Here are my thoughts on why I voted yes to all three despite no longer doing any illicit drugs.
1. It is immaterial to me whether or not someone gets high so long as they aren't doing things which harm others. If they are harming others, then prosecute those specific behaviors, such as driving under the influence, theft or assault.
2. The war on drugs has been an abject failure in America and it's a giant waste of time and money. Despite decades since it started, drugs are still everywhere.
3. The current president of the US did a lot of drugs, by his own admission and there are people serving prison sentences right now for doing less than he did. How many people's lives have these laws ruined? If Obama had gone to prison for possession of cocaine, he certainly wouldn't be president right now.
4. Drug laws create black markets, which in term funnels money to bad people and avoids taxes. By legalizing drugs, we can reduce funds going to terrorists and gangs, clear drug users out of our prisons to make way for people who actually need to be there, increase the tax base and enforce safety standards. Additionally, we can bring addicts out of the shadows, allowing them to seek help without fear of prosecution if they relapse.
5. Decriminalizing drugs would lead to fewer safety concerns. For example, the spread of HIV due to shared needles would lessen, and people wouldn't need to keep inventing more and more dangerous drugs (ie bath salts) to try to stay legal. Not to mention you're way less likely to get caught in a violent situation if you are buying drugs at a convenience store instead of from someone standing on a street corner.
6. At the very least, we should decriminalize pot, and probably acid, mushrooms, hash and some prescription narcotics as well. The argument against pot is that it has a tendency to make people lazy and unmotivated. The argument against crack is that it has a tendency to kill people or make them psychotic and potentially violent. In my opinion, pot is only a gateway drug because we act as though all drugs are equally dangerous, both in the law and in the way we teach kids about drugs.
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...and if you disagree with me, you're probably <insert random ad hominem attack here>.
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1. It is immaterial to me whether or not someone gets high so long as they aren't doing things which harm others. If they are harming others, then prosecute those specific behaviors, such as driving under the influence, theft or assault.
2. The war on drugs has been an abject failure in America and it's a giant waste of time and money. Despite decades since it started, drugs are still everywhere.
3. The current president of the US did a lot of drugs, by his own admission and there are people serving prison sentences right now for doing less than he did. How many people's lives have these laws ruined? If Obama had gone to prison for possession of cocaine, he certainly wouldn't be president right now.
4. Drug laws create black markets, which in term funnels money to bad people and avoids taxes. By legalizing drugs, we can reduce funds going to terrorists and gangs, clear drug users out of our prisons to make way for people who actually need to be there, increase the tax base and enforce safety standards. Additionally, we can bring addicts out of the shadows, allowing them to seek help without fear of prosecution if they relapse.
5. Decriminalizing drugs would lead to fewer safety concerns. For example, the spread of HIV due to shared needles would lessen, and people wouldn't need to keep inventing more and more dangerous drugs (ie bath salts) to try to stay legal. Not to mention you're way less likely to get caught in a violent situation if you are buying drugs at a convenience store instead of from someone standing on a street corner.
6. At the very least, we should decriminalize pot, and probably acid, mushrooms, hash and some prescription narcotics as well. The argument against pot is that it has a tendency to make people lazy and unmotivated. The argument against crack is that it has a tendency to kill people or make them psychotic and potentially violent. In my opinion, pot is only a gateway drug because we act as though all drugs are equally dangerous, both in the law and in the way we teach kids about drugs.