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Well of course it is the most destructive---it is the legal one. Legalize the others, then do a study. Compare apples to apples for crying out loud.
Exactly. The OP's logic is flawed. It was rated as the most dangerous because it is the most used (because it is legal.) It was not rated that way because of just what's inherent to the drug itself.
Cars kill lots of people, let's make them illegal.
Lots of kids get killed on bikes, let's make them illegal.
More people have accidents in bathtubs than anywhere else in the home, let's make them illegal.
Many people choke to death every year, let's outlaw food.
Many people drown every year, let's get rid of the water.
Don't forget falling down the stairs in the home, we need to ban those too, or at least have a stairs tax, bathtub tax, bicycle tax and little toy cars tax.
Some define stupidity as doing the same thing over and over yet expecting different results. This applies to alcohol. This also applies to the failed so called drug wars. All drugs need to be legalized and the abuser will then have a shot at rehabilitation rather than incarceration where they only get more drugs and continue to ruin their lives. Drug abuse, including alcohol, is a national health problem, and thus should be treated as such, and not as a criminal problem where there is absolutely no rehabilitation.
Legalization will eliminate most of the crime associated with drugs since the drug cartels won't have to kill and have turf wars whether they be in Mexico or in NYC. Distribution would be controlled like alcohol. MOst people can handle drinking alcohol and not be alcoholic. This is true for drugs as well. Most people who use drugs for recreational purposes aren't getting addicted so this line of BS that legalization will result in more addictions is likely more fear and loathing over drug use and abuse.
America needs to wake up and demand legalization. Not all people will be drug abusers. Not much will change since drug abuser can freely buy their drug of choice legal, or not legal. Bring the abusers "out of the shadows" so they can be treated without the fear of being prosecuted by the law. Legalization will lead to less drug abuse, not more, since people will better understand the real dangers of drugs rather than all of the the fear and loathing put out by the government and the media today.
Now, if you want to say let people turn their brains into mush and let them suffer and die, in their own homes, and scrape the body up off the ground, ok. But you don't want too do that; therefore, it does become a governmental problem. And, unfortunately, a societal problem.
You didn't ASK me what I would do. Only ASS-UMED what I would do.
Here's my plan.
To buy ANY DRUG, ALCOHOL, ETC it should be TAXED - TWICE.
One tax for the permission to purchase the drugs - like a hologram stamp (which can't be counterfeited) that goes on your ID card to prove that you're of legal age with no criminal infractions related to the use of the drug. Just like car registration it expires every year and you have to renew it.
A second tax for the drug/alcohol itself.
The amount of tax paid would be directly related to the number of irresponsible users of that drug. The more infractions assessed for Alcohol the higher the tax, the more infractions assessed for cocaine or marijuana the higher the tax.
The tax paid to use the drug/alcohol will be enough to fund a rehab program.
I believe an individual should be free to use whatever Drugs/Alcohol they want when it's regulated, it just can't be cheap or free.
So you want the programs for helping people get off drugs to double and triple causing tax payers to be more strapped?
I personally would rather help those that want to help themselves and willing to help pay for it, as opposed to locking them up throwing away the key, and STILL having to pay for the costs of keeping them jailed. Think about it. A lot of repeat offenders are repeat offenders, because when they get out of prison, they are unable to obtain work go back to their old ways, and end up right back in jail. Why not give these folks an opportunity to truly get their lives in order so that they don't keep going through the system at our expense. Violent crimes are one thing. People who commit violent crimes should indeed be kept behind bars. But drug addiction is different. Someone who got popped for drugs shouldn't have to spend the rest of their lives not being able to make an honest living for themselves because they have a criminal record. I'm all for giving someone a second chance if it means a chance for them to better their lives.
We tried to prohibit the sale of alcohol starting in 1919. Not only was the law ignored it put gangsters in America on a firm financial foundation. We have also tried prohibition of a myriad of other drugs with the same results.
I believe all the other recreational drugs should be legal and sold alongside alcohol. If some individuals cannot handle some drugs offer them rehabilitation as part of their health insurance. After all the difference between therapy and poison is dosage.
Well of course it is the most destructive---it is the legal one. Legalize the others, then do a study. Compare apples to apples for crying out loud.
You don't need to legalize the others to do a study when alcohol was once illegal during the Prohibition era (1920-1933) Look back at the crimes which occurred then, the smuggling, individuals dying or being blinded by bath tub gin, mob wars, the destruction of one segment of our economy (alcohol production) and the growth of the black market, etc.
Nobody seems to know that for a period early in the last century, alcohol WAS against the law. It was called PROHIBITION. They eventually repealed it because IT DIDN'T WORK. It caused the expansion of organized crime. Don't they teach you kids any history anymore?
And they're losing the drug war too. So why not just legalize all these drugs, instead of making the expenditures to fight it? Because it provides jobs for those battling it, and income from fines and seizures.
I like an occasional brandy, cognac, beer, and red wine. So I would like to see alcohol remain legal.
Marijuana is a pleasure and should be legalized.
The theme of drugs in America is a foggy issue with too many vague, say-nothing references: 'crazy', 'stupid', etc. Those who oppose drugs resort to old wives tales (which they believe are true) to condemn drugs.
I think that religion ruins more minds than drugs...after all, it's the religious who believe in mythical and invisible creatures, as well as in preposterous events which can't be proven.
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