Drunkendeath wrote:abram, you sound like a school book or news article writer.
Thanks.
I'm one of those people that does a fairly good job at persuading people to my way of thinking by throwing a shitload of facts out there, which is really the only way to make people change their perceptions. The marijuana debate is easy--facts wise. There aren't enough hard facts to justify it's prohibition.
Regulation of all drugs is a much harder one to sell, but I believe the facts are there for that argument as well. It's just harder to get people behind regulation of heroin in a health-issue oriented way. However, in the United Kingdom they have done that very thing, and their new heroin use has gone down--along with HIV transmission and drug-related crime. Regulation is key for all drugs; it's important to understand that legalization of marijuana and that of heroin would be two very different issues. Bazooka's are legal, but I'm not able to go out and buy one, am I?
By allowing addicts to go to a heroin clinic, they are able to take the market away from the drug dealers (which can't compete with "free") and allow addicts to get their fix without having to steal, and do it in a safe and sanitary setting. These people have been able to lead fairly normal lives, and be productive citizens. Sounds like a better alternative to what we have going on here in the United States to me. But I've drifted off subject, haven't I?
Holland has shown that legalization, or at least allowance, of the marijuana market is the best way to do it. They have lower usage rates, by percent, then we do here in the United States. If you don't want people doing drugs, make them legal. It seems backwards, but in practice, it has shown to be the most effective.