> The assumption most people seem to base their conclusions on is that making drugs illegal reduces consumption. All empirical evidence so far - even from less biased sources than the wildly free-market Cato institute - shows that this is not the case. In countries where more drugs are legal, consumption actually goes down.
We have empirical evidence on cannabis, true. In that case (Netherlands) statistics say that "everything is roughly better", but differences are so small that it's difficult to say it's due to the drug laws.
We do not have empirical evidence on drugs that make you physically and/or psychologically addicted after one shot.
And there should be no toying with this. Getting of cannabis after years of using it is a piece of cake compared to getting of heroin after less than five shots. It's a totally different story.
No it has actually, rather clearly, been shown that in countries like the Netherlands where drug tolerance is much higher, it has become much more acceptable for people using opiates to enter rehab.
The process of getting off heroin is extremely hard, in fact going cold turkey can potentially kill most addicts. So without acceptance the only way off heroin is strength of will (and a lot of luck) or death. With expansive and non-judgmental rehabilitation the process becomes easier, and you'd be surprised that the sheer disgust most heroin users have at themselves when they've got dry is enough to keep them away from the drug for life.
Most heroin addicts, between the time the high dies and before the low begins, hate themselves for doing the drug. They aren't corrupt evil people, they're people who were stupid and didn't necessarily have to be weak willed to get addicted to it. Many people get much more help for being much more stupid and much weaker, so why don't we help the people who really need the help?
If it's true alcohol addiction, but with alcohol psychological addiction usually presents long before physical addiction has completely taken over. Essentially heroin might kill you if you're a long time addict, but alcohol is pretty much guaranteed to kill you if you're a long time addict.
> Most heroin addicts, between the time the high dies and before the low begins, hate themselves for doing the drug. They aren't corrupt evil people, they're people who were stupid and didn't necessarily have to be weak willed to get addicted to it. Many people get much more help for being much more stupid and much weaker, so why don't we help the people who really need the help?
And this is why production, possession and trade of hard drugs has to stay illegal and has to be prosecuted. Because most drug victims are stupid at the point of time they try it first.
I think people might be more inclined to discuss this with you if you were willing to actually address their points. The post you are responding to makes the claim that decriminalization increases the percentage of drug users who seek rehabilitation. Your argument completely ignores this point. Basically, in response to "premise A therefore conclusion B", you respond, "premise A therefore conclusion C", where B and C are totally unrelated.
So the laws should continue to make one a criminal for becoming addicted? The laws only serve to make people like you feel better (ala sticking head in sand) and to line the pockets of drug cartels.
> So the laws should continue to make one a criminal for becoming addicted?
Sorry, where did I say that? I am from Germany, drug use is not illegal here, only possession, trade and production. I am very well aware that this is a good thing.
> The laws only serve to make people like you feel better (ala sticking head in sand) and to line the pockets of drug cartels.
Stop judging me on your misinterpretations of my writings, please.
We have empirical evidence on cannabis, true. In that case (Netherlands) statistics say that "everything is roughly better", but differences are so small that it's difficult to say it's due to the drug laws.
We do not have empirical evidence on drugs that make you physically and/or psychologically addicted after one shot.
And there should be no toying with this. Getting of cannabis after years of using it is a piece of cake compared to getting of heroin after less than five shots. It's a totally different story.