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Should Cocaine Be Legal?
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Post by
ASHelmy
Drug users who would overdose and die off of illegal substances will do the same off of legal substances. The difference is that instead of milking the money through the hands of dangerous organized crime, they are instead going through tax dollars.
Now listen, it may be harsh to say "oh, I want crackheads to die", that obviously isn't the point of my arguement, or the thread. Honeing in on the point that they should die faster isn't really fair to the rest of my arguement.
How about this. If people wish to die by cocaine use, they should be able to do it without harming the rest of the country through empowering the more dangerous criminals.
Do I want crackheads to die? Of course not. Should they be empowered to choose thier own lifestyle? As long as no violent crimes are involved, have at it.
Edit: Sorry about the demeanor of my earlier post. No flames were intended.
You are making it easier for them to commit those crimes, and people shouldn't be free to harm themselves and others...
Post by
260787
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
MyTie
You are making it easier for them to commit those crimes, and people shouldn't be free to harm themselves and others...
I never said that violent crimes should be legal. We should have stricter punishments attatched to those.
People SHOULD be allowed to harm themselves. If government gets the idea that it knows best, then someday they could deem 'going to church' harmful, or 'homeschooling'. Imagine an authoritarian as president. We really need to make sure we are in control of ourselves.
How does the legalization of cocaine make commiting other crimes easier?
Post by
ASHelmy
You are making it easier for them to commit those crimes, and people shouldn't be free to harm themselves and others...
I never said that violent crimes should be legal. We should have stricter punishments attatched to those.
People SHOULD be allowed to harm themselves. If government gets the idea that it knows best, then someday they could deem 'going to church' harmful, or 'homeschooling'. Imagine Laihendi as president. We really need to make sure we are in control of ourselves.
How does the legalization of cocaine make commiting other crimes easier?
It robs them of their mind, they are worse than drunk. And the people should be strong enough to stop the government, but I find it sad that the government just stands by...
Post by
260787
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
MyTie
Sorry ASH. I don't get that last post.
The people have the mind the first time. I see cocaine. Cocaine is bad. I shouldn't do cocaine. I'm gonna do cocaine anyway.
You see... right there... they lost thier mind. They had not yet snorted cocaine. The people rob THEMSELVES of thier minds.
Post by
Malgayne
Sorry about the demeanor of my earlier post. No flames were intended.
See? Not so hard. :)
In any case, I'm trying to draw
your
attention, MyTie, to the fact that there are at least SOME aspects of your argument which are designed to provoke emotional response rather than intelligent debate. So for the sake of clarity, what IS the central thrust of your argument? That personal freedom should take priority over personal health and welfare? Perhaps that legalizing cocaine will have an overall positive effect on society that outweighs the presumed negative that a presumed increase in the availability of cocaine will supposedly have?
Edit
: These forums need to go slower so people can legitimately type longer responses. :P
Post by
TheMediator
You are making it easier for them to commit those crimes, and people shouldn't be free to harm themselves and others...
I never said that violent crimes should be legal. We should have stricter punishments attatched to those.
People SHOULD be allowed to harm themselves. If government gets the idea that it knows best, then someday they could deem 'going to church' harmful, or 'homeschooling'. Imagine an authoritarian as president. We really need to make sure we are in control of ourselves.
How does the legalization of cocaine make commiting other crimes easier?
Sometimes people don't know what's best for themselves. Those who are depressed shouldn't be allowed to just kill themselves because they have a temporary chemical imbalance, even though they believe that's what they want. Sometimes the government does have the right to say what you can and can't do.
Post by
MasterOfDisguise
Let's not forget the reason these laws were even implemented in the first place was
pro bono
, because many of these harmful substances affect more than just the drug user—they affect their families as well. I personally think that the legalization of cocaine, especially for the purposes of earning more revenue, is not only a greedy decision (yes, I'm saying that in spite of the fact the economy isn't in its best condition), but also one that will negatively affect the public. While this certainly qualifies as a creative idea for earning more revenue, I think the government can creative ideas that benefit everyone.
That brings me to this question: Are some things worth doing just so you can make a buck?
EDIT:
If cocaine does get legalized—or for that matter, any drug currently considered illegal—there should also be laws which regulates the use of cocaine. It's an addictive drug, mind you—not that I'm speaking from personal experience. :P
Post by
ASHelmy
Sorry ASH. I don't get that last post.
The people have the mind the first time. I see cocaine. Cocaine is bad. I shouldn't do cocaine. I'm gonna do cocaine anyway.
You see... right there... they lost thier mind. They had not yet snorted cocaine. The people rob THEMSELVES of thier minds.
Let me try to be a bit clear: Random teen wants to spend a good time, and is told by a friend that coke is good ---> idiot does coke then drives ----> Idiot kills innocent person. You see, the idiot wasn't really fully aware that his taking the drug would harm anyone, but it did. So, to make money, you essentially paved the way for someone to kill.
The government should stop people harming themselves, but if the government goes too far, the people should be strong enough to stop it...
Post by
MyTie
TheMediator - You are right that sometimes people don't know what is best for themselves. However, if I were betting on the individual or government, I'll nearly always bet on the individual.
Malgayne - You summarized it nicely except for... Perhaps that legalizing cocaine will have an overall positive effect on society that outweighs the presumed negative that a presumed increase in the availability of cocaine will supposedly have?the 'presumed' negative? I don't think it is as much presumed as it is actual.
And the point isn't to increase the availability. It can be regulated... but to change the distributer to a taxable one.
Post by
ASHelmy
TheMediator - You are right that sometimes people don't know what is best for themselves. However, if I were betting on the individual or government, I'll nearly always bet on the individual.
Malgayne - You summarized it nicely except for... Perhaps that legalizing cocaine will have an overall positive effect on society that outweighs the presumed negative that a presumed increase in the availability of cocaine will supposedly have?the 'presumed' negative? I don't think it is as much presumed as it is actual.
And the point isn't to increase the availability. It can be regulated... but to change the distributer to a taxable one.
Wait, if you couldn't control murderers, you would legalize murder to "stop the gangsters" ?
Post by
260787
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
MyTie
MasterofDisguise - How have the current laws helped that situation at all? Have we slowed the violence or sped it up by providing the black market an addicting product.
ASH - perhaps the drug users would be able to buy the cocain for the same amount from the government facility, but instead of paying large amounts to go to overseas cartels and thugs, it would go to taxes. The person would then have to consume the cocaine at location, after providing age identification.
Again... my point is to make it legal, not to completely deregulate it.
Post by
Malgayne
Do you feel then that the positive effect that legalizing cocaine is similarly actual?
Post by
ASHelmy
Hm, ASHelmy, I have a proposition for you. You think that the gov't should be able to moderate what drugs we can and cannot use and whether or not we can harm ourselves. Now, what about the scenario with babies and certain vaccines. The gov't says it's legal and it is actually helping the baby, but there are numerous reports on one of the vaccines causing Autism because of the levels of mercury in it. Yet, the gov't still makes it mandatory for your child to get the shot. How can they be trusted with what is good for your body and what isn't when they can't even manage it for a fragile baby.
It isn't certain that it causes Autism, but there are quite a number of reports that show it does. If one report surfaces that it does, doesn't it make sense to take it off of the market and to give the parent the choice on whether or not to give it to the child rather than give them no choice at all when they brought it into the world?
You should elect capable, trust worthy, intelligent and educated people to be in the government. If you believe that you did this, then just trust those people.
Post by
MyTie
@Malgayne
It cannot be actual, since it is not a reality, that part, I agree, is presumed. However the presumption is founded in logic.
Post by
ASHelmy
ASH - perhaps the drug users would be able to buy the cocain for the same amount from the government facility, but instead of paying large amounts to go to overseas cartels and thugs, it would go to taxes. The person would then have to consume the cocaine at location, after providing age identification.
Again... my point is to make it legal, not to completely deregulate it.
Won't always work, and you still didn't answer my question (even thought I am pretty sure you know where I am going with this).
Post by
260787
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Malgayne
@Malgayne
It cannot be actual, since it is not a reality, that part, I agree, is presumed. However the presumption is founded in logic.
It does put you in a difficult situation, though, to be weighing an actual negative against a presumed positive—especially in a situation like this one, where it's a very difficult decision to take back.
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