Quote:That's an easy thing to say, but when it affects me, that's when I want the government to do something.   Because as the old saying goes, your freedom should end at the point of my nose.   Freedom is great, but when your freedom infringes on my rights, that's where I leave libertarianism behind. 

 

So that always has to be the fundamental question.  Is the additional freedom you desire going to result in an infringement on my rights.   Is legal pot smoking going to result in more traffic accidents, for example.   Is legal methamphetamine going to result in more robberies and burglaries.  Will legal drug use result in more people going to the hospital, which will indirectly affect me by skewing the supply/demand equation for health care and raise the cost of health care and health insurance.  

 

It's easy to say, we ought to let people do what they want in their own homes, but what if it winds up affecting me?  

 

I doubt legal pot will result in more traffic accidents. The pot smokers I know would never drive stoned. It's not like alcohol where you feel like you're in control when you aren't.


 

Robberies and burglaries are the result of the high cost of meth because it's illegal. Legalizing it should reduce crime. Same with heroin.


 

The health insurance problem is the result of government interfering in private industry. If hospitals were free to turn away drug-overdosed people there would be even less cost than now and lower insurance premiums. 
You are also assuming that there would be more people using dangerous drugs. Do you smoke? Why not if it's legal? There would probably be a slight increase, but that would be counterbalanced by less people hospitalized because of the lack of quality control in street drugs. EDIT: And without a motive for getting people hooked there would be no pushers to encourage people (teens) to start.


I'm with Eric on this topic. It shouldn't be against the law, but businesses should be free to turn away druggies, and they should be held fully responsible for any crime they commit under the influence.

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