Oregon Takes Next Step Toward Ending War On Drugs (legal, to work)

[Luckystrike1]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

At least when they're in jail, they're not stealing anything that isn't bolted down.

These are things that legalization supporters do not realize. Property theft and break-ins will increase.

[Larry Caldwell]

Originally Posted by ccjarider

The premise of your argument is that because people still use drugs, old policies were ineffective and thus "failed." That is just poppycock and blather from liberal apologists.

I know several people from my younger days, including relatives, who have shaped up, stopped using and became more responsible members of society because going to jail was not a pleasant experience for them.

That's called growing up. I know several people who have shaped up, stopped using and became more responsible members of society without going to jail, and it didn't cost the taxpayer hundreds of thousands of dollars to get them there.

[Metlakatla]

Something's going to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars because this opioid thing isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Until you've seen a community that's been destroyed by it, I guess it's easy to look at this issue as if it's about the pot smokers and the college kids with their speed.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by Luckystrike1

These are things that legalization supporters do not realize. Property theft and break-ins will increase.

I used to be fairly pro-legalization until the opioid epidemic combined with already high meth usage trashed my community in Alaska. These Oregonians have seen nothing. Some of them think that legalization would cut down on the stealing -- I don't see how, unless they're also advocating that we just give them their drugs as well.

[Listener2307]

Originally Posted by Listener2307
The war on everything has been a failure.... War on Speeding; War on Bank Robbery; War on Spousal Abuse; War on Child Abuse; War on Texting While Driving..
So we should just "give up and try something else"? Like what?...... Just let everyone do what they want?

No.

The War on Drugs should continue forever. We should never legalize drugs any more than they already are legal. The line needs to be drawn somewhere; I like it where it is.

Originally Posted by FVWinters

So you want to continue doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result?
That's not persistence but insanity.

Read my post.
I do not expect a different result. I expect there will always be scofflaws and irresponsible people and people who endanger the rest of us because they are too shortsighted to conduct themselves in a reasonable manner by keeping their wits about them at all times.
Jail is a fine place for those people.

Insanity is demonstrated by people who watch others ruin their lives with drugs and then think it won't happen to them because they believe the law is wrong. That's insanity.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by Luckystrike1

These are things that legalization supporters do not realize. Property theft and break-ins will increase.

Is that your personal opinion, or do you have a source to back that up?

[Larry Caldwell]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

I used to be fairly pro-legalization until the opioid epidemic combined with already high meth usage trashed my community in Alaska. These Oregonians have seen nothing. Some of them think that legalization would cut down on the stealing -- I don't see how, unless they're also advocating that we just give them their drugs as well.

Oregonians just think a lot of first offender's lives were ruined by a felony conviction. Putting them in jail is a waste of money and a waste of lives. They get one misdemeanor on their records and the knowledge that next time they go to prison. It's a sensible step toward dealing with an intractable problem. How did those Alaska laws work out for you?

[ccjarider]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

That's called growing up. I know several people who have shaped up, stopped using and became more responsible members of society without going to jail, and it didn't cost the taxpayer hundreds of thousands of dollars to get them there.

Sure - not everyone (including myself) who smoked weed or dropped acid in the 70's/80's went to jail because they did drugs. Many people did grow out of that silly phase of life on their own. For some though, the strong arm of the law was very helpful.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

How did those Alaska laws work out for you?

They mostly weren't enforced.
.

[Luckystrike1]

Originally Posted by Cloudy Dayz

Is that your personal opinion, or do you have a source to back that up?

It is personal opinion, as I've never lived where it was legal. But legalizing harder drugs would not going to give druggies incentives to WORK.