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Is the USA's War on Drugs a waste of time?

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Posts

  • ButtersButters A glass of some milks Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    Maybe I've watched American Gangster too many times but I can't possibly see how legalizing something like heroin would do anything but harm.

    Butters on
    PSN: idontworkhere582 | CFN: idontworkhere | Steam: lordbutters | Amazon Wishlist
  • RubberACRubberAC Sidney BC!Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    PiptheFair wrote: »
    this dude my buddy james knows used to be a huge heroin fiend for a while, and all he told us is "don't try it, because it's seriously one of the most amazing things you'll EVER try."

    and then it fucking destroys you

    this is... entirely true
    like having sex on Ecstasy
    no better way to get bored with sober sex

    everyone i've ever met or heard that is strongly against drugs/for the "war on drugs" has either never done them, or was straight up retarded and did something like take 5 hits of acid when they were drunk, or done Ketamine thinking it was MDMA or something equally stupid.
    But I'd be totes okay with meth, heroin remaining illegal

    RubberAC on
  • The Lovely BastardThe Lovely Bastard Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    I have done some drugs

    I want them illegal because fuck you druggies, get a job and a real hobby

    The Lovely Bastard on
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  • Al_watAl_wat Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    The thing about decriminalization or legalization vs total illegality is it pretty much depends on whether you think addicts - and I'm specifically talking about harder drugs like meth and heroin - should be treated, or thrown in jail.

    A lot of the argument in favour of (total - as in all drugs) decrim or legalization is not necessarily of the opinion that "everyone should be able to choose whatever they do with their body" (don't get me wrong: that is one of the main premises for a lot of people for sure), but rather that it is more effective to try to treat these people medically than it is to process them through the legal system.

    I personally am against how the "war on drugs" is waged. I think harder drugs, meth, heroin, whatever else, definitely should be stigmatized and no one should be doing them. However; I want an effective solution. Literally fighting it with guns and SWAT teams seems like it isn't working.

    Al_wat on
  • Macro9Macro9 Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    I loved smoking Opium. Haven't done it in a long ass time and don't ever want to do it again. I lost an entire summer when I was 13 to it. It's no wonder I ended up in a rehab before I was 15.

    I would never recommended that someone try it out and if I came across a loved one doing it I would smack them silly.

    There are quite a few oxy and heroin addicts in my family, but I ain't got no love for them dogs.

    Macro9 on
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  • AneurhythmiaAneurhythmia Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    Smoking opium for a bit is what convinced me that I would never try a cigarette.

    Aneurhythmia on
  • CptKemzikCptKemzik Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    There was one occasion that I smoked opium, also another occasion where I "candy-flipped" (taking lsd and e together), at this one dorm i was in for a semester. Both barely scratched the surface of what the kids (largely freshmen) were doing, and i haven't done anything like those since.

    Taking adderall during final exams period (and for other projects) has also been a big thing during my time in college, but i've never even thought of taking the plunge with that.

    CptKemzik on
  • ButtersButters A glass of some milks Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    I guess the closest thing I've ever done to getting high was drink whiskey on prescription pain meds but really it just got me drunk of a lot less whiskey than it would typically require.

    Butters on
    PSN: idontworkhere582 | CFN: idontworkhere | Steam: lordbutters | Amazon Wishlist
  • FandyienFandyien But Otto, what about us? Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    I've done opium maybe twenty times. I love it and it's weird, cloying, sweet, smell. My friend described it as "milk-soaked dandelions left in a hot mailbox for a week."

    I also did meth once when my buddy gave me six lines of blow that were almost entirely meth. He told me afterward. Fucker. That was like four or five years ago

    Fandyien on
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  • Tommy2HandsTommy2Hands what is this where am i Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    where the fuck do you even find opium what the hell people

    Tommy2Hands on
    Cdcniho.jpg
  • Penguin IncarnatePenguin Incarnate King of Kafiristan Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    I would assume in an opium den.

    Ah-doy.

    Penguin Incarnate on
  • The Lovely BastardThe Lovely Bastard Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    PI stop shilling your opium den

    The Lovely Bastard on
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  • Macro9Macro9 Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    where the fuck do you even find opium what the hell people

    I haven't seen any in 5 or 6 years.

    When I was doing it really heavy it was around 96-97. Oxy and heroin didn't become a thing around here until 99-00. Before that Opium was as easily acquired as coke and LSD.

    Macro9 on
    bO0v7.png
  • Virgil_Leads_YouVirgil_Leads_You Proud Father House GardenerRegistered User regular
    edited December 2010
    Areas in cities
    with large amounts of
    independently owned shops selling incense
    , c
    lothing,
    and cof
    fe
    e.

    Virgil_Leads_You on
    VayBJ4e.png
  • AneurhythmiaAneurhythmia Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    where the fuck do you even find opium what the hell people

    You help a guy in night school with his class work. Or you fill in for a guitarist in a noise punk band in a basement dive in Chicago.

    Aneurhythmia on
  • Tommy2HandsTommy2Hands what is this where am i Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    Macro9 wrote: »
    where the fuck do you even find opium what the hell people

    I haven't seen any in 5 or 6 years.

    When I was doing it really heavy it was around 96-97. Oxy and heroin didn't become a thing around here until 99-00. Before that Opium was as easily acquired as coke and LSD.

    huh

    different time I guess

    I could probably talk to a few dudes I know if I ever wanted most anything under the sun, but if I mentioned opium, I would probably be laughed at thoroughly

    Tommy2Hands on
    Cdcniho.jpg
  • Macro9Macro9 Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    Areas in cities
    with large amounts of
    independently owned shops selling incense
    , c
    lothing,
    and cof
    fe
    e.

    :rotate:

    Macro9 on
    bO0v7.png
  • The Lovely BastardThe Lovely Bastard Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    no macro

    do not encourage that behaviour

    The Lovely Bastard on
    7656367.jpg
  • Tommy2HandsTommy2Hands what is this where am i Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    no macro

    do not encourage that behaviour

    :rotate:

    Tommy2Hands on
    Cdcniho.jpg
  • Macro9Macro9 Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    I'm sorry, TLB, but I am still too dizzy to recognize text.

    Macro9 on
    bO0v7.png
  • Virgil_Leads_YouVirgil_Leads_You Proud Father House GardenerRegistered User regular
    edited December 2010
    Macro9 wrote: »
    Areas in cities
    with large amounts of
    independently owned shops selling incense
    , c
    lothing,
    and cof
    fe
    e.

    :rotate:

    hey I'm entitled to a bit of self parody

    Virgil_Leads_You on
    VayBJ4e.png
  • George Fornby GrillGeorge Fornby Grill ...Like Clockwork Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    this is me re: drugs emot-snoop.gif

    George Fornby Grill on
  • StaleghotiStaleghoti Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    nice emoticon

    Staleghoti on
    tmmysta-sig.png2wT1Q.gifYAH!YAH!STEAMYoutubeMixesPSN: Clintown
    Dear satan I wish for this or maybe some of this....oh and I'm a medium or a large.
  • George Fornby GrillGeorge Fornby Grill ...Like Clockwork Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    snoopmoticon

    George Fornby Grill on
  • StaleghotiStaleghoti Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    snoopmoticizzon

    Staleghoti on
    tmmysta-sig.png2wT1Q.gifYAH!YAH!STEAMYoutubeMixesPSN: Clintown
    Dear satan I wish for this or maybe some of this....oh and I'm a medium or a large.
  • Penguin IncarnatePenguin Incarnate King of Kafiristan Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    snoop motion cartoon

    Penguin Incarnate on
  • Metzger MeisterMetzger Meister It Gets Worse before it gets any better.Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    i kinda wanna try opium but i don't know any sinister old chinese men.

    Metzger Meister on
  • MereHappenstanceMereHappenstance Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    i kinda wanna try opium but i don't know any sinister old chinese men.

    6 months later only to find yourself working in an opium den in china.

    MereHappenstance on
  • SnowbeatSnowbeat i need something to kick this thing's ass over the lineRegistered User regular
    edited December 2010
    just shoot some heroin and then solve an impossible crime

    Snowbeat on
    Q1e6oi8.gif
  • RaneadosRaneados police apologist you shouldn't have been there, obviouslyRegistered User regular
    edited December 2010
    is this a From Hell reference

    it better be

    Raneados on
  • L|amaL|ama Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    Al_wat wrote: »
    The thing about decriminalization or legalization vs total illegality is it pretty much depends on whether you think addicts - and I'm specifically talking about harder drugs like meth and heroin - should be treated, or thrown in jail.

    A lot of the argument in favour of (total - as in all drugs) decrim or legalization is not necessarily of the opinion that "everyone should be able to choose whatever they do with their body" (don't get me wrong: that is one of the main premises for a lot of people for sure), but rather that it is more effective to try to treat these people medically than it is to process them through the legal system.

    I personally am against how the "war on drugs" is waged. I think harder drugs, meth, heroin, whatever else, definitely should be stigmatized and no one should be doing them. However; I want an effective solution. Literally fighting it with guns and SWAT teams seems like it isn't working.

    but they are stigmatised and people are doing them

    L|ama on
  • Al_watAl_wat Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    When I said "I think harder drugs, meth, heroin, whatever else, definitely should be stigmatized and no one should be doing them" I wasn't really saying "they should be stigmatized, and this should therefore result in no one doing them".

    I was more saying; while I am essentially presenting an argument for legalization I personally do not believe anyone should be doing them, and society should continue to stigmatize them.

    I think I addressed what you are talking about. I might have misread your intent.

    Al_wat on
  • Burden of ProofBurden of Proof You three boys picked a beautiful hill to die on. Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    Raneados wrote: »
    is this a From Hell reference

    it better be

    who invited the narc?

    Burden of Proof on
  • L|amaL|ama Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    i dont even know what my intent was really

    i guess the question is: why should people not be allowed to do them?

    depending on what your answer is to that, legalisation or decriminalisation could be the right thing or it could not

    although if portugal is typical, decriminalisation decreases usage rates anyway

    L|ama on
  • RaneadosRaneados police apologist you shouldn't have been there, obviouslyRegistered User regular
    edited December 2010
    Raneados wrote: »
    is this a From Hell reference

    it better be

    who invited the narc?

    we invite ourselves

    tv should have taught you this

    Raneados on
  • Al_watAl_wat Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    Its really complicated. I want to say that people should not be allowed to use harder drugs - meth, heroin, whatever else, because the impact on the users is extremely detrimental. It destroys their lives.

    Of course the logical answer to this is: make them illegal.

    But that answer is only logical in an extremely simple scenario. It is not actually logical in real life, because it leads to the current situation... which is not working.

    So, to achieve the result of no one, or more accurately less people using these drugs (you will never, ever get a zero usage rate), we have to take the non-intuitive step of actually legalizing or decriminalizing these drugs. The aim with this is to combat it in a different way. Use medical treatment. Make the whole process safer for actual users so that death rates are lower. Reduce the societal harm.

    So I guess essentially - I want to still combat harder drugs. I just think that the current war on drugs is more harmful to society than a more compassionate approach.

    I feel like I've just gone warrrrgarrlblblelele with this post but I guess its how I feel.

    Al_wat on
  • SolarSolar Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    One thing that should be remembered is that hard drugs such as heroin do have more effect on those people around the user, in that they break up families etc and I don't think this would change were heroin legal because it'll be just as addictive as before.

    Solar on
  • L|amaL|ama Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    But treating addicts would probably be less harmful to their families than sending them to jail.

    L|ama on
  • SolarSolar Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    L|ama wrote: »
    But treating addicts would probably be less harmful to their families than sending them to jail.

    Oh yes I certainly agree

    I'm just saying that as substances Heroin and Meth are extremely dangerous, both in am immediate physical sense of overdosing, but also in a sense of impact on the lives of people around the user. And while legalising those hard and dangerous drugs might allow them to be more easily regulated I'd rather that nobody was using Heroin because like it or not you are not going to avoid the effects that Heroin addiction will have on people around you.

    Pot I think is acceptable because it simply is an enjoyable thing to do like playing video games or watching tv or reading a book, there's not much effect beyond that. But there is with some hard drugs and I think that simply saying "we'll destroy drug gangs if we legalise Heroin" is a mistake, because what will be the effect on society of heroin being legal? we don't know, and it could possibly be a very negative one.

    Solar on
  • Sir PlatypusSir Platypus Registered User regular
    edited December 2010
    Getting high and playing Super Meat Boy was pretty fun.

    It'd be cool if I could do that legally, I guess.

    Maybe that shows a little bit of effectiveness of the war on drugs. While I would like to smoke weed, I would prefer to not get in trouble with the law, so I am limited to smoking at other people's places. It only limits me, but I know if it was legal I'd do it a lot more.

    Sir Platypus on
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