Legalize it.... yay or nay?

[gb12549]

Related to another thread that started to take in the whole prison industry issue in the US, What are your thoughts on the two mastheads of the legalization debate: Marijuana and Prostitution?
I think the economic impact (positive) and societal (positive) would be the "stimulus" we need!

[Michael Cook]

:spyder: IBTL! I'm a libertarian. :spyder:

[tacticooledc]

Marijuana: Go to (K)alifornia and see what its like to live among stoners who only want to get wasted all day and not do anything a single day in their lives- plus they are condescending to people who are clean and actually RIDICULE them for not getting into drugs- yes these are adults we are talking about.

I lived here for 11 years and can no longer stand the common idea that it's socially acceptable to indulge yourself in hardcore drugs and M.J. Goodbye Cali, on my way to Texas tomorrow morning :D

Prostitution: Enjoy that massive outburst of STD's to the point where every other person you meet will be an offspring of someone who picked up Herpes.

[Sequimite]

I haven't smoked pot for three decades but would gladly indulge again if it were legalized. I've seen friends abuse a wide variety of drugs and there is no doubt in my mind that alcohol was the most destructive and pot the least. Looks like Meth might be the most destructive drug today. We're way past the time when resentments from the 60's should be dictating law. Legalize it.

I feel more conflicted about prostitution, perhaps because I have no firsthand experience and don't know anyone in the world's oldest profession. Like drugs it has been practiced for all of human history and resisted all attempts to eradicate it. Like marijuana it's illegality is a source of violence and corruption. Legalize it.

[chuck_roxas45]

Heck, I don't wanna dictate to people what they may or may not imbibe, smoke, or eat.

[Pinetreebbs]

IMNSHO, the solution to the drug problem is legalization. It is time to pile up free drugs on every street corner that currently has drug dealers operating. Then spend the vast amount of money spent on drug related crime on the treatment and containment of drug users.

Making drugs free will:

Eliminate crime perpetrated to buy drugs

Eliminate drugs dealer turf war crimes

Cripple drugs cartel by buying drugs from governments that are currently under attack, e.g., Mexico and Columbia.

Institute drug testing for all jobs, recipients of welfare, politicians, everyone if you are high, goodbye.

Identify all drug users and offer treatment. If the refuse or fail treatment a time or two, send them to a drug farm to live out their days getting high and leaving the rest of society alone.

:spyder: IBTL! I'm a libertarian. :spyder:

Yes!

[tacticooledc]

Making drugs free? So the tax payers will pay for them?

Every corner so MY KIDS can get to them?

Required drug testing for every job, yet drugs are legal and free?

So you're saying you want all of us working class people to pay for the junkies' food, water, AND fixes? Surely you must be kidding, sir :p

[RIOT]

havent smoked pot in 10 years, i say legalize it, nothing wrong with it. stop the mexico drug traffic and tax it for profit. makes so much sense our government wont do it.

there is no difference than any other state other than if you smoke it here in CA most likely youll have it in a medicine container & cheaper.

[SolidState]

So you're saying you want all of us working class people to pay for the junkies' food, water, AND fixes? Surely you must be kidding, sir :p

What do you think holing them up in a prison is? I'm pretty sure that I pay for less of their food/clothing/shelter when I'm not paying $35,000 or more in taxpayer funding to hold them in a cell for a year, let alone legal fees.

In comparison to the prison industrial complex, more rational drug policies will save the taxpayer money.

Tacticool,
None of your arguments cannot be easily stretched to alcohol, yet I don't read you harping on people for drinking. Why is that? Also, why do you think you won't be paying more for drug dealers/users in Texas than you were in California? Incarceration costs a lot of money.

[rosconey]

if you could only smoke what you grew-the cartels would die off-
not talking about fields of the stuff but a few plants per house hold-
now the people who spend money on it would be spending money other ways like home repair cars ect ect-think of all the money that would flow straight into the economy instead of drug dealers banks in foreign countries-

humans will always want to get "high" some way or another -lets take the least harmful way and make it legal

[chuck_roxas45]

... my way to Texas tomorrow morning :D

Oh, and I guess people in Texas don't smoke pot.

[enduraguy]

Oh, and I guess people in Texas don't smoke pot.

Nor prostitute, get wasted on alcohol, use meth, or hang out at those horrible things called strip clubs. Strip clubs are really just "gate-way enablers" per say to more evil and destructive social behaviors anyway.

[chuck_roxas45]

my last post before the lock....

[tacticooledc]

[Pinetreebbs]

Making drugs free? So the tax payers will pay for them?

Every corner so MY KIDS can get to them?

Required drug testing for every job, yet drugs are legal and free?

So you're saying you want all of us working class people to pay for the junkies' food, water, AND fixes? Surely you must be kidding, sir :p

It wouldn't cost all that much and would have a net saving by taking the billions we spend on the drug wars. There TONS of drugs in evidence lockers all over the country and more in other countries.

SolidState (Thank you very much.), is quite correct about the cost of incarceration, though I think the costs are closer to $65/year. You also need to consider all the crime addicts do to law abiding innocents to get the money to buy drugs, e.g., killing someone for a few dollars or doing $100k worrth of damage to steal a few hundred dollars worth of copper.

Parents will still need to talk to their kids about the dangers of using drugs and what can happen to them. Some controls would be necessary to prevent kids from access, but honestly, what school aged child doesn't know who how to find drugs if they want them?

Drug testing? Absolutely, make your choices, but no assistance, no driving or working if you are high.

[2cha]

Making drugs free? So the tax payers will pay for them?

Every corner so MY KIDS can get to them?

Required drug testing for every job, yet drugs are legal and free?

So you're saying you want all of us working class people to pay for the junkies' food, water, AND fixes? Surely you must be kidding, sir :p

It's easier to get drugs than alcohol, for kids or otherwise. I think free is a bad idea, just regulated and taxed.

As for paying for food, water and fixes, when we put drug addicts in prison we're paying much more to keep them there than the subsidies of which you speak.

[2cha]

IMNSHO, the solution to the drug problem is legalization. It is time to pile up free drugs on every street corner that currently has drug dealers operating. Then spend the vast amount of money spent on drug related crime on the treatment and containment of drug users.

Making drugs free will:

Eliminate crime perpetrated to buy drugs

Eliminate drugs dealer turf war crimes

Cripple drugs cartel by buying drugs from governments that are currently under attack, e.g., Mexico and Columbia.

Institute drug testing for all jobs, recipients of welfare, politicians, everyone if you are high, goodbye.

Identify all drug users and offer treatment. If the refuse or fail treatment a time or two, send them to a drug farm to live out their days getting high and leaving the rest of society alone.

Sounds about right to me. It's so easy to get drugs now that most of the people who would become problem users already are.

Add--then our government could also stop making deals with viscous and criminal governments--no more billions and billions going to central america and mexico for clearly ineffective drug interdiction efforts.

[*Cho*]

Prostitution: Enjoy that massive outburst of STD's to the point where every other person you meet will be an offspring of someone who picked up Herpes.

Actually if Prostitution was regulated it would probably be safer all around. Similar the porn industry it could be mandated that the workers must be tested every X week/month for STIs. The prostitutes would actually make more money and be safer because they wouldn't have to deal with a pimp, other than the Government, but he pimps everyone out so no real change there. Proper bawdy houses could be set up or they could be private contractors and work out of the safety of their own home.

I think the biggest problem most people have with legalizing prostitution is the fear that if they legalize it more people (mainly women) would want to enter that profession. This is something I can't see happening just because I can't see that being a very enjoyable job and I strongly believe those currently working in it do not do it by choice but out of necessity and/or fear.

[dialex]

I think you are kidding gentlemen. Legalizing drugs would mean that drug dealers will have to pay takes. Not good for the business, you know...
Besides, if our beloved politicians would really want to control the drugs network, they could, for instance, start with the Afghanistan, the greatest illicit opium producer in the world. But I guess all those poppy fields are really difficult to spot from the plane :rolleyes:

[Pinetreebbs]

Sounds about right to me. It's so easy to get drugs now that most of the people who would become problem users already are.

Add--then our government could also stop making deals with viscous and criminal governments--no more billions and billions going to central america and mexico for clearly ineffective drug interdiction efforts.

Yes! And no more funding for drug lords and other terrorists bent on destroying those countries.