There is no easy answer. I used to be in favor of legalizing drugs as well. But what we can see in states that have decriminalized weed, there is a lot more smoking of weed. Everywhere you go in those states it smells like a skunk. Based upon that, I think what would happen if you legalized drugs is that you would get a lot more people using and abusing drugs. I am a good case study. I would actually like to do do some drugs, meth, heroin, molly, etc just to see what they are like. The only thing that stops me is that they are illegal and thus difficult to get
First completely end the welfare state... housing, food, medical care and etc. Then we can have the drug legalization debate. Right now, taxpayers are subsidizing destructive drug use, often directly paying for the drugs. Kids see a distorted view of the world where dysfunctional families and individuals seem to have a normal standard of living due to government welfare.
Ending the welfare state would fix almost all problems with broken homes, single mother-hood, crime, and also expensive medicine. Private, unregulated medicine in the US would likely cost a third or even a sixth of what you are currently paying.
I would venture that half of preventable crime is caused by the illegality of drugs, and another half by the existence of the welfare state. I believe there is overlap, say a third, but abolishing either one is likely beneficial in and of itself.
Say, one third reduction in preventable crime if we only legalize drugs. Abolishing all aspects of the welfare state would likely still give the full set of benefits, even if drugs remain illegal.
John. I think you are missing a huge problem with legalization of drugs. For many people what is legal is the moral compass they follow. They don't have Dads teaching them right or wrong - or even what your Dad passed off on you as a moral compass.
There is an answer. We need to raise psychically healthy children. Then they will not need to put chemicals in their bodies to gain some sense of joy and meaning in their lives. But first we need to dump the idea that our intellect is the best part of our brain. We also have a level of feeling and a deeper level still of sensation that are way more important in the understanding of what a well-functioning brain is. Dr Arthur Janov based his Primal Therapy on the Three Levels of Mind, and wrote many books on the subject. My substack is about the Three Levels of Mind, and what this understanding means for thre human species.
The best way to stop the drug problem is to eliminate the reason people take drugs.
Every time the legalization/decriminalization bug hits me, I'm reminded of my many business trips to Seattle over the past 20 years and I quickly come to my senses and say 'no, I don't want to see that kind of degeneracy snowball everywhere in America'.
My problem with legalization lies in this consideration: what restraints use of drugs in a given society? The rules of behaviour of a given society. In a sociaty like ours, where the social restraint is given by selfrestraint, the rule is given by oneself, but the costs of using drugs go far beyond each individual user (car accidents, family disfunction, health implications).legalization does not solve those problemas and in America you have seen that in many cases, like fentanil and oxicodone. So, legalization would solve the problems related to criminal policy and enforcement, and would help colombian Campesinos, but wouldn't solve, and could actually encrease, social costs of drugs use. Every colture has its drug and has historically mamaged its use with social and legal enforcment: where the first lacks, the only way to control drugs is prohibition.
I was convinced by an article I cut out from The Economist, 2 September 1989. Oh, I hadn't thought of that...
So legalize, tax, regulate a bit, let volunteers inform and also help those who end up in trouble. Some taxation is necessary as well as restrictions, otherwise the corner shop would be selling 10 liter cans of 95 percent alcohol for $10.
However, do not socialize the trade, which is what they apparently partly have done in Canada and Oregon.
And do not decriminalize. Legalize. Decriminalization leaves virtually all of the criminal infrastructure in place.
There is no easy answer. I used to be in favor of legalizing drugs as well. But what we can see in states that have decriminalized weed, there is a lot more smoking of weed. Everywhere you go in those states it smells like a skunk. Based upon that, I think what would happen if you legalized drugs is that you would get a lot more people using and abusing drugs. I am a good case study. I would actually like to do do some drugs, meth, heroin, molly, etc just to see what they are like. The only thing that stops me is that they are illegal and thus difficult to get
oh boo hoo, you don't like the smell. get over it princess nose. weed is here to stay, stop bitching!
First completely end the welfare state... housing, food, medical care and etc. Then we can have the drug legalization debate. Right now, taxpayers are subsidizing destructive drug use, often directly paying for the drugs. Kids see a distorted view of the world where dysfunctional families and individuals seem to have a normal standard of living due to government welfare.
Ending the welfare state would fix almost all problems with broken homes, single mother-hood, crime, and also expensive medicine. Private, unregulated medicine in the US would likely cost a third or even a sixth of what you are currently paying.
I would venture that half of preventable crime is caused by the illegality of drugs, and another half by the existence of the welfare state. I believe there is overlap, say a third, but abolishing either one is likely beneficial in and of itself.
Say, one third reduction in preventable crime if we only legalize drugs. Abolishing all aspects of the welfare state would likely still give the full set of benefits, even if drugs remain illegal.
John. I think you are missing a huge problem with legalization of drugs. For many people what is legal is the moral compass they follow. They don't have Dads teaching them right or wrong - or even what your Dad passed off on you as a moral compass.
There is an answer. We need to raise psychically healthy children. Then they will not need to put chemicals in their bodies to gain some sense of joy and meaning in their lives. But first we need to dump the idea that our intellect is the best part of our brain. We also have a level of feeling and a deeper level still of sensation that are way more important in the understanding of what a well-functioning brain is. Dr Arthur Janov based his Primal Therapy on the Three Levels of Mind, and wrote many books on the subject. My substack is about the Three Levels of Mind, and what this understanding means for thre human species.
The best way to stop the drug problem is to eliminate the reason people take drugs.
Every time the legalization/decriminalization bug hits me, I'm reminded of my many business trips to Seattle over the past 20 years and I quickly come to my senses and say 'no, I don't want to see that kind of degeneracy snowball everywhere in America'.
My problem with legalization lies in this consideration: what restraints use of drugs in a given society? The rules of behaviour of a given society. In a sociaty like ours, where the social restraint is given by selfrestraint, the rule is given by oneself, but the costs of using drugs go far beyond each individual user (car accidents, family disfunction, health implications).legalization does not solve those problemas and in America you have seen that in many cases, like fentanil and oxicodone. So, legalization would solve the problems related to criminal policy and enforcement, and would help colombian Campesinos, but wouldn't solve, and could actually encrease, social costs of drugs use. Every colture has its drug and has historically mamaged its use with social and legal enforcment: where the first lacks, the only way to control drugs is prohibition.
I absolutely agree. Drug use should be viewed as a medical issue not a law enforcement issue.
I was convinced by an article I cut out from The Economist, 2 September 1989. Oh, I hadn't thought of that...
So legalize, tax, regulate a bit, let volunteers inform and also help those who end up in trouble. Some taxation is necessary as well as restrictions, otherwise the corner shop would be selling 10 liter cans of 95 percent alcohol for $10.
However, do not socialize the trade, which is what they apparently partly have done in Canada and Oregon.
And do not decriminalize. Legalize. Decriminalization leaves virtually all of the criminal infrastructure in place.
your dad was right. Song of Solomon 8:9 gives you solid advice as a parent on protecting your daughter. You could say the same for your son.
Thanks for your articles and videos.