Should all drugs be lagal?

[tonywiltshire]

If all drugs were freely available and legal it would mean crime would fall substantially, if, as reported, most crime were drug based. Drugs could be available in Chemists and it could be a condition that they were only dispensed with medical advice over the dangers of taking the drug, at a normal price, which should be far lower than the criminal street price. There would then be no need for criminals to import drugs and sell them at enormous profit if they were available from the Chemist at a lower price. .
The disadvantage would be that more people would try drugs as they were legal and cheap, but is this better than the present position?
No country in the world, and it is a worldwide problem, to my knowledge, has tried this and it must have been considered, what problems have I missed?

[Frank97]

I agree, the current approach certainly isn't working so why not try something radical, can't see it ever happening though.

[tonywiltshire]

AS D97x7 has said the current approach is not working, what will?

[SeaJayPea]

I agree entirely with your point about taking supply out of the hands of the underworld. Were I a parent these days I'd be terrified of what young people are taking. 40-odd years ago, much of what you got hold of was probably pinched, but at least legally manufactured. Nowadays, most of it has been banged together illegally and there are no controls over strength and quality.

As for the powders that people take, what has been used to reduce the strength of what gets to the street is any white powder, flour, french chalk or caster sugar if you're lucky. There have been cases where rat poison has got in there.

Few people die from the actual use of heroin. Many deaths from heroin are caused by people not knowing the strength of what they're taking. Paradoxically, it would seem that the occasional dealer gets generous, doesn't cut it enough and the client gets something far stronger than what he's used to.

If drugs were processed by the likes of Glaxo and Wellcome, there would be all manner of controls in place. Also, of course, the government could put a tax on it to pay for the policing.

I'm on about chemicals here, not any form of weed.

There are potential problems - as I understand it, it is only recently that it has become possible to test drivers for the presence of many drugs and it isn't always possible to do so without sending samples away and waiting quite a while.

There is also the possibility of all manner of smack addicts turning up here from all over Europe in search of a cheap source of supply.

The main problem is that no politician will ever dare to allow it to happen, at least not without a long period of trying to persuade the public that they won't be slaughtered in their beds by drug-crazed hordes.

[tonywiltshire]

For Lagal read Legal.
Thanks for link eddie, I did not know Portugal had decrimalized all drugs 10 years ago, perhaps we should try?

[redcrx]

i think i understand your reasoning behind the idea.
But, if drug taking effects life, work, relationships etc, where will the money come from to pay for the "cheaper, legal" drugs? surely it may just mean that the proceeds of crime wont need to be so high and they can flog mobile phones for just a quid to pay the chemist

[ojread2]

No!

[andy-hughes]

I believe there is a strong argument for the legal distribution of curently illgeal drugs, which will address the anomally of nicotine being freely available via cigarettes - the only item available for legal sale, that if its instructions for consuption are followed, will kill the consumer.

The difficulty is the cultural mindset which only associates street drugs with criminal low-lifes and the notion that legality will mean that society will bottom out to its lowest strata.

Given the waste of money and resources caused by alcohol and nicotine abuse - surely that could be considered a practical solution, given that it will be a temporary situation while society adjusts - assuming that education can be beefed up to sufficient levels in all areas of drug abuse - including alcohol - to ensure that people are making informed choices.

[tonywiltshire]

Why, ojread2.

[ojread2]

I think the question should actually be 'Why'?

Why not? Legalising drugs will not take away the need for dealers, crime to pay for your habit etc
Look at legal drugs now - they are still pushed by dealers

Quick aswer

[ChuckFickens]

Pssst.... Eddie, do you want to score some ibuprofen?

[sara3]

if all drugs were legalised, my 14 yr old would probably be nagging for drugs instead of getting his ear stretched.

[jake-the-peg]

There are a number of problems with decriminalisation of drugs.

Firstly health : Some drugs are relatively harmless compared with say tobacco or alcohol but others are not - If legalisation leads to greater use the stretch on the health service will become enormous - particularly heart attacks and cocaine

Secondly drug tourism: Amsterdam suffers this hugely with people flying in to get stoned from all over the world. This puts stress on various services but is possibly more detrimental to a country's reputation internationally.

Thirdly crime: I very much doubt criminal enterprises that have gotten so rich on drugs would simply sit back and let this happen - I'd expect hijacking of supplies, armed robberies of shops etc.

That's not to say it couldn't be made to work but it would certainly be no easy feat and you might find the cure worse than the disease

[ojread2]

uppers, downers - what do u think they are?

[squarebear]

I would have thought a great deal of crime was by junkies getting money to buy drugs. The fact that you can buy them at Boots or the local dealer still means they need money from somewhere.