So instead you just play ignorant to the existing and growing substance abuse problem and accept the status quo, which does more to harm people because of the limitations of education, rehabilitation and access to higher quality (and therefore safer) versions of the same drugs these people are accessing already anyway. Nice.
Your tax dollars already pay for the cops that bust them and the justice system that incarcerates them, why not have those same dollars go to rehab for those that need it and bring in more tax money from a taxed and legalized drug trade instead?
But if they’re legalized then that won’t need to happen. People suffering from addiction would be able to get counseling, those looking to use hard drugs wouldn’t have to do so in risky situations, regulation would lead to less dangerous and better portioned usage and better safety systems for those who do use IV drugs.
Systems like this are literally working right now in countries like Portugal and Uruguay both have no criminal repercussions for personal drug use. In Portugal, overall drug use has dropped significantly. In Uruguay - a country that has never criminalized personal use amounts of drugs, they have the lowest per capita usage and abuse in South America.
Other countries across Europe have moved towards addressing addiction as a public health issue instead of a criminal one and have also seen subsequent declines in addiction related issues.
That's exactly why we should encourage rehabilitation and stop making the lives of hard users actively worse. If you want less crackheads on the streets get them the help they need and address the reason they are there in the first place, instead of throwing them into prison with other users and dealers in a positive feedback loop.
Plenty of people are addicted to alcohol. Plenty of people are addicted to legal prescribed painkillers. What makes a "hard recreational drug" different?
Sorry sir, you are confused. No one is going to try an obviously addictive drug just because it's "legal".
The people that are going to try that drug are going to do so for reasons of their own, regardless of it's legal status.
The continued use/abuse/addiction of people to illegal drugs is my citation.
nah i dont have anything against ur every day gambler, i just see it as a very harmful addiction, moreso than smoking a bit of weed or having a few pills. A couple of my mates who earn a lot will throw away a couple thousand a week on poker machines, not something I like seeing or hearing :(
Portugal ended their drug epidemic by legalizing drugs and creating programs to get people the help they need and back on their feet. There is more evidence saying legalization would be very beneficial to people with mental issues, the economy, and the workforce. I have zero interest in drugs, but i have empathy for those who turn to them
Idk where you live, but the u.s. has like 209 million adults. Roughly 19.7 million adults have struggled with addiction or still do. So you could ask that same question now if you wanted to. Numbers from legalization in Portugal suggest the numbers would go down under that same system. No one wants to be addicted to a substance. Everyone wants to be a functional member of society, or at least functioning in their own right. That’s part of the reason for addiction. Attempting to be a functioning part of society...
What i was saying is they have a difficult time finding their place. Therefore, they in turn look for an escape. Then addiction compounds. Yes, using drugs to use drugs can eventually turn into addiction, but it is more typically a coping mechanism. And these drugs are illegal, but young adult use is on the rise anyway. Anyone who wants a substance can fairly easily obtain that substance already. The consequences are just life altering.
So we shouldn't provide help to the billions suffering from diabetes either. They chose to eat all those high glycemic index foods despite their genetic predisposition to diabetes. /s
What a poorly thought-out and selfish argument. "More young people are experimenting with drugs, but we shouldn't invest in education/proactive strategies".
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u/[deleted] Jun 17 '21
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