Legalization of Drugs

[Boris Godunov]

Ecstasy eats holes in your brain.

Alcohol destroys liver.

Cigarettes cause lung cancer.

[SlowwHand]

Have you known someone that died from cirrhosis? Terrible way to go.

[Ming]

I'm also one of those legalize and tax folks. Use some of the tax to offer treatment plans.

And Wezil, I think if drugs were legal, the number of deaths attributed to drugs would get higher, and maybe even approach the levels of drunk driving. Treatment is the real issue, but unfortunately, people have to want treatment. There are always going to be people who abuse whatever is available, but that is no reason to stop other responsible users.

[Elok]

Mmm-hmm. All I know is, I've worked with plenty of people who drink recreationally, or maybe smoke a little pot, and you can more or less depend on them. It's the addicts (so far one alcoholic/barbiturate fan and a "perk"-snorter that I know of, plus a pill-popper at the Subway next door and a manager with a history of "downer" use) who skip work without telling anyone, show up wasted, call in sick after every payday, bug everyone for loans and never pay them back, swipe from the tip jar, etc.

The Subway pill-popper is a special case; she was a good employee for some time until she, apparently, started the pills. She was subsequently fired for abandoning the store to go off and party one day; after she was fired she stumbled into the store one day and showed the manager on duty her just-pierced nipples in front of customers (not to shock, just because she thought her old boss might like to see). Last they heard of her, she was in jail after attacking a cop who pulled her over and found the stuff in her car. Yeah...drugs.

And I've heard plenty of other horror stories, of course. These are just the ones I know from work. I didn't hang out with the hardcore druggies previously.

[a.kitman]

i think you need some limitation on drugs. and since alcohol is pretty much the norm i would say we set the bar there. anything we find to be less or equaly harmful should be legal.

[Elok]

I'd wager drunk driving kills many more people than PCP does (not to mention other casualties of booze). You dismiss the negative affects of this particular drug too quickly.

Yes, drunk driving kills many more people than PCP does...because millions of people drink alcohol every day, whereas very few people use PCP since, aside from the illegality, it's known to make you a bloody lunatic! I don't dismiss the negative effects of alcohol, I dismiss that they are a valid argument because tons of people enjoy a drink regularly without experiencing them. A bunch of guys having a beer at the local bar while they cheer on the team are not remotely comparable to a dude using angel dust. Are there "occasional" PCP users who take it every now and then, stay harmlessly confined to a room while they drool and wobble, and never go insane or suffer permanent brain damage? What's the ratio of responsible to irresponsible PCP users?

[SlowwHand]

Here's the deal. Any drug, including alcohol, is probably fine. It's the human that abuses it.
Just like a firearm.

[Felch]

**** yeah, Sloww.

[Asher]

Drugs should not only be legalized, but children should be taught how to use all of the various kinds in school. Not in elementary school (DON'T BE SILLY), but junior high seems appropriate. You could sandwich in the courses on how to use drugs between the homosexual and heterosexual demonstration classes.

[Fake Boris]

Drugs should not only be legalized, but children should be taught how to use all of the various kinds in school. Not in elementary school (DON'T BE SILLY), but junior high seems appropriate. You could sandwich in the courses on how to use drugs between the homosexual and heterosexual demonstration classes.

[Ben Kenobi]

Firearms don't cause permanent damage in their use.

Hi, thanks for inviting me Wezil. Both my best friends were heavy pot users back in the day. Both are completely off now. Wouldn't touch the stuff anymore. That's enough for me to know that it's probably not something worthwhile. Pot is physically addictive.

[Asher]

Firearms don't cause permanent damage in their use.

You can't be ****ing serious.

Hi, thanks for inviting me Wezil. Both my best friends were heavy pot users back in the day. Both are completely off now. Wouldn't touch the stuff anymore.

Just curious...

Did their heavy pot use coincide with seeing you every day, and they went clean after you moved away?

[Wezil]

And Wezil, I think if drugs were legal, the number of deaths attributed to drugs would get higher, and maybe even approach the levels of drunk driving. Treatment is the real issue, but unfortunately, people have to want treatment. There are always going to be people who abuse whatever is available, but that is no reason to stop other responsible users.

Debatable really. Will you use PCP if it is legal tomorrow?

I'm actually in the group that wants some drugs decriminalized but not "legalized". I'd like to keep the government's fingers out of it.

[Elok]

Firearms don't cause permanent damage in their use.

Yes, they do.

Hi, thanks for inviting me Wezil. Both my best friends were heavy pot users back in the day. Both are completely off now. Wouldn't touch the stuff anymore.

Did they ever figure out that they were being sold oregano?

That's enough for me to know that it's probably not something worthwhile. Pot is physically addictive.

No, it isn't.

[Fake Boris]

Ben