Canada to Decriminalize Pot Possession

[Lincoln]

Thanks for answering my question Berzeker. Is their anything that should be illegal -- should kids have access to anything they want? I am afraid that you must not have any kids. And the "idiocy" comment comes from dealing with people who cannot seem to draw a line between liberty for themselves at the expense of their children. As an adult I really do not care what you or other drug users choose to put in your mouth or veins. But I have dealt with these people's kids for about 25 years. I agee with Dr Strangelove. Of course my experience in various institutions means nothing to a libertarian who has no problem with the free availability of cocaine (and heroin I asume).

Almost all my foster kids smoked dope and most of the people I met in prison smoked dope. I have lived with addiction both psychological and physical. I told a drug dealer who came to my house trying to sell drugs to my kids once that if I ever saw him again on my property he would go to jail. Thank God for jails. These people who prey on the innocent deserve to be in "cages."

[Dr Strangelove]

Originally posted by Berzerker
Ted -

You really believe he's a doctor?

Yes, I am.

Ah, yes, Strangelove's authoritative source about pot.

Yes, I am.


Hey Ming. Can we do something about this man's personal attacks?

[Dr Strangelove]

Originally posted by Berzerker
Boris -

I doubt he is a doctor because of his "reefer madness" style arguments, not because he disagrees with me. As far as I know, Strangelove has never claimed to be doctor, he has only mentioned what he has seen in a hospital.

Yes, I have, pay attention. BTW, What are your credentials?

When people insult me, I'll insult them back. When people lie or tell falsehoods about others to justify hurting them, as Strangelove does with drug users, I won't pat them on the back.

No, I'm not lying.

[SlowwHand]

Anything that is altered or made by man is suspect.
That leaves out marijuana.

[Ming]

I think this "discussion" should become a discussion again.

Let's lay off the personal attacks...

REMEMBER... attack the arguments, NOT THE POSTER!

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Dr Strangelove

Yes, I have, pay attention. BTW, What are your credentials?

No, I'm not lying.

Vindication is sweet.

So there it is. Berz, it's really low to attack someone personally and insinuate they're lying about who they are because they happen to disagree with you. You seem to think that someone disagreeing with your position = them insulting you. That makes GP's Fezzing comment even more appropriate.

People who believe drug use should be illegal don't do so because they want to hurt drug users. On the contrary, their aim is to prevent them from harm. Accusations of trying to hurt them are just more slander.

Oh, and your comparison of my mentioning you is ludicrous, as the thread specifically asked which posters one wouldn't want to argue with, and I said you. If you consider that an "attack," then again I point to your being ludicrously hypersensitive about what constitutes an "attack."

For the record, I happen to be pro-legalization of most drugs, so respectfully disagree with Doc S on this issue. No need to call him names, though.

[SpencerH]

Drugs have been with us since the begining of civilization and given that there is evidence that lower animals also use drugs I think there is a possibility that humans have always used drugs of some kind.

I doesnt make sense to me to have some drugs legal and some not. So for me the question is whether all should be either illegal or legal.

I dont believe that we could successfully make all drugs illegal. Throughout history, attempting to regulate any aspect of morality (including drug use) has failed miserably. Clearly the 'war on drugs' doesnt work. It breeds criminal behaviour without preventing drug use. Prohibition simply allowed the expansion of organized crime but did little to prevent drinking alcohol.

On the other hand legalizing all drugs seems excessive. There's bound to be abuses and deaths as a result. But dont we already have that with the present system?

I think the most important question is what's the best way to minimize the damage done by drugs. IMO we should legalize the lot and use the tax money to fund extensive long-term progams starting with young children to change how we view drug use. This approach worked for drinking and driving in Canada in the 70's. It didnt end the problem, but the tacit acceptance of drinking and driving within the society did change for the better.

[SlowwHand]

Well, while you're busy switching hands, I'll stick with the position that marijuana isn't a drug.

I'm not advocating the use, nor am I saying it shouldn't be controlled.
You certainly don't gain control by merely decriminalizing.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

Cocaine was legal as well. What is your point? Should cocaine be legal? Yes__ No__

The answer is of course yes. The consumption of cocaine affects only the user. THe individual has the right to make informed choices about what he wants to consume, and limiting that right is wrong.

[Loif]

I don't agree with legalizing marijuana. At our school the kids just finished DARE (Drug Awareness Resistance Education) and to now have our government consider legalizing pot is sending them mixed signals.

I have three kids of my own and in no way do I ever want to have them try drugs.

[Japher]

Anything that is altered or made by man is suspect.
That leaves out marijuana.

Thats a bad defense. Maybe if you just say, something that is naturally occuring (in nature) should not be illegal.

I don't want to go into all the cross-breeding and cloning of plants that pot heads do.

But, come on it's a freakin' plant!!!

[Ramo]

I don't agree with legalizing marijuana. At our school the kids just finished DARE (Drug Awareness Resistance Education) and to now have our government consider legalizing pot is sending them mixed signals.

I have three kids of my own and in no way do I ever want to have them try drugs.

Huh? Mixed signals? Do your kids believe that if the state doesn't lock you up for something, it must be good?

If you don't want them to try drugs, talk to them. Explain to them why one shouldn't use drugs. There's no need to rely on draconian state intimidation.

[SlowwHand]

I agree, Japher.
I'm not talking herb.

[Japher]

If you don't want them to try drugs, talk to them. Explain to them why one shouldn't use drugs. There's no need to rely on draconian state intimidation.

Criminalize unsafe sex!!! Heck, all sex for that matter!!!



I mean how can the school teach my kids about safe sex and/or abstainance (spelling?) and not make sex illegal!!!!


This is an outrage

[Dr Strangelove]

I seem to recall Berzerker strongly denouncing the use of "emotional arguments" when we were previously discussing libertarian type issues. Evidently what he meant was that anyone offering a different opinion should not have the audacity to offer emotional arguiments. He on the other hand has no qualms about such rhetorical manuevers on his own part.

The hospital where I did my residency had a large drug and alcohol treatment center. For about one half of each of the three years of training I treated patients in this part of the hospital, in addition to other duties. Given the size of the ward I would estimate that during this time I would have treated more than 1500 addicts. Of course only a fraction of these were marijuana users, somewhere between half and one third, but that's plenty. I doubt that anyone else here can seriously make the claim that they have known that many marijuana users in their life.