Drug legalisation.

[styley]

The way I feel about drugs and a lot of other things is that so long as what you are partaking of affects only yourself then there should be no law against what you should be able to put into your body. So, my point is that if this were the case people should have the option to purchase legally grown and produced drugs, for personal consumption from a retailer in the same way as the can buy tobacco and alcohol. Has anyone any opinion on this?

[andrea81]

I see what you're saying but I think that the point is that taking drugs (even canabis) does alter your state of mind and therefore 'can' effect others!

I think if alcahol was invented now, it woud be illigal! Only my opinion though!

[Octavius]

I think invariably what we do will always affect others in some form or another.

Be that by the production and supply or the altered state/after effects.

[styley]

When I say, affect someone else I mean in a negative way. Also it's not fair on people who enjoy themselves to be tarred with the same brush as the minority who are a/holes with a drink or drug in them.

[ghetto poet]

Absolutely they should be legalised. I smoke weed every day and it aint never done me any harm, just relaxing and having fun.

[meglet]

If you looked into what the production of cocaine does to the everyday peasant folk of Columbia as just one example you would understand why its not victimless. There will be other examples of same affects of growing cannabis and poppies.

I used to think as you do but have totally changed my mind recently having had my eyes opened. There's a good reason why class A drugs are not legal anywhere in the world.

[keyplus90]

Any drug which can make you out of control, emotionally, physically, financially and socially after all affects others. Just like Alcohol, few doctors say for example a couple of units are OK. That depends on individuals. For one person it might just be like a starter as for other same amount would serve main course as well as dessert.

[jno]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7228 325.stm

[sherminator]

but surely if they were legalised we would have a lot more control on the source of these drugs. Although cocaine is mainly from south america most other drugs could be made in a britsh factory. cannabis grows in this country fine as well.

While i agree in legalising some, i would never want the really addictive ones (heroin crack) to ever be legalised as i beleive they are really dangerous legal or not.

[keyplus90]

jno - thread says every thing anyone would like to about abuse of drugs and the affects on others. Well done jno.

[styley]

I don't see your point jno. Loads of rapes occur with no drink or drugs being a factor. That guy was probably a rapist anyways.

[Oneeyedvic]

I have thought that not only should they be decriminalised, they should also be free.

However, you would have to go to certain places to get it and use it only in these places (and you could not leave until the effects had worn off). There would be free counselling for those who don't want to be dependent, and for kids they would have to walk into an area and actually see what the effects are.

This would obviously result in a lot lower crime rates and I believe that less people would actually take drugs as a result (after actually witnessing other people in a more advanced stage)

[Goodsoulette]

I agree styler but as others have mentioned it has to be ethically sourced. I don't think heroin or coke use could ever be justified but certainly some amphetamines, weed and LSD could be an alternative to filling our streets with rowdy drunks of a friday night,

I would love to see what would happen in a town on a saturday night if noone drank alcohol but everyone popped a couple of Es.

[sherminator]

to jno and keyplus

right so because one person used drugs ina bad way they should be stricken off for the rest of life?

So if someone takes a car and joyride and killed someone does that mean cars should be banned as well?

that argument has no meaning no substance and no weight behind it at all!

[jno]

the guy is now claiming that he didnt know she was dead when he had sex with her. See, that's how drugs affect you.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7251 545.stm

[jake-the-peg]

I don't think you can quite dismiss the effects of alcohol as a minority of a/holes.

Nearly half of all violent crimes are alcohol related, 20% of all accidents are alcohol related.

In 2005 35,000 people were admitte to hospital with alcohol related liver disease and 21,700 with alcohol poisoning from binge drinking.

If you were to legalise drugs and make them easily available there's little doubt their use would go up sharply.
a) from people "stepping up"
b) from drugs tourism (like Amsterdam)

It seems pretty clear that this would result in a substantial increase in pressure on the health service and the police.

Whatever you may think about the rights and wrongs of personal freedoms I think the costs would be just too high

[styley]

jno, the guy is alledgedly a sick murderer/rapist, trying to get away with it. Of course he's going to go on like that. And jake, I know what your saying about the health system and it may be valid, I don't know the facts and figures. But I do know a few drug takers and drinkers, none of which have ever been a burden on the health system due to their activities. But, if someone were to say take drugs etc. at your own risk then people would have to accept the outcome. I feel that if legalised, the drugs available would be safer than the current batches.

[meglet]

Styley. so how do you respond to my point?

[styley]

I would put it to you if the drugs were legalised they could be produced legally and regulated in the correct fashion. Anyway there are people exploited to make our cheap clothes that we all buy, so I feel your just picking on drugs.

[meglet]

God that's annoying I just types typed out a full answer and its gone.

Anyway in summary it was that you can't grow the coca plant need to produce cocaine here so you would have to import it, which you can't as its illegal in the countries where it is grown. As far as heroin goes - I really don't think it needs explaining. Try reading My Booky Wook.

I do have sympathy with the idea that if you wish to grow your own cannabis plant for your own consumption and not sell it on you should be able to. I don't buy into the argument that weed leads on to harder drugs.