I've been following the political board here for quite some time, though admittedly without actually participating often, and am curious what everyone's view is on the legalization and taxation of recreational drugs (not just marijuana). I don't remember coming across a similar thread, barring a few comments here and there in unrelated topics. My apologies if this has already been discussed at length somewhere, I completely missed it.
Personally, I believe that all "hard drugs" should be legalized and regulated with non-violent drug offenders released from prison. This would free up over 50 billion dollars a year federally and over 40 billion between the states from a combination of lack of expenditure and estimated tax income. It would also cut the number of inmates in this country by almost half. (The average drug conviction costs almost $210,000. $30,619.85/yr to house an inmate with an average drug conviction of 82 months.)
On top of everything, ever since ~1970 when the drug war began, the addiction rate has hovered right around 1.5%.
So all in all, it's costing almost 100 billion dollars a year to not lower addiction rates, overcrowd prisons, and give cartels all of their power. Maybe it's just me, but I don't see any positives here. Anyone care to discuss from either side?
Let me know if you'd like sources for any of this, I can dig them up if anyone is interested. I originally found most of this for a college paper a while back.
You think all hard drugs should be legal? That's ridiculous.
Quote:You think all hard drugs should be legal? That's ridiculous.
What part of it is ridiculous exactly? Expecting adults to make their own choices about what they do to their bodies?
I personally think that the "war on drugs" is going about things the wrong way. I would be against legalizing "hard drugs" because it doesn't solve the problem of drug addiction and the associated crime/damage that comes with it.
On the other hand, I am for medical marijuana and don't consider it a "hard drug" though I certainly think that there should be some constraints put in place should it be legalized for recreational use.
Heroin, Meth, etc...
You really think that should be made readily available to the public? Good Lord man.
Quote:I personally think that the "war on drugs" is going about things the wrong way. I would be against legalizing "hard drugs" because it doesn't solve the problem of drug addiction and the associated crime/damage that comes with it.
On the other hand, I am for medical marijuana and don't consider it a "hard drug" though I certainly think that there should be some constraints put in place should it be legalized for recreational use.
Sure it doesn't solve the problem of addiction, though statistics would lead me to believe legalization wouldn't increase addiction rates in the same way that the "war on drugs" didn't decrease it. The difference is that a large percentage of the tax income could be put towards rehabilitation programs (in addition to the ~15% of the current "drug" budget that's already earmarked for rehabilitation programs) and there would still be a net positive in terms of state and federal funds.
Quote:Heroin, Meth, etc...
You really think that should be made readily available to the public? Good Lord man.
Why not? It doesn't mean that more people would use them. It just means that the money would be going to legitimate places rather than the cartels. Users would essentially be funding their own rehab programs.
We already do the same with alcohol and wine, with restrictions.
I see no reason not to consider other drugs as well.
Alcohol is technically classified as a poison because if it's affect on the body and how the body processes it.
If people are worried about treatment and addiction, those services are already available for controlled substances (just as it is for alcohol abuse.)
I do not feel a change in "access" will open up to significant increases of abuse for a lot of drugs.
Those who want them don't have a problem getting and abusing them now.
I'm all for looking at the current scheduling of drugs and actually realigning. With that said, the hard stuff needs to remain schedule 1. The opiate epidemic is beginning to get out of control as it is. Attempting to make these hard drugs legal may look like a cost savings on the surface, but what you are really doing is just moving financial resources from one pot to the other. Crime and poverty will begin to rise due to addiction. Check out the latest going on in Ohio. As far as marijuana, I'm all for legalization because there are medicinal benefits with little to no addiction.
I'm for decriminalization which is a little different than legal. Legal would mean Walmart can sell crack over the counter. Decriminalization says regardless of the reason your responsible for your actions. You get high fine but if you cause a disturbance of the peace that's against the law. If your rob or harm someone that's against the law. If you endanger a child that's against the law.
There should be no federal laws regarding any substance it's beyond the scope of federal authority. Individual communities should be able to reserve the right to restrict use of substances on their premises, same with private property owners.
But if you want to shoot up heroin at home go for it, when your strung out and homeless we let you die and move on.
Decrimilaztion of substances only works with a full assumption of individual responsibility which means no welfare. No work no eat.
I disagree. Some people probably don't do drugs because of the ramifications of getting caught/busted.
What is the age limit?
Where can you do the drugs? Second hand smoke?
Can you only do the drugs inside your own house? Or would there be "Drug Bars"?
What are the ramifications of Drugging while Driving? Or is that okay?
You said you wanted the druggies out of prison. Even if they were doing drugs while driving?
Quote:Heroin, Meth, etc...
You really think that should be made readily available to the public? Good Lord man.
Made available no. Should we allocate resources and prosecute possession of them ? I imagine the process of making meth would be outlawed in most communities but some hillbilly in the middle of no where wants to cook it let Him blow himself up not my concern. Get high on meth and ruin your life and home, go for it. Get high on meth and harm someone else's, endanger a child, someone's else's property pay the price and kiss your freedom goodbye.
Quote:I disagree. Some people probably don't do drugs because of the ramifications of getting caught/busted.
What is the age limit?
Where can you do the drugs? Second hand smoke?
Can you only do the drugs inside your own house? Or would there be "Drug Bars"?
What are the ramifications of Drugging while Driving? Or is that okay?
You said you wanted the druggies out of prison. Even if they were doing drugs while driving?
Driving under the influence is illegal. Doesn't matter what the influence is. Private property is private property.
Minors do not have full benefits of free choice no one's arguing to change that.
I'm allowed to drink beer in my house around my child. Will I be able to smoke crack in my house around my child?
I see some of your points, but I don't think you guys have thoroughly thought this through.
Quote:Sure it doesn't solve the problem of addiction, though statistics would lead me to believe legalization wouldn't increase addiction rates in the same way that the "war on drugs" didn't decrease it. The difference is that a large percentage of the tax income could be put towards rehabilitation programs (in addition to the ~15% of the current "drug" budget that's already earmarked for rehabilitation programs) and there would still be a net positive in terms of state and federal funds.
There are many problems to solving the "ultimate problem", that being drug addiction/abuse. Let's look at one of the problems that would need to be solved. Price and taxation.
No matter what, there will always be an "underground" for narcotics. Let's take crack as an example. Let's say that on the street right now a gram of crack costs $10. You sell it legally for $10 and tax it, it will still be cheaper to buy it on the street than it would be to buy it legitimately. You could lower the price a bit, but the underground is still going to undercut the price. Pretty soon the price gets low enough to where the tax that it brings in isn't enough to really fund the legal sale of it.
Quote:I'm for decriminalization which is a little different than legal. Legal would mean Walmart can sell crack over the counter. Decriminalization says regardless of the reason your responsible for your actions. You get high fine but if you cause a disturbance of the peace that's against the law. If your rob or harm someone that's against the law. If you endanger a child that's against the law.
There should be no federal laws regarding any substance it's beyond the scope of federal authority. Individual communities should be able to reserve the right to restrict use of substances on their premises, same with private property owners.
But if you want to shoot up heroin at home go for it, when your strung out and homeless we let you die and move on.
Decrimilaztion of substances only works with a full assumption of individual responsibility which means no welfare. No work no eat.
I can somewhat agree with your take.
Would there be crack smoking areas at the Jaguar games...I don't see why not, if it's legal, like booze and cigarettes.
I am not really answering the question at hand, but due to my experience within the medical field (as a patient), I can say that a lot of low-information Floridians are going to be sorely disappointed when they find out what the legalization of medical Marijuana really is. Anyone expecting the second coming of California or Colorado are in for a big surprise. There won't be pot shops on every street corner with the hippie lettuce packed from floors to ceilings.
Here's how it is going to go. Once the marijuana is harvested by certified growers, it will be sent to processing labs. There, it will be processed down to one of 2 forms. The first form will come as an oil. The second form will come as an inhaler, similar to an Asthma inhaler. Now for the kicker. The THC is removed from the oil and vapors. The only way to get medical marijuana with any THC in Florida is to be deemed terminal by 2 independent doctors.
So, for a majority of people, this MM thing is going to be far from the Utopia that they were hoping for.
As far as the topic goes, legalize pot and tax the hell out of it. Make money from it instead of wasting money on it (from a govt perspective.) As far as the hardcore drugs go, (meth, cocaine, heroin, extacy, etc...) they have no place in society.
Quote:I'm all for looking at the current scheduling of drugs and actually realigning. With that said, the hard stuff needs to remain schedule 1. The opiate epidemic is beginning to get out of control as it is. Attempting to make these hard drugs legal may look like a cost savings on the surface, but what you are really doing is just moving financial resources from one pot to the other. Crime and poverty will begin to rise due to addiction. Check out the latest going on in Ohio. As far as marijuana, I'm all for legalization because there are medicinal benefits with little to no addiction.
What says that addiction rates would increase with legalization? The percentage of addicts has remained the same for almost 50 years now even with exponentially more spending in enforcement. I'm also fine with moving money from one pot to another if it's from the cartels to legitimate businesses and the government.