Good/Bad Drugs?

[mrpenguinismyhomeboy]

NOTE: I am not asking for drugs in this thread, or recommendations on which drugs to take.

Ok, so here's the thing. I was talking with my mom (cause this is what we talk about at dinner in my house) about which drugs should be legalized. My mom is generally against drugs of any form, but I said that Cannabis (Pot) and MDMA (Ecstasy) should be legalized. I said that pot basically does nothing, and is far less dangerous than alcohol, and that ecstasy has even some positive side effects (<link=Click here>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MDMA#Effects) and really only has a bad reputation because the typical ecstasy user can't actually tell whether or not he/she is buying pure ecstasy or some other crazy shit. I then went on to say that Crystal Meth, Cocaine and Heroin and the other really addictive ones are not good, because they literally do mess people up, and are actually addictive, unlike pot and ecstasy, which are only addictive in the sense that someone would take them a lot because they had fun they first time and want to keep doing it cause they want to have fun.

So tell me escapist, what are the Good/Bad drugs?

 

[Riobux]

To be honest, I think you covered it. Ecstasy and Cannabis are drugs that should be unbanned. I'm tempted to say hallucinogenics like LSD should be unbanned as well but I can tell they'd cause more trouble than it's worth. Most other drugs are, well, not even worth it. Either it's really just a substitute of cannabis or too strong.

 

[Darkenwrath]

Cannabis pyschosis. Look that up. Don't legalize drugs, no point.

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

You actually on the spot there with pot. I've smoked it several times and nothing has come of it except me being even more crazy then i am sober.

 

[Jazoni89]

I don't smoke it (though i have felt effects due to passive smoking of said drug) but i think weed is a very harmless drug and should be legalised. All it does is make your muscles (especially in your face) relaxed and makes you want to eat alot, that is all and all this paranoia bullshit that is advertised on the tv about the drug is so untrue it beggars belief.

Im totally against heroin and cocaine though especially heroin, its just so bloody nasty.

 

[DividedUnity]

Whatever you do, dont get speed legalised. I agree with pure Ectasy and cannabis being legalised if heavily monitored.

Those two dont really effect me much but god damn speed left me screwed up for 4 days straight.

 

[Riobux]

I'm tempted to say hallucinogenics like LSD should be unbanned as well but I can tell they'd cause more trouble than it's worth.

Well, from a lot of experience with them, I can say that I disagree. While they are quite potent, the effects are far less powerful than advertised. I've taken them for quite some time now, and I've never had any problems. Obviously some have, but that's the same with any drug, or indeed alcohol.

I was just considering the concept of distortion of visual and hearing senses causing, well, hallucinations. Which may lead to people accidentally doing some very stupid stuff. Legal drugs should be things you can take on your own for kicks without harming yourself or others or doing something else stupid.

 

[Symplify]

Cannabis should absolutely be legalized. Its safer and more fun than alcohol, and government regulation would make it so much easier and safer for those who purchase and use it. It would also save and make the government loads of money, as a disproportionate percentage of inmates are in for cannabis-related charges, and taxes on the sale of weed would mean enormous revenue.

 

[pelopelopelo]

All drugs should be legalised. The dangers and the fun you will have should be well-laid out and not obfuscated behind thick layers of propaganda.

What makes me think this wouldn't be a disaster?

Portugal.

In 2001 Portugal decriminalized ALL drugs, including heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine. If found in possession you will still get them confiscated, and if it looks like you have a problem you will get help.

AIDS and HIV cases are down, drug use in general is down (a lot less 'oooh it's illegal and cool' behaviour, I would imagine) and - guess what? Barely anyone has heard about it, because it proves that the war on drugs is a colossal waste of time, money and effort.

Cognitive liberty is just as important as all the other types. Sure, there are risks involved, but there are risks involved in everything. You are MUCH more likely to have an adverse reaction to horse riding than you are to MDMA, cannabis, LSD or many other drugs.

Have some links.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=portugal-drug-decriminalization

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1893946,00.html

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Portugals_drug_decriminalization_bizarrely_underappreciated_Greenwald_0406.html

Also, there is no such thing as 'good' and 'bad' drugs. Drugs are not conscious, they are just chemicals. They have no wants, no needs. They have not the capacity to be 'evil'.

 

[RobCoxxy]

Anything that can be grown should be legal, I'd rather get high of something natural than a bunch of chemicals.

 

[Riobux]

I was just considering the concept of distortion of visual and hearing senses causing, well, hallucinations. Which may lead to people accidentally doing some very stupid stuff. Legal drugs should be things you can take on your own for kicks without harming yourself or others or doing something else stupid.

Ah yes, a common view. See, the thing is, the kind of people that do those things don't have much self control in the first place. The people who jump off buildings while tripping are almost always found to have been suicidal in the first place.

The sad truth is though that drugs are more likely to be blamed for deaths than a person's inability for self-control. For example, alcohol is usually blamed indirectly for assaults.

 

[benoitowns]

All drugs should be decriminalized. Drug addiction rates go down, and it allows people the liberty to be stupid rather than be even more stupid by finding it illegally.

 

[Robert632]

I have no opinion of ecstacy, but I do know that pot in it's natural form is a fairly harmless drug. But when you go to an illegal drug dealer, who the hell knows what they've put in the pot, intentionally or not.

 

[toastmaster2k8]

weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed

 

[ReincarnatedFTP]

Eh.
"Good" and "bad" are very pretentious terms outside of the social constructs needed to keep a peaceful society (I.E. Don't murder, don't steal).

Many good drugs can become bad if used wrong. Medicine can kill you.

However, I'm not a Puritan tightwad who believes recreational use automatically equals abuse.
"Good" drugs would be psychedelics, marijuana, MDMA.
"Bad" drugs would be meth and heroin. And abusing pharmaceuticals.
Cocaine holds a middle ground, as there are people who can handle it.

Honestly, though, I'd rather legalize it all and maybe pay for clinics for addicts (or we could just go with social darwinism and let people take responsibility for what they ingest). Addiction is a disease not a crime. And it's not my place to judge what someone else can and can't do with their body if it's not interfering with my rights. I admit, I'm more inclined to keep meth and heroin illegal, but it would seem hypocritical in light of my other positions.

When they actually commit a crime then you arrest them. Authoritarians refuse to separate the actions, in something shockingly similar to Orwell's concept of "thoughtcrime" the second you take a drug means you're going to murder somebody for it. It's the same kind of attitude that produces "Papers, please" laws and allows more spying on citizens and police brutality in the name of safety. Nevermind that Olympic winners, presidents, and CEOs and people in business suits light up or snort coke every day without consequences.

If nothing else, I'd like to equalize the playing field. Make a federal law requiring the employer to take a drug test everytime his employees do. Teachers take a drug test everytime their students do. I mean, everyone wants that drug free culture amirite?

 

[unoleian]

If it grows up naturally intoxicating, I'm thumbs up for it. IMO, there HAS to be a reason for these plants (and 'fun guys') to do these amazing things to us with no real help!

MDMA can have some positive effects, sometimes not, but the inherent rarity and expense of it (at least around here, I understand its a different story in Europe, maybe the Coasts too...) is what keeps its use in moderation. Which in my mind is a good thing. It's too damn tempting!

Other Rxs, synthetics, and derivatives, are a horribly different story.

 

[CZS PublicEnemy]

I don't see any reason why cannabis shouldn't be legal, ecstasy not so much.

 

[xdgt]

Well from what i hear ecstasy is not as addictive as other drugs but it fucks up your brain so that you live years like a normal guy only a decade and half later to think you're a flying unicorn and step of a ledge... On the question of should any drug be legalised be it weed, heroin or alcohol - my opinion is its your damn life if you want to fuck it up you should have the right, and yes it will fuck up your life, my mother is a doctor , she told me of a guy in their hospital whose blood was 50% pure alcohol, while 48% is considered lethal, and even if you overlook the death caused by it still impairs you judgement. With that said her grandfather gave her beer when she was 3 (if you want that ice cream you have to drink that glass of beer...) , she still drinks on occasion but not heavily. Bottom line a man has the right to fuck himself up, he doesn't have the right to fuck someone else's life while he is fucked up and that is the biggest concern, you can't really monitor whether a man is just lying in his room completely harmless or is he going to stab a stranger only to steal his wallet and get another dose and so its mostly allow/prohibit overall policy and i have to say that is the better alternative.

 

[rees263]

Eh, I'm sort of split on this issue.

I'll first say that either way I won't be touching any of it, although I don't judge people that do. I've tried weed in the past and I have friends who've done cocaine, ecstacy and who knows what else and it doesn't bother me.

I am definitely of the view that if people want to mess around with their own bodies that's fine, so long as it doesn't affect me. The problem is it inevitably does affect me. Even if they don't end up attacking someone in a drug induced rage, or resort to theft to fund their habit I have to pay for their rehab program. Never mind the fact that in the UK we're not even trying to get heroin addicts sober, we're just maintaining them on a constant supply of methadone so they don't spaz out after a dry day.

On the other hand if I was shown that the reduced cost for prisons balanced out any cost for healthcare I would probably be okay with it. We are in a recession after all, and I'm nothing if not materialistic.

 

[Riobux]

The sad truth is though that drugs are more likely to be blamed for deaths than a person's inability for self-control. For example, alcohol is usually blamed indirectly for assaults.

Indeed. And yet, alcohol is legal. I think that hallucinogenics should be legal, but definitely controlled. I think one should have to take some sort of quick psychological test before they're allowed buy them, just to make sure it won't activate any latent schizophrenia.

The problem is there isn't really such thing as a quick psychological test to test for latent schizophrenia. You can try to predict but you're usually off.