in tax
And drug dealers will lose their jobs.

"Should certain illegal drugs be made legal to buy for recreational purposes?"

Drugs are illegal for a reason. Call me narrow minded, but why should we legalise something which is a proven killer; for the sole reason of "recreational purposes?" If you take drugs, you're a moron in the first place - why should we feed your habit and legalise them?

The drug industry is a big one and it's obviously largely centered around money. Maybe police and crime experts should get to work and cut down on the drug dealings, rather than just legalise them. Surely legalising is just giving in and backing down? :S

[Oleh]

Plenty of over the counter drugs are killers if taken incorrectly.

Perhaps sell cannabis in pharmaceutical vending outlets and require a card e.g. something like a club card which tracks your product purchases and has all details on, which would track your habits and thus would permit the vendor to refuse service

[Conservative,]

Plenty of over the counter drugs are killers if taken incorrectly.

Perhaps sell cannabis in pharmaceutical vending outlets and require a card e.g. something like a club card which tracks your product purchases and has all details on, which would track your habits and thus would permit the vendor to refuse service

That was what I was trying to get at, I just didn't put it in those words

I agree, with you. For example: I take aspirin for my heart condition, but when I was first prescribed it, they refused to give it to me because it's rare for teenagers to take it and they thought I was gunna top myself.

Tbh - I think, as I;ve said before, if it is regulated, and there is some kind of fraud-proof system - some kind of card or something, it should be fine. Obviously don't legalise every drug under the sun, but maybe some Class C drugs, and ones that CAN BE beneficial (eg; marijuana).

Also, some drugs could be made legal via prescription only - like in New Jersey, I believe, they legalised Marijuana by prescription. There is more than just one way of "legalising" a drug, it doesn't necessarily have to be over the counter available ;]

[FlyingJesus]

Many people each year die from drug overuse

People die through accidents on the road and at work, should we outlaw cars and jobs?

Alcohol and drugs are different things and to compare them would be incorrect.

In what way would that be? Alcohol is a drug and a dangerous one at that, the only difference is legality

It's an interesting topic. Personally, I see no use for drugs in a wider, consumer market as dependence on any sort of substance is in itself depressing and says alot about an individual (naturally boring and uninteresting).

This argument comes up fairly often when drugs are discussed and I've never quite got the reasoning behind it - who has at any point mentioned a dependence? The massive majority of people who dabble in drugs are not addicted in any way, and the whole "you only need them if you're boring lololol have fun without" view is quite frankly of no use. I don't need to play football to have fun, I don't need to have friends around me to enjoy myself, and in the same way that ketchup isn't necessary with fish and chips but enhances it unless you go overboard with it, drugs are not necessary for a good evening but can enhance it if you know what you're doing.

Cannabis is one illegal substance which has some mild benefits and is often compared to alcohol with the "highs" involved (sometimes described as being drunk, but without the need to be sick")

Where do you get this from? I've never heard anyone compare the two as being anything alike, and the medicinal benefits of cannabis are nothing to do with the actual high anyway.

Drugs like cocaine, heroin and these drugs which have no benefits

If there were no benefits no-one would use them I do agree with what you go on to say about the more dangerous ones remaining illegal though, simply because most people are nowhere educated enough or sensible enough to be trusted with the open marketing of such substances.

You've also got to think about the cost. Seeing as we're still in a state of not wanting to spend too much money, the Government cannot possibly legalise some substances (the ones that are arguably safer or easily comparible to currently legal substances) because the regulations involved, some of which already suggested, would cost a considerable amount of money and put a strain on the already tight spending of public money. It will cost alot for the Police/NHS to regulate who is taking what, and you've also got to remember the privacy restrictions - would the general public really want to have what they are consuming splashed about? It might lead to an unsightly prescedent of Government interfering with what we do in private.

Interesting point, and I definitely agree that the administration costs alone would be monstrous in setting up a legalised drug market if they were to regulate intake in such a tight way, but those which I would suggest as being candidates for legalising (cannabinoids, cathinones, some hallucinogens and a very few amphetamines) are in moderation of about equal or often much less danger than alcohol and tobacco, and could very easily be taxed enough that they wouldn't be the new White Lightning for a binge. The taxing of such compounds rather than recorded regulation would also of course raise money rather than lose it in the long run, and with them being legalised there would be little or no market for the production of the newer, more harmful "legal highs" which come about each time one gets banned. Without regulation they are open to be abused rather than simply used (and there is a huge difference when it comes to chemical intake) but abusers will abuse whether it's legal or not, as you can see just about every night in most towns with alcohol.

Call me narrow minded, but why should we legalise something which is a proven killer; for the sole reason of "recreational purposes?" If you take drugs, you're a moron in the first place - why should we feed your habit and legalise them?

I think I shall take you up on your suggestion: you are narrow-minded. Hundreds of thousands of legal and unregulated chemicals, actions, accidents and forces of nature are "proven killers", would you prefer we had no cars, no bleach, no electricity, no free movement to go outside of specially engineered bubbles of safety? As for your follow-up, you clearly have no idea of the range of people who take drugs or the range of how often those people might take them. Not every drug user is an abuser, not every user is an addict, not every addict is an abuser, etc. etc. etc., habit has nothing to do with this issue.

[Jin]

Also, many drugs such as marijuana also have harmful effects and can be seen as "stepping stone" drugs which lead onto harder drugs.

Why should we risk public health as a "test"?

Why are we wasting money on the effects of binge drinking, its proven that more youths die from alcohol then cannabis? Why hasn't the alcohol age restriction been increased to 21 supposedly when youths are suppose to be more responsible then when they are 18.

I disagree.

The drug dealers are the murderers. Take away their trade, they won't be able to demand money - not for drugs anyway.

I have encountered plenty of drug dealers in my time and frankly I reckon I feel safer in some of the red light districts of Reading than I do in the normal areas.

When I was 14 somebody mugged me for £20 and ran off and a pot dealer who saw it happen called his mate who grabbed the guy, beat the crap out of him, told him to never come back and got me £40 back. Yet I have had plenty of friends that have been mugged in nicer areas before and have lost their money.

After all you don't crap on your own doorstep.

Even if it were legalized it still wouldn't solve the dealing issue, the government would want to regulate it's potency and people will always want better grade so you will have to find a dealer again.

Drugs are illegal for a reason. Call me narrow minded, but why should we legalise something which is a proven killer; for the sole reason of "recreational purposes?"

Maybe police and crime experts should get to work and cut down on the drug dealings, rather than just legalise them. Surely legalising is just giving in and backing down? :S

You are narrow minded. Yes some drugs are killers as it were and they should remain illegal but others are not such as cannabis and mephedrone (yes there are a few rare cases of overdoses but in the grand scheme of things not much). Even a government health expert suggested that cannabis shouldn't be classified as illegal and if it is so bad then consider why an EU country (Netherlands) legalise it under regulations yet their society hasn't crumbled in some sort of apocalyptic war between health care accountants, police and drug smugglers.

If anything government should be taking a tougher approach on Alcohol and looser approach on cannabis.

How many deaths, asbo violations and general crime has occured because of Alchohol? If you have ever seen any form of cop documentary's half the time they are arresting drunk people. Even in experience my working at music festivals near enough 90% of complaints, medical cases, thefts and welfare issues are the direct result of alcohol.

The worse case scenario for a stoned person is the sales of the local tesco's crisps and chocolate biscuits have increased.

If anything the legalization of something like cannabis could probably end up being certainly beneficial.


Money would be saved on policing.
Crime reduction.
Tourism
Taxes

[Conservative,]

Why are we wasting money on the effects of binge drinking, its proven that more youths die from alcohol then cannabis? Why hasn't the alcohol age restriction been increased to 21 supposedly when youths are suppose to be more responsible then when they are 18.



I have encountered plenty of drug dealers in my time and frankly I reckon I feel safer in some of the red light districts of Reading than I do in the normal areas.

When I was 14 somebody mugged me for £20 and ran off and a pot dealer who saw it happen called his mate who grabbed the guy, beat the crap out of him, told him to never come back and got me £40 back. Yet I have had plenty of friends that have been mugged in nicer areas before and have lost their money.

After all you don't crap on your own doorstep.

Even if it were legalized it still wouldn't solve the dealing issue, the government would want to regulate it's potency and people will always want better grade so you will have to find a dealer again.



You are narrow minded. Yes some drugs are killers as it were and they should remain illegal but others are not such as cannabis and mephedrone (yes there are a few rare cases of overdoses but in the grand scheme of things not much). Even a government health expert suggested that cannabis shouldn't be classified as illegal and if it is so bad then consider why an EU country (Netherlands) legalise it under regulations yet their society hasn't crumbled in some sort of apocalyptic war between health care accountants, police and drug smugglers.

If anything government should be taking a tougher approach on Alcohol and looser approach on cannabis.

How many deaths, asbo violations and general crime has occured because of Alchohol? If you have ever seen any form of cop documentary's half the time they are arresting drunk people. Even in experience my working at music festivals near enough 90% of complaints, medical cases, thefts and welfare issues are the direct result of alcohol.

The worse case scenario for a stoned person is the sales of the local tesco's crisps and chocolate biscuits have increased.

If anything the legalization of something like cannabis could probably end up being certainly beneficial.


Money would be saved on policing.
Crime reduction.
Tourism
Taxes

All your points are valid there and I agree,

and my point about drug dealers being murders - obviously not all are murderers, but a lot are certainly dangerous. And yes if they legalised it they would still be around for the black market, but it would put pressure on them due to lack of customers.

But yeah the rest of the stuff I agree with