In article
<8daa035c-9c29-4c2f-bbac-e87730ab230b@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> "John
B." <johnb505@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> writes:
>On Apr 10, 6:20=A0pm, px...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
(Pete nospam Zakel) wrote:
>> In article
<b9573e54-e82e-45d9-b43f-dfe42952b...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>com> "John B." <johnb...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> writes:
>> >We're all so used to
>> >alcoholism that we don't really think about it anymore. But it's
>> >probably more damaging to society that drug abuse.
>>
>> Alcoholism *is* drug abuse. =A0Alcohol is a drug. =A0If it were
illegal, i=
>t would
>> be far more devastating to society (as was shown during alcohol
prohibitio=
>n
>> back in the early 20th century).
>>
>> People just can't seem to wrap their minds around the fact that coffee,
te=
>a,
>> caffeinated sodas, "energy drinks, tobacco, chocalate, beer, wine,
etc., a=
>re
>> all drugs. =A0And alcohol and tobacco are generally more harmful than
almo=
>st all
>> the illegal drugs, which would be even less harmful than they are now
if t=
>hey
>> were legal.
>What would drug legalization look like in your view? Would it mean
>that heroin and cocaine and other narcotics are as easy to buy as beer
>is? And if so, how would that make them less harmful?
Not necessarily as easy as beer -- maybe as easy as liquor.
It makes it less harmful by making the manufacturers have to obey
regulatory
laws as to strength, purity, manufacturing process, types of "cuts"
(additives
that reduce potency), etc. And one could sue a manufacturer for selling
something that wasn't as advertised.
It also lowers the need for having to inject, but even then injection
could be
made safer since laws could be passed mandating injectable drugs be sold
in
single-use syringes, etc.
Drugs are made more unsafe by prohibition because prohibition prevents
regulation. Just as during alcohol prohibition when people were blinded
or
killed by being sold denatured or methyl alcohol instead of ethyl alcohol,
or
alcohol that was tainted by antifreeze.
Also, regulation allows putting age limits on sales as well.
And legalization takes away the "forbidden fruit" aspect of current
illegal
drug use, which actually makes it more attractive to many young people.
-Pete Zakel
(phz@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
)
"A militia, when properly formed, are in fact the people themselves... and
include all men capable of bearing arms."
-Richard Henry Lee
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