Should drugs be legal?

[TrIcK]

Just to play devils advocate for a bit, but all of the evidence you've given is based on one culture,
how do you know that legalising drugs in other countries will give the same effect?

Also regulation can be ineffective (notably taxation), for instance increased taxation of fuel has
hardly stemmed the use of it (I appreciate the flaw in this argument ), or the increased taxation
of alcohol?

I am actually in favour of legalising (some) drugs, just a bit sceptical about how effective it would be.

[Thorne]

for instance increased taxation of fuel has hardly stemmed the use of it (I appreciate the flaw in this argument ), or the increased taxation of alcohol?

The point is not so much to stem the use as to eliminate the criminal aspect of it. When was the last time you heard of any large-scale cartel smuggling gasoline or alcohol into the US? There just isn't enough profit in them to justify it. And when you eliminate the criminal charges for buying or selling LEGAL drugs, you tend to limit the possible clients for those selling illegal drugs. Just too much risk involved to justify the small profit.

Personally, I would cast a wary eye on the motives of those who would oppose the legalization of drugs. The possibility that it would cost them a lot of money can't be overlooked.

[TrIcK]

The point is not so much to stem the use as to eliminate the criminal aspect of it. When was the last time you heard of any large-scale cartel smuggling gasoline or alcohol into the US? There just isn't enough profit in them to justify it. And when you eliminate the criminal charges for buying or selling LEGAL drugs, you tend to limit the possible clients for those selling illegal drugs. Just too much risk involved to justify the small profit.

You are right about smuggling petrol or alcohol in the US however I have heard there is a rising problem with smuggling illicit tobacco in some countries (generally sold as fraudulent products). So would the current drug production move towards producing cheaper fraudulent drugs?

I actually like the idea of legalizing some drugs as it will bring control to drug production (preventing cutting drugs with other drugs or other dangerous chemicals). I would certainly prefer a incremental implementation, so start with the weaker drugs and move upwards.

[Thorne]

You are right about smuggling petrol or alcohol in the US however I have heard there is a rising problem with smuggling illicit tobacco in some countries (generally sold as fraudulent products). So would the current drug production move towards producing cheaper fraudulent drugs?

There would always be some small-scale bootlegging operations, the lack of government taxes providing a small profit for the smugglers. Larger scale operations have a larger overhead, though, and far more risk of detection. They wouldn't be able to compete. However, you would still have drug producers developing different drugs, designer type drugs. But with ready, and legal, access to drugs, I would think the demand would be relatively small.

[Punish_her]

[QUOTE=TrIcK;965450]Just to play devils advocate for a bit, but all of the evidence you've given is based on one culture,
how do you know that legalising drugs in other countries will give the same effect?

Also regulation can be ineffective (notably taxation), for instance increased taxation of fuel has
hardly stemmed the use of it (I appreciate the flaw in this argument ), or the increased taxation
of alcohol?

extremely good point. Singapore has a draconian system for punishing drug users and sellers, and it works because it's a tiny country that is easy to control.
Furthermore, why does anyone care about how many people use drugs? It has little to no impact on my life. The crux of the matter is this:
1) drug offenders (nonviolent felons) being incracerated is bad for the social fabric, ie broken homes and burdens of the state
2) the real problem with drugs is not some guy sitting in a basement smoking pot, it's the cartels that behead neighborhood activists. All the violence associated with drugs is a direct result of the illegality.
3) Spending on police and DEA units has increased threefold in the last 20 years while drug use rates have actually increased slightly. It simply does not justify the costs

I am actually in favour of legalising (some) drugs, just a bit sceptical about how effective it would be.