Dai Corner
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How do you know when you've seen a drug user, legal or illegal?
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Consensus on legality of drugs in Britain
- Thread starter Gathursty
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So because it's legal it's damage doesn't count?
Why is it an irrelevant comparison? A drug is a drug.
It's not just per person, it's the wider effects on society too. As a visit to A&E on a Saturday night will demonstrate
Its irrelevant because it is historically legal so has grandfather rights. We aren’t comparing the harm caused by legalising alcohol v legalising drugs, we are just discussing legalising drugs.
Alcohol was explicitly included in the opening post.
Sure, but the “well alcohol is legal” is not a good argument for legalising other harmful substances.
However, "alcohol is more harmful than many illegal substances" is a strong argument for regulating (or criminalising) its use.
Dai Corner
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Er, it is regulated. Only licensed premises are allowed to sell it, usually for restricted hours. Purchases by or for under 18s is illegal, as is sale to anyone who's drunk too much. It's illegal to be in public in a drunk and disorderly state.
cactustwirly
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Please expand?
Surely making other drugs legal, increases the pressure on the NHS. Unless you're banning alcohol?
Alcohol is regulated. There are plenty of attempts at stronger regulation, but alcohol is too popular (though drinking amongst the younger age groups is dropping rather surprisingly)
It’ll be interesting to see in a few years’ time, when culturally similar places like Canada and some US states which have legalised pot have 5-10 years’ worth of evidence, whether the rationale for keeping it illegal holds up. Half the problem has been the absence of scientific research into the effects because the only people the medical profession ever got to see were habitual users and addicts.
I don’t have a strong opinion myself, but I think the problem with decriminalising and seeing drug use as a public health issue on the same level as alcoholism is that it wouldn’t pass the Daily Mail test.
I don’t have a strong opinion myself, but I think the problem with decriminalising and seeing drug use as a public health issue on the same level as alcoholism is that it wouldn’t pass the Daily Mail test.
In comparison to other psychoactive substances (pharmaceuticals), it is barely regulated at all. When was the last time you had to get a prescription for a pint?
Dai Corner
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The comparison was with unregulated illegal drugs. Bringing prescription drugs into the equation is moving the goalposts.
Do you think all currently illegal drugs should be made prescribable? I know some are, under different names.
GusB
Established Member
The drug users you have seen is not all drug users. I'm willing to bet that you've encountered people who have taken drugs and you'd never have known it. Not everyone who has a drink does so to the extent that they're absolutely blootered. And just because alcohol is legal, it doesn't mean that it's harmless.
That’s mostly regulating its sale, not its use.
Dai Corner
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If you can't buy it you can't use it.
Is the taking of illegal drugs in the privacy of your own home regulated?
Can you be arrested and convicted for being under the influence of illegal drugs in a public place? (Genuine question - I don't t know).
I could give it to you.
Dai Corner
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I've no idea about the etiquette around illegal drugs but in the pub if I you buy me one I'll buy you one back, maybe not immediately but before too long.
If you're old enough, you'll remember that Musical Youth not only confirmed that sharing was expected, but also clarified the distribution protocol.
Strictly, Musical Youth referred to a cooking pot.
Gostav
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There are many types of drugs that are relatively harmful to humans. Among the "hard drugs", methamphetamine (ice), long-term abuse can cause irreversible damage to the bladder and affect the nervous system. This kind of irreversible damage to addicts has become a serious problem in Taiwan, a professor once said "When you see many students need to wear diapers, it is absolutely not good".
I've come to this a bit late - but - the fact that most of the more liberal states of the USA have legalised cannabis must surely speak volumes.
I wouldn't take it myself, the same as I wouldn't smoke cigarettes (or vape, for that matter). But I don't like the idea of people being criminally charged for simple possession or personal consumption. I also don't deny that it has associated health issues, but so do alcohol and cigarettes.
If you want to take it and risk possible adverse health effects, it should be up to the individual to take that risk. It's not up to to the forces of law to give the individual a criminal record and potentially wreck their future job prospects.
I wouldn't take it myself, the same as I wouldn't smoke cigarettes (or vape, for that matter). But I don't like the idea of people being criminally charged for simple possession or personal consumption. I also don't deny that it has associated health issues, but so do alcohol and cigarettes.
If you want to take it and risk possible adverse health effects, it should be up to the individual to take that risk. It's not up to to the forces of law to give the individual a criminal record and potentially wreck their future job prospects.
Cross City
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I can't think of a single draw back to legalisation of cannabis tbh. It would bring it a tax money, it's less harmful that alcohol, the effects aren't as socially damaging compared to booze, etc etc.
The only thing I can't see happening is it being legal to smoke it. Vaping, edibles, oil, and whatnot but I'd be surprised if any kind of smoking was allowed.
The only thing I can't see happening is it being legal to smoke it. Vaping, edibles, oil, and whatnot but I'd be surprised if any kind of smoking was allowed.
I agree about not wanting to prosecute drug addicts/users. The moment you start selling 'hard' drugs like heroin, ketamine, meth, etc... is my red line.
I'm all too aware 'hard' drug is a woolly term but I wouldn't class cannabis as a hard drug.
“Alcohol and cigarettes are legal, so anything which is as harmful or less harmful than those things should be illegal” isn’t really a good way to define public policy.
I agree possession in and of itself shouldn’t be an offence, for any drug. This criminalises the wrong people nearly all of the time. Manufacture or possession with intent to supply is where the focus ought to be.
I agree possession in and of itself shouldn’t be an offence, for any drug. This criminalises the wrong people nearly all of the time. Manufacture or possession with intent to supply is where the focus ought to be.
Cross City
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The UK is one of the largest producers of legal cannabis in the world, there is no reason why the government can't start selling it to the public and collect taxation.
It would stop drug dealers and serious home-growers overnight.
That hasn’t happened in the United States though. Why would that be the case here?
Cross City
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It's not legal in most of the US that's why.
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