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So in the war on drugs, the court sentenced Ross Ulbricht to life in prison for the silk road. Here are some of the comments from the court
I agree with the judge to a point. I think that a good deal of violence associated with drugs comes from this "upstream" violence and legalization would end that for the most part, which is why I could support it. However, I disagree with some of the other points in this thread, such as Aeson claiming ending the WoD would save 50 billion year on year. I think much of that money would have to go to rehab and other services in a legal drug scheme and that there would still be unpleasant side effects on society.
I think that drugs are inherently harmful to the body, but sometimes their benefits outweigh their negatives. I have family members on drugs that have tons of side effects, yet their doctors decided the side effects would improve their quality of life. Even aspirin has harmful side effects. With legal drugs, a cocaine addict would be the sole person determining if more cocaine would improve their quality of life. One argument in this thread seems to be that drugs aren't that harmful, it is the prosecution of the war on drugs, which is harmful. However, I think that both drugs themselves and the war on drugs are harmful. Take Philip Seymour Hoffman, as far as I can tell, he suffered little because of consequences from drug laws, yet the drugs themselves killed him.
Ulbricht was focused on harm that could come the user. But most drug violence didn't come from buys on the street, but from "upstream" violence that grows as demand grows, she asserted. Believing that the user is the only person affected by drug violence is "fantasy, it's magical thinking," she said.
"Poppies for heroin come from Mexico or Afghanistan," said Forrest. "When Silk Road expands the market, it is expanding the demand." Silk Road brought drugs to communities that didn't have access to them, in "staggering quantities," she added.
As for Fernando Caudevilla, or "Doctor X," the Spanish doctor hired by Ulbricht to give advice to users, the judge read his messages, and found them "breathtakingly irresponsible."
Caudevilla told a diabetic that using MDMA would be OK, as long as he remembered to check his glucose levels by setting an alarm. In another message, he advised an 18-year-old first time drug user to "be careful and I think you'll be fine," and to "stick to psychedelics."
"Poppies for heroin come from Mexico or Afghanistan," said Forrest. "When Silk Road expands the market, it is expanding the demand." Silk Road brought drugs to communities that didn't have access to them, in "staggering quantities," she added.
As for Fernando Caudevilla, or "Doctor X," the Spanish doctor hired by Ulbricht to give advice to users, the judge read his messages, and found them "breathtakingly irresponsible."
Caudevilla told a diabetic that using MDMA would be OK, as long as he remembered to check his glucose levels by setting an alarm. In another message, he advised an 18-year-old first time drug user to "be careful and I think you'll be fine," and to "stick to psychedelics."
I agree with the judge to a point. I think that a good deal of violence associated with drugs comes from this "upstream" violence and legalization would end that for the most part, which is why I could support it. However, I disagree with some of the other points in this thread, such as Aeson claiming ending the WoD would save 50 billion year on year. I think much of that money would have to go to rehab and other services in a legal drug scheme and that there would still be unpleasant side effects on society.
I think that drugs are inherently harmful to the body, but sometimes their benefits outweigh their negatives. I have family members on drugs that have tons of side effects, yet their doctors decided the side effects would improve their quality of life. Even aspirin has harmful side effects. With legal drugs, a cocaine addict would be the sole person determining if more cocaine would improve their quality of life. One argument in this thread seems to be that drugs aren't that harmful, it is the prosecution of the war on drugs, which is harmful. However, I think that both drugs themselves and the war on drugs are harmful. Take Philip Seymour Hoffman, as far as I can tell, he suffered little because of consequences from drug laws, yet the drugs themselves killed him.
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