Should drugs be legalised?

[Lisa]

QUOTE (Louise @ May 27 2004, 14:05)

and you would know that how????

cos he has a very sharp razor blade

[Jessica Rabbit]

QUOTE (russelldust @ May 26 2004, 16:50)

I am sorry but you show me one single study that shows pills (for one example) are any worse or any better (in terms of side effects) than drugs such as alcohol and nicotine... you can't. There are no surveys statistically significant enough to argue the case either way. I am not for one minute saying drugs aren't dangerous, nor that they have significant side effects, but the assumption seems to be that 'because they are illegal they are therefore very dangerous' that isn't the case- the reasons for many drugs being made illegal have nothing to do with how dangerous they are- much of the time it is quite simply because those in power feel under pressure to make an example... I agree jessica with your comments about drugs and psychiatric problems, but what about the positive effects of MDMA on people with traumatic stress disorder, dope on multiple scelrosis sufferers... ketamine in anaesthatising (sic probably) babies.... these are all positive things. Just because drugs end up being used for recreational rather than 'proper' purposes does not change them into evil, dirty things... I honestly don't know whether legalising would make things any better- but the current nonense that lots of people risk jail sentences for doing nothing other than swallowing a few happy pills is not a situation I think that can continue. Great debate though.

Well then why are asking for drugs to be 'legalised', you should be asking for drug use to be 'decriminalised', there is a big big difference.

 

And, surprise surprise, people use drugs other than ecstasy recreationally, for example speed and cocaine are possibly two of the most detrimental drugs to your body, possibly more so than alcohol.

 

As for ecstasy, as you have demonstrated yourself, NOBODY KNOWS the exact effects ecstasy has as there has not been enough research into it.

 

But think about it, you are putting a foreign substance into your body which messes with the chemicals in your brain, it kind of makes sense that there will be some side-effects. I know for a fact that my mental state is so much better and I generally feel healthier and have more energy when I have been drug-free for a few weeks.

[Scream]

well what about people that smoke the green to releave pain, still a drug most of use but it used for that to. So i remain by my original point! a thank you!

 

(we need a take a bow smiley)

Edited May 27, 2004 by Scream

[Lisa]

QUOTE (Scream @ May 27 2004, 14:12)

well what about people that smoke the green to releave pain, still a drug most of use but it used for that to. So i remain by my original point! a thank you! (we need a take a bow smiley)

yes but it is not a prescription drug scream, so refrain from bowing just yet eh

[Louise]

QUOTE (Scream @ May 27 2004, 14:12)

well what about people that smoke the green to releave pain, still a drug most of use but it used for that to. So i remain by my original point! a thank you! (we need a take a bow smiley)

it still has side effects though scream & it can still be addictive

[russelldust]

Jessica you are still bandying about statements with no back up

 

"Cocaine and speed are the most detrimental to your body"

 

Are they?

 

Who says?

 

Show me scientifc proof.

 

I am not saying they don't harm you, I am merely saying that there is no proof (that I have ever come across) that says they harm you any more or any less than nicotine or alcohol.

 

If you know of some studies that say otherwise I'd be happy to read them.

 

A friend of mine who was using perhaps three g of ching a week went to the doctor about something and asked the doctor what the side effects were and the doctor told him he didn't approve, but there were no physically damaging effects from that amount of drug other than potential damage to the septum...

 

again this may or may not be true, but if a doctor thinks that then it does make one think.

 

 

 

 

[LiquidEyes]

QUOTE (Ginge @ May 27 2004, 14:09)

QUOTE (LiquidEyes @ May 27 2004, 09:41) Why? Because it was a stupid bloody question. I felt that it didnt deserve any more than a 1 word answer. Are you taking the piss?   You have essentially stated that any drug that is "natural" should be exempt from criminalisation. I think that's a load of rubbish. Instead of trying to patronise me, give me *one* reason why "natural" drugs should never be illegal.

[LiquidEyes]

So Jessica: do you seriously think that responsible, grown adults should be denied the right to enjoy themselves a certain way, just because a few people would abuse the privelige?

 

(Back at school, how did you feel when the whole class got punished just because 1 or 2 pupils were rowdy?)

 

If you think the reason that (for example) ecstasy is illegal is because of the damage it does to your body, I think you're being a little naive. I'm not denying that most recreational drugs have some detrimental effects (including legal drugs) but that isn't really the reason that certain drugs such as ecstasy are class A.

[LiquidEyes]

QUOTE (Jessica Rabbit @ May 27 2004, 14:11)

Well then why are asking for drugs to be 'legalised', you should be asking for drug use to be 'decriminalised', there is a big big difference.

I disagree. It's not that big a difference.

[LiquidEyes]

QUOTE (Jessica Rabbit @ May 27 2004, 14:11)

But think about it, you are putting a foreign substance into your body which messes with the chemicals in your brain, it kind of makes sense that there will be some side-effects. I know for a fact that my mental state is so much better and I generally feel healthier and have more energy when I have been drug-free for a few weeks.

Exactly the same could be said of alcohol. Why should alcohol be legal but ecstasy illegal?

[Lisa]

simple answer really LE!! Revenue hon

[LiquidEyes]

QUOTE (Lisa @ May 27 2004, 14:36)

simple answer really LE!! Revenue hon

I don't think that's the main reason. The government could make a nice little bit of dosh on the side if they legalised and taxed pills!

[Lisa]

QUOTE (LiquidEyes @ May 27 2004, 14:38)

QUOTE (Lisa @ May 27 2004, 14:36) simple answer really LE!! Revenue hon I don't think that's the main reason. The government could make a nice little bit of dosh on the side if they legalised and taxed pills! yeh, you are probably right & also probably have a chilled, happy nation, but hey ho

[russelldust]

Andy,

I completely agree with everything you've said- you're conveying my feelings better than I can.

 

 

I would love to see a real debate in this country about the issue of legalisation of drugs backed up by some serious scientific studies...

 

 

...however it is unlikely to happen.

 

and what is most annoying is that if you stood for parliament on a legalisation of drugs ticket the fact that you may have dabbled in the past would be taken as a huge negative and you would be ripped apart by the press...

 

that saddens me.

 

Does a good politician become a bad one simply because

(1) he/she likes a smoke

(2) he/she likes a drink

(3) he/she has an affair

 

(again I am not condoning these things just stating that human infallibility is required by the papers)

[Jessica Rabbit]

QUOTE (russelldust @ May 27 2004, 14:18)

Jessica you are still bandying about statements with no back up "Cocaine and speed are the most detrimental to your body" Are they? Who says? Show me scientifc proof. I am not saying they don't harm you, I am merely saying that there is no proof (that I have ever come across) that says they harm you any more or any less than nicotine or alcohol. If you know of some studies that say otherwise I'd be happy to read them. A friend of mine who was using perhaps three g of ching a week went to the doctor about something and asked the doctor what the side effects were and the doctor told him he didn't approve, but there were no physically damaging effects from that amount of drug other than potential damage to the septum... again this may or may not be true, but if a doctor thinks that then it does make one think.

OK, I am not peddling propaganda I read on an anti-drugs website but stuff I have actually learnt when studying health psychology. technically I could show you studies but I would have to go search through my old text books.

 

Anyway, coke and speed both ravage your heart, they give you high blood pressure and repeated use (as in doing one line after another all night) can cause sudden heart failure. Not to mention that they are both physically addictive, and a friend's brother who was an amphetemine addict ended up killing himself as he would get depressed to the point of suicide on comedowns. Cocaine also causes brain damage - every line you do makes the lining of your brain bleed. And this is without even getting started on the psychosis both drugs often bring on in addicts (amphetimine addicts suffer from what is known as 'amphetimine psychosis', similar to schizophrenia, and cocaine can bring on paranoid schizophrenia, and suffer from 'formication', hallucinations which make you believe there are insects crawling under your skin, leading to some sufferers trying to dig them out and inguring themselves) and there are all the smaller side effects like coke damaging your blood capillaries (hence the fallling-out of septums) and the usual stuff like diahoerrea (sp?!) and fucking with your sleep patterns (which in turn is detrimental to your mental state.

 

All that is just stuff I remember from off the top of your head, I am in my uni library at the moment so I can always go trawl through some medical journals if you want solid proof.

 

(actually that last bit is a lie, I'm not really going to look through any journals)

Edited May 27, 2004 by Jessica Rabbit