John D Dalton typed:
> In article <[log in to unmask]>, the following
> appeared:-
> >Are you suggesting there would be *no* increase in drug use? Would there
> >be no increased morbidity (physical, psychological etc) from that
> >increased use?
>
> There would possibly be a significant increase in use, but generally the
> drug users would only be harming themselves.
Whoa! Complete difference of opinion here :)
I do not believe that a *significantly* increased drug user base
would harm only that user base. Spouses, children, family,
other aspects of health, job, increased time spent with GP
dealing with all the above (!).
> >Would the criminals involved in the supply of drugs simply give up their
> >lives of crime and turn into law-abiding citizens overnight?
> >
> There would no longer be any pushers if their product was on sale at a
> price which undercut them. Some might seek to replace their income from
> other forms of crime, but a significant underlying cause of crime would
> be removed.
Well, I suppose this certainly depends on your view of society.
I tend toward the opinion that there are bad people who will
get up to bad things. If (and, clearly, this is purely hypothetical)
the drug "problem" were to disappear overnight, there would be
a large number of criminals with nothing to do. You seem to be
suggesting that they would simply revert to a law-abiding lifestyle.
I, OTOH, am suggesting that they would turn to some other criminal
activity, one which is fairly likely to have the same impact on
the rest of us as the drug "problem".
> >Drugs are a very serious problem, but *I* don't think that legalising
> >everything is the answer.
>
> Is it drug use - or the black market - that is the problem?
The two are inextricably linked.
Wherever there is consumer demand there will be criminal activity.
How much crime is committed so that people can buy designer
trainers, expensive cars, alcohol, tobacco? All legal?
Unless you're suggesting that we make *all* drugs of addiction/
recreation (nearly) free, there will always be criminals
operating in the field.
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