Say that I agree - and on its face, I do. Do you believe that legalizing drugs, and removing it's societal stigmas, would not lead to an increase in people who use drugs, but would not otherwise have done so, had it remained illegal / stigmatized? If true, what do you base this belief on? I don't see how it wouldn't increase, given those reasons, and the increased availability which would undoubtedly - and exponentially - increase.
1. Through out human history we've liked drugs and have used them for a number of reasons. I don't see this changing no matter how harsh you come down on it. 2. It would be brought out of the shadows, which would help people get better treatment and keep the majority of the money out of cartels and other really questionable hands. It'd also help cut taxes and a better usage of medical services, instead of people using the ER to get their next high. 3. Drug use has a cost but on its face it is a victimless crime. I do think if you're on drugs and commit a crime that the penalties should be harsher than if you were not on them. I believe that the person owns their body and not society, and with that they should be free to do with it as they please.
I don't know if it would increase, but it may make it easier to treat even if it does increase, which would ultimately mean it would decline. I don't think this is a simple linear proposition. Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better. See: Portugal.
I agree that as a society we need to do something to help those that need help and want help without treating them like a common criminal. Part of that problem is making people realize and admitting they need help. I think that is the problem potentially too big to tackle.
http://www.drugpolicy.org/blog/amer...earned-after-decades-evolving-its-drug-policy From the article:
The entire premise of Droski's argument is faulty. The base assumption is that all drug usage is bad, and will lead to addiction -- despite the fact that there are millions of recreational drug users in the world who don't suffer from the "impending effects" of addiction. Simply because usage increases doesn't imply an actual problem of addiction.
With marijuana, which is a nonaddictive drug. Legalize some of this other stuff and yeah, the problem gets worse.
Lack of personal accountability in the parents is the main reason grandparents are raising their grandchildren. And I can almost guarantee that most of these so called parents are getting some kind of government help. And I can almost guarantee that the grandparents never see a dime of it, because the majority of that government help goes to fund the parent's lifestyles. And this is based on things I've seen happen, and happen often.
Something I have wondered, and admit am painting with too broad a brush - What does it say about the grandparents' parenting ability that they are having to raise grandchildren?
When you work with the kind of kids I do and see what drug use by their parents has done to them, you would NEVER want any of it legalized. The victimless crime narrative is prue BS. Just look at the kids.
I'll just be pretty plain about this. It says to me that they could have done a better job as parents. And to be fair, I've seen some who appeared to be great parents have children that were just no good. I heard this saying when I was younger "People are funny" and I didn't really appreciate it until I got older or started noticing things like this. Here's how I've seen it work. People get together, have a child, get all kinds of govt help, so they have even more children. And since they can't be bothered to raise those children, often as not the grandparents get the job by default. And the parents use their govt money to maintain their lifestyle of drugs, cigarettes, soda pop, beer and potato chips. Truly, your tax dollars at work.
More times than not this is what I have seen. And I tend to agree with you. Some parents are great, and do a great job, and the kids just suck. It happens. Others probably didn't need to raise their kids, much alone their grandkids.
I know a lot of people with 1 or 2 good/great kids and one absolute ****up. now if all of your kids are ****ups, then it's time to look in the mirror.
I agree that it is a complicated thing. Sometimes it is bad parenting, sometimes it is bad seed. Sometimes it is something else (exposure to negative things).
No I don't. They definitely can, but that is sometimes easier or more complete in one circumstance than in another.
