The moral hypocricy of drugs policy

[removeduser_4536284751384]

In most western countries two drugs are legal. Alcohol and tobacco. The rest are illegal. This is despite many of the banned ones being less harmful than alcohol or tobacco. I am not sure whether there should be full scale prohibition or drugs legalization, but either would be preferable to the current doublethink.

Cannabis for instance, is less dangerous than tobacco. Individual cannabis cigarettes are worse for your respiratory system than tobacco, but nobody smokes 20-40 a day and it is less addictive. As for its "stupifying" effects, compare it to alcohol, the immediate effects of binge drinking (physical sickness, social unpleasantness, violence, vandalism) and the long term effects of alcoholism (liver failure, health problems). You will never see cannabis users fighting in your town center at 3 am or forming a big mob to chant abuse at the police.

Drugs like MDMA or antidepressants are a bit more dramatic in their effects than cannabis but are still comparable to alcohol in the potential for harm. If alcohol was banned and drinks contained these substances I actually think parties I go to would be a lot more pleasant.

Obviously harder drugs, particularly of an IV nature are very harmful and I think these ones, more harmful than alcohol, should remain banned.

So, what is your opinion of this? Should the cognitive dissonance be maintained, should decriminalization take place or should prohibition be re-introduced? Do you disagree with what I've said?

[sumskilz]

Maybe add a poll. I'm for legalization.

[removeduser_4536284751384]

Maybe add a poll. I'm for legalization.

of what drugs exactly? Just cannabis? Up to ecstacy? Cocaine? Harder drugs like heroine?

[sumskilz]

of what drugs exactly? Just cannabis? Up to ecstacy? Cocaine? Harder drugs like heroine?

Definitely cannabis, probably more.

These might be useful additions to the discussion:





Source: Development of a rational scale to assess the harm of drugs of potential misuse (attached PDF)

[Dr. Croccer]

Of course it's hypocritical, the entire anti-cannabis platform is based on lies.

It's easily one of the safest drugs to use. It isn't physically addictive (like even caffeine is) but it can be mentally addictive (in the sense that you're rather depressed when you're not high). Smoking a joint is more harmful than a cigarette but it isn't the only way to use the drug. You can vaporize it so you don't get the damage to your lungs that inhaling the fumes from dried plant matter does give)

It's idiotic really. Any of the main counterarguments to cannabis apply to alcohol and nicotine as well, if not more. People shout that kids might get it, completely oblivious to the fact that those kids have a ready supply of drink and smokes; it's harmful to the body (while tobacco and alcohol kill far more than cannabis could ever hope to achieve); it's addictive (as opposed to any other drug), and so on. The idiocy is that you could easily beat this logic by just saying: ''If weed is illegal for having some vices, why isn't nicotine or alcohol illegal for being even more disruptive to society?''.

[xcorps]

Of course it's hypocritical, the entire anti-cannabis platform is based on lies.

It's easily one of the safest drugs to use. It isn't physically addictive (like even caffeine is) but it can be mentally addictive (in the sense that you're rather depressed when you're not high). Smoking a joint is more harmful than a cigarette but it isn't the only way to use the drug. You can vaporize it so you don't get the damage to your lungs that inhaling the fumes from dried plant matter does give)

I don't know about that. There are some pretty compelling arguments that smoking marijuana is less harmful than smoking tobacco. Elfdude has a mastery of them.

But the rest of the quoted post is spot on.

Why? Because politicians like their chocolate and coffee too much to part with it. It makes little sense

Hypebole. People in general, not just politicians.

[Dr. Croccer]

I don't know about that. There are some pretty compelling arguments that smoking marijuana is less harmful than smoking tobacco. Elfdude has a mastery of them.

I'm not really up to speed on the latest research, and cannabis research often is contradictory (especially between actual research and politically-motivated 'research') , so it might very well be. I reason that it's the most harmful way to use the drugs because of the damage it does to your lungs, and a joint certainly feels more heavy on the lungs when you use it.

Wasn't there a new study on use of drugs in earlier life causing IQ drop in the long run?

Found it: Pot smoking may leave mark on teen brains

'May'. And, again, why are people concentrating on this when alcohol is even worse in this area? Teens on average consume it youger and in far more dangerous quantities than cannabis could ever hope to achieve.

How many people have died as a result of 'binge smoking'?

[Denny Crane!]

I'm not really up to speed on the latest research, and cannabis research often is contradictory (especially between actual research and politically-motivated 'research') , so it might very well be. I reason that it's the most harmful way to use the drugs because of the damage it does to your lungs, and a joint certainly feels more heavy on the lungs when you use it.

'May'. And, again, why are people concentrating on this when alcohol is even worse in this area? Teens on average consume it youger and in far more dangerous quantities than cannabis could ever hope to achieve.

How many people have died as a result of 'binge smoking'?

Always very very wary of people who claim or claim on behalf of others certainty in the area of cannabis research considering the limited amount and very very contradictory nature of the research, in all probability to do with bias as you state.

[Dr. Croccer]

Always very very wary of people who claim or claim on behalf of others certainty in the area of cannabis research considering the limited amount and very very contradictory nature of the research, in all probability to do with bias as you state.

Basically. I mean, there are still plenty of people who think that cannabis destroys brain cells, even though that is entrely based on 'research' done on monkeys during the Reagan administration, in which the animals were exposed to absurdly high doses of smoke (amounts that no human has ever been recorded to consume, or could even hope to take in), and the brain damage was more the result of oxygen deprivation due to the insane amounts involved than any demonstrable effect caused by the cannabinoids.

[PointOfViewGun]

'May'. And, again, why are people concentrating on this when alcohol is even worse in this area? Teens on average consume it youger and in far more dangerous quantities than cannabis could ever hope to achieve.

How many people have died as a result of 'binge smoking'?

I'm not against legalization of drugs and actually argued in favor of it in previous threads. However, it's been some time that a study was treated as serious in the media. Other studies are usually not given much weight given that you're not watching FOX News.

[Claudius Gothicus]

How many people have died as a result of 'binge smoking'?

It has been theorized that in order to die of a ''Pot Overdose'' you would have to smoke the equivalent of a Lamp post in no more than 2 hours.

[God]

It has been theorized that in order to die of a ''Pot Overdose'' you would have to smoke the equivalent of a Lamp post in no more than 2 hours.

Challenge accepted.

[Dr. Croccer]

It has been theorized that in order to die of a ''Pot Overdose'' you would have to smoke the equivalent of a Lamp post in no more than 2 hours.

You can overdose on caffeine as well. By eating the drug in it's pure form. We should ban caffeine, it's clearly a social menace.

WON'T SOMEONE PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN.

[Facupay]

Yes, basically all arguments against the legalization of marihuana revolve around ignorance. I can understand why heroine and the other "heavy" drugs are illegal; it's damage to the individual and the society could be huge if left unchecked.

But if you consider Alcohol and Tobacco are safe enough for society and therefore should be legal, I really cannot see why you would be against marihuana unless you are prejudiced agianst it.

[athanaric]

If you want to legalize drugs other than the ones that are already legal, you'd have to run a parallel campaign that discourages people from using them. This'll take a long time; for example, cigarettes aren't considered as cool nowadays as they were in 1950, but there are still millions of smokers. If and when society perceives cannabis as what it is - a drug for losers that makes you stupid and occasionally, turns you into a schizophreniac - then perhaps you can legalize it.

The main argument for keeping alcohol legal is that it is found in many traditional beverages or food items that are not harmful in and of themselves. Only when you take too much it is really harmful - and you're warned of that beforehand by getting tipsy.
That said, I'm all for banning heavy drinking. I'm disgusted by drunk people and it's very embarrassing if they're your friends or relatives. It's just difficult to make a law that essentially does that. As for cigarettes, they are an absolute pest and using them should incur a death sentence. As in, firing squad.

[The Glorious Moldovan]

Im against legalizing it.And not for morale issues or hipocrisy,oh no.Its just the idea that it could be so accesible to the simple and low minded.
My circle of people who smoke weed are intelligent well educated,well aware people that dont smoke it because "lulz y u no smok weedz l00zer"
But because its fun gathering around a nice company and have some fun on ocasions
In my point of view,if something is given to the masses,it will eventually get corupted,and exploited

[God]

Im against legalizing it.And not for morale issues or hipocrisy,oh no.Its just the idea that it could be so accesible to the simple and low minded.
My circle of people who smoke weed are intelligent well educated,well aware people that dont smoke it because "lulz y u no smok weedz l00zer"
But because its fun gathering around a nice company and have some fun on ocasions
In my point of view,if something is given to the masses,it will eventually get corupted,and exploited

How do we know you're not part of the 'simple, low minded masses'? Your post isn't doing much to convince me otherwise. Everyone thinks they're in the smart group you know. You think it should be banned from everyone because you don't like some of the people who'd do it?

It's very accessible anyway, if it was legal it'd be harder for kids to get it (dealers are much less likely to ask for ID) and less people smoke in countries where it's legal anyway.

[The Glorious Moldovan]

How do we know you're not part of the 'simple, low minded masses'? Your post isn't doing much to convince me otherwise. Everyone thinks they're in the smart group you know. You think it should be banned from everyone because you don't like some of the people who'd do it?

It's very accessible anyway, if it was legal it'd be harder for kids to get it (dealers are much less likely to ask for ID) and less people smoke in countries where it's legal anyway.

Maybe over there people are more self concious.
And i think i can pretty much distinguish the groups that frequent it on ocasion knowing its hard to get,and people that abuse it because their bored and their families support them with finances

Wasn't there a new study on use of drugs in earlier life causing IQ drop in the long run?

See this is what im talking about.The low minded will always abuse it making them devolved and stupid.While educated people will not

[AqD]

Im against legalizing it.And not for morale issues or hipocrisy,oh no.Its just the idea that it could be so accesible to the simple and low minded.
My circle of people who smoke weed are intelligent well educated,well aware people that dont smoke it because "lulz y u no smok weedz l00zer"
But because its fun gathering around a nice company and have some fun on ocasions
In my point of view,if something is given to the masses,it will eventually get corupted,and exploited

Why should we suffer a loss in freedom just because there are a few people who lack self-control? If they allow themselves to be corrupted and exploited, so be it.


BTW smokes pollute the air, drugs don't.

[Nutsack]

I'm against legalization of all drugs. That's because if released and made more available the amount of users will skyrocket into uncontrollable numbers. I've heard the argument before that "we already have two drugs too many, we don't need to add more to the mix", and I agree, but differ at the same time. I want to make alcohol and tobacco illegal like it should be because it harms human beings and is related to the leading causes of death in almost all countries of the entire world. I believe that by prohibiting these drugs, and punishing people for trafficking and using them that we will eventually be able to strangle demand and create a better society to live in. I'm also dumb as .

Im against legalizing it.And not for morale issues or hipocrisy,oh no.Its just the idea that it could be so accesible to the simple and low minded.
My circle of people who smoke weed are intelligent well educated,well aware people that dont smoke it because "lulz y u no smok weedz l00zer"
But because its fun gathering around a nice company and have some fun on ocasions
In my point of view,if something is given to the masses,it will eventually get corupted,and exploited

But what if it already is given to the masses? By people who don't care the slightest about who you are?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Im against legalizing it.And not for morale issues or hipocrisy,oh no.Its just the idea that it could be so accesible to the simple and low minded.

My circle of people who smoke weed are intelligent well educated

that dont smoke it because "lulz y u no smok weedz l00zer"

wow d00d you are so smart!!!!!!!! lets separate all the smart people from the dumb people and only let the smart educated people smoke weed while they rule the government and dont let the dumb people vote l0000000000000000000000000000000000l they wont even know it cause they are so dumb and we are so smart LoL