Drugs? Legalise or not?

[DarkMajes71c]

I was having a read of this article on the BBC news web site http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7386889 .stm#table
It seems to me that the government has taken completely the wrong strategy here. If they were in any way sensible they would legalise them all tax the cr4p out of them to cover the costs of looking after addicts when they inevitably fall of the rails (e.g. cigarettes & alcohol).
They could also regulate the levels of toxins in the drugs as they do with cigarettes making the whole experience safer for the user and resulting in less drug related deaths.
It would also decimate the criminal gangs in the UK whose finance almost completely depend on the sale of illegal drugs... as well as saving a huge amount of the polices time and money.
What are your thoughts? Should the government keep fighting this "lost war"? or should they accept that people will be doing drugs whether they are illegal or not?

[cazzz1975]

of course legalise it, just dont come running to me when you develop mental health issues

[squarebear]

As long as the user only affects himself and doesn't beg, borrow or steal to fund his habit then I say let him get on with it.

[Oneeyedvic]

legalise drugs (and in fact make them free)

HOWEVER, make sure that they are only sold in certain places and all those places provide a safe haven for drug taking. These places will also supply advice and help on giving up drugs should someone so wish.

This would decimate crime levels (no petty thefts / muggings / burglaries from people seeking money to buy drugs and no major crime as there would be no dealers).

[Fay Mousse]

Just a load more schizophrenics and paranoid druggies to contend with. :(

[stokemaveric]

yes oneeyevic what a brilliant idea lets give fee drugs to anyone who wants them,lets start em young and get them hooked.great idea that 1...............................

[DarkMajes71c]

do you really think that there would be more mental health problems if druggs were legal and controled would that outway the decimation of the criminal gangs?
and the extra funding provided by the taxes on drugs would more than pay any mental health issues caused by what would be a marginal increase in useage.

[DrFilth]

they should ban cigarettes & alcohol

[gonzo00]

legalise...can you say it woul'd be worse than loads of binge drinkers destroying town and country? i spend quite a lot of time in holland where soft drug use is tollerated..thier heroin user stastics have never risen whereas the heroin addict rate in the uk has risen 1000% over the same timespan....the choice for me is simple..legalise the herb and ban alcohol.

[stokemaveric]

it doesnt matter if the incresae in drug use was maginal or not...you dont want extra druggies roaming the streets do you?

[Goodsoulette]

Seems crazy to me, I saw this morning that cannabis was going to be upgraded, I think its probably an easy way for them to get some fixed penalty money to be honest. I don't think they believe it will make any difference. When I started smoking it it wasn't a class C drug. I think drugs need to be classified as scientists do.

[gonzo00]

stokemaveric..they wouldn't be roaming the streets mate..they'd all be stuck to the sofa (couchlock as i call it).....it all seems to work fine in amsterdam!

[stokemaveric]

gonzoo8 9im sure it does work in the netherlands mate but im sure the majority of law abiding citizens in this country dont want to see the legalisation of ANY drugs in this country...

[Oneeyedvic]

Can you tell me how much crime is committed by drug users Stoke.

And then tell me why they commit crimes.

Then, if drugs were not illegal (and were free), what you anticipate crime to do?

Maybe you can tell me how this compares to alcohol related crimes?

[Le Chat]

The way I see it is that any type of drug is very, very easy to get hold of anyway. (I have asked many of the young girls who work and have worked in my beauty salon!!) It would seem that it is of no effort to get hold of the drug of your choice each and every weekend. Of course someone like me wouldn't have a clue where to go for it because I am not interested in aquiring any ...but my sources tell me it's as easy as anything to get hold of. Of course, they don't know 'what's in it' because cocaine for example can be mixed with stuff like talc. or worse, to make it stretch furthur. I also think that unless you have never read the paper, talked to people or watched the television, you cannot ever say that you didn't know the risks of taking any kind of drug, so from that angle, I say legalise it. I agree with oneeyedvic's arguement with regard to theft, muggings etc.
However, what does make me uneasy is that heroin addicts don't just start with heroin (unless I'm wrong here) Logic dictates (to me anyway) that they would start with cannabis and the like minded people who take the stuff and then build up to heroin.
But then again....it's so easy to get hold of anyway, so the circle starts again.
Legalise it? I just don't know.

[stokemaveric]

oneeyevic,try telling an oap who has been mugged by a druggie that drugs should be freely available,try telling thousands of householders who have been robbed by druggies the same to people who have had their car widows smashed and valuables stolen by people wanting to fund their habit....making drugs free to people will only serve to GET people addicted who previously steered clear of them because they WERE NOT FREELY AVAILABLE TO THEM.....THUS CREATING AN EVEN BIGGER DRUG CULTURE,THEREFORE CREATING AN EVEN BIGGER MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE WHEN PEOPLE CANT HANDLE THEM.....

[gonzo00]

stoke mate..do the law abiding citizens of the uk care about the fact that doctors have been shoving valium/diazepam etc into housewives for forty odd years or is that ok because the government and pharmaceutical companys make millions from it?

[stokemaveric]

gonzo08 they are PRESCRIBED drugs mate........

[gonzo00]

le chat..i dont think it's fair to asume that hard drug users start off on soft drugs like cannabis..take for instance dublin..heroin is cheaper to buy than cannabis,so kids of twelve and thirteen tend to start using heroin and cannabis use is quite rare. there will always differing views on drug use..who knows what would be morally or socially right?

[gonzo00]

does it make drugs any less dangerous if they are prescribed? they still find thier way onto the street. 5mg diazepam tablets are changing hands for �1 each on the streets of every major city in the uk...they all originated at the pharmacy.

[DrFilth]

gonzo00 how much is temazepam these days