The War On Drugs

[lavrentis]

How's it going since your first toke? Have you since gone on a helter skelter demise into a world of sucking dick and mugging grannies for smack?

[Steven]

How's it going since your first toke? Have you since gone on a helter skelter demise into a world of sucking dick and mugging grannies for smack?

I thought it was mugging dick and sucking grannies.

[dave the caveman]

It's not a simple as just legalise drugs or don't legalise drugs. Obviously some recreational drugs are much more harmful and potentially dangerous than others. Even with cannabis there are ongoing and very real concerns that the modern stronger variety can have harmful psychological effects, especially in younger people.

Hallucinogens are a total minefield. Where and how is it possible to make the consumption of LSD safe not just for the user but for the general public? Do we really want people walking around the town centre randomly lashing out at imaginary lizards?

Cocaine rots your nose. Crack cocaine and heroin are both terribly addictive. Arguably only ecstasy is a cut and dried case for legalisation, but it's also among the drugs with the most negative connotations. Legalise ecstasy today and you're basically forfeiting the next election.

We obviously can't source drugs from abroad so we'll have to grow our own. Who is going to do that? Will the business be private or public? What regulations need to be put in place? How/where are you going to sell it? What are the restrictions on purchasing?

The considerations go on and on. They could all be worked out with enough time and money spent, but what current government is going to commit to that when the immediate reward is next to nothing and the likely outcome is that they will lose a big chunk of votes and therefore won't be in power for if/when it starts to work.

[Trav Le Bleu]

If drugs are legalised, future episodes of Gardener's World will be interesting.

[The Doctor]

It's not a simple as just legalise drugs or don't legalise drugs. Obviously some recreational drugs are much more harmful and potentially dangerous than others. Even with cannabis there are ongoing and very real concerns that the modern stronger variety can have harmful psychological effects, especially in younger people.

Care to provide some sort of source for this?

[Guest MattP]

Good post from Dave that showing exactly why it will never happen, it's just far too complicated.

[ozleicester]

Perhaps the best answer in the short term is to "Decriminalise" drugs, remove the victims (users) from the prisons and the legal system then begin to manage the availablitlity and usage depending on the danger of the drug.

Personally i havent had an alcoholic drink (excluding 1 Pimms at a function) for many many months, but id love to be able to wander down to the local and snap up a couple of joints.

[SOCCERROO FOX]

Perhaps the best answer in the short term is to "Decriminalise" drugs, remove the victims (users) from the prisons and the legal system then begin to manage the availablitlity and usage depending on the danger of the drug.

Personally i havent had an alcoholic drink (excluding 1 Pimms at a function) for many many months, but id love to be able to wander down to the local and snap up a couple of joints.

Whilst popping in to the local tab for a punt on the horses

I bet the owners of burger rings want it legalised as there sales will sky rocket being the number one snack food for people with the munchies.

[ozleicester]

Whilst popping in to the local tab for a punt on the horses

I bet the owners of burger rings want it legalised as there sales will sky rocket being the number one snack food for people with the munchies.

i havent had Burger Rings in an even longer time.. shame on me.

also, why havent i ever heard a lame pun or joke about burger rings?

[welck12]

Whilst popping in to the local tab for a punt on the horses

I bet the owners of burger rings want it legalised as there sales will sky rocket being the number one snack food for people with the munchies.

The sales of these badboys would rocket as well

[Daggers]

Good post from Dave that showing exactly why it will never happen, it's just far too complicated.

Managing the British economy is a little bit complicated to but they give that a go.

[James.]

In any case Caveman acknowledges that the issues could be worked out but rightly points out that it would essentially be short term political suicide.

Until the voice of the groups campaigning for change grow louder and more persuasive than the right wing media and the ill informed public I can't see anything happening.

[Daggers]

In any case Caveman acknowledges that the issues could be worked out but rightly points out that it would essentially be short term political suicide.

Until the voice of the groups campaigning for change grow louder and more persuasive than the right wing media and the ill informed public I can't see anything happening.

It's the right wing media who are carrying the stories.

The Sun: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/politics/4261072/Former-MI6-chief-Nigel-Inkster-says-drug-war-is-lost.html

The Torygraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9208815/Former-MI6-deputy-joins-calls-to-end-war-on-drugs.html

The original interview

[James.]

It's the right wing media who are carrying the stories.

The Sun: http://www.thesun.co...ar-is-lost.html

The Torygraph: http://www.telegraph...r-on-drugs.html

The original interview

That's good to see. I was thinking back to some guff I read in the Mail. Think it was Peter Hitchens but can't remember the article exactly - there's probably been more than one.

I hope this gets some traction. Awhile ago Bellend posted a link to a great paper by Transform, they put it better than I ever could and it's this sort of stuff I'm referring to that needs to be heard above the pro status-quo voice.

Here we are: http://www.tdpf.org.uk/Transform_Drugs_Blueprint.pdf

[Guest MattP]

Managing the British economy is a little bit complicated to but they give that a go.

Totally different economy when you throw something like this into it though, never been done before and I can't think of such a huge underground industry that's ever been legalised are a mass scale as to what this would be. Would you legalise absolutely everything?

Tuesday nights down the City we always go on an all day bender and get shifaced on poppers, would be funny as **** turning up the stadium every week on E's and LSD.

[Guest MattP]

In any case Caveman acknowledges that the issues could be worked out but rightly points out that it would essentially be short term political suicide.

Until the voice of the groups campaigning for change grow louder and more persuasive than the right wing media and the ill informed public I can't see anything happening.

I love how you describe people who don't particulary want to spend the day mingling with heroin users, breathing in people's weed and dodging Ketamine users as just "ill-informed".

And I say that as a recreational drug user.

[Guest MattP]

Be bloody entertaining mind.....

[James.]

I love how you describe people who don't particulary want to spend the day mingling with heroin users, breathing in people's weed and dodging Ketamine users as just "ill-informed".

Sorry MattP could you show me where I defined "ill-informed"?

Are you saying that the entire public is well-informed about drugs?

And poppers? Seriously?

[lavrentis]

[7]

[Guest MattP]

Sorry MattP could you show me where I defined "ill-informed"?

Are you saying that the entire public is well-informed about drugs?

And poppers? Seriously?

Come on you can't tell me you have not whipped the poppers out after a few beers? lol

Well informed? Probably not, the way some people treat taking drugs like having a cup of tea is bizarre though, like I said earlier, I'm in favour of some form of legalisation, but I can't believe anyone can be so arrogant on this subject they believe their opinion is 100% guaranteed to be right and benefit society whichever side they lean to.

[James.]

Ill informed doesn't mean wrong.

I'm just pro a sensible debate not blighted by misinformation, scaremongering and politics. If, after that, people are still anti-reform then fine.

[Guest MattP]

Ill informed doesn't mean wrong.

I'm just pro a sensible debate not blighted by misinformation, scaremongering and politics. If, after that, people are still anti-reform then fine.

Fair enough, I hate the term ill-informed when used in a political sense ever since a Liberal Democrat stood on my doorstep and told me I was that due to not supporting the Alternative Vote.

[Daggers]

Would you legalise absolutely everything?

No.

I would abolish censorship and prohibition in all its forms. Same thing, different slant.

It always amazes me that it's the vocal right-wing who ostensibly believe in the free-market, believing that corporations can make the best decisions left to themselves and with as little regulation as possible, also believe that individuals should be the last people to make decisions for themselves.

No one has the right to decide what I can watch or what I can ingest on my behalf.

[FoxyPV]

Poppers aren't drugs. It's just a way of getting a sore head.

[Guest MattP]

No.

I would abolish censorship and prohibition in all its forms. Same thing, different slant.

It always amazes me that it's the vocal right-wing who ostensibly believe in the free-market, believing that corporations can make the best decisions left to themselves and with as little regulation as possible, also believe that individuals should be the last people to make decisions for themselves.

No one has the right to decide what I can watch or what I can ingest on my behalf.

Very fair.

If it was me I'd legalise cannabis and most other class c's tomorrow, still think I'm a long way from wanting to see Heroin available freely though unless it was being used as a treatment in getting addicts off it.

I'm with you on "it's your body my choice" really am, hence why I support things such as euthanasia, but the problem is a huge proportion of the population quite simply are not as sensible as what you and most others are, you would see some daft buggers plying themselves with things the body probably can't take without realising the risks (a kid in my class who snorted half a gram in one line on his first time springs to mind), if you are going to legalise a lot of this stuff then we are going to need to seriously educate people about it over a period of time beforehand.

On a side note.....I just clicked your profile and absolutely pissed myself.

Poppers aren't drugs. It's just a way of getting a sore head.

You wanna drink some, sends you absolutely off your tits.