This post is in direct response to a post made by @blaineb about Oregon's decriminalization of small amounts of meth, cocaine, and heroin.
Website referenced in picture: http://www.drugpolicy.org/
The decriminalization of drugs such as meth, cocaine, and heroin is a VERY small start. It won't change the stigma around people who do them. The everyday picture people create in their heads of somebody who does drugs like these needs to change. It can only be changed by the FULL decriminalization of all substances like what was done in Portugal. Addicts are all seen as criminals rather than people who need help.
The fact that these drugs are illegal in the first place doesn't change how many people do them. There will be people who do them anyway. So with decriminalization, the number of people doing these drugs won't change by much. The war on drugs has only done bad. It's ruined lives and torn families apart. Drug addicts are thought of as lesser beings but we all have the ability to change that.
I encourage everybody out there to do your research! Feel free to leave any thoughts you have or links to research articles in the comments section. It'd be greatly appreciated. Let's have a conversation!
I'll join the conversation!
The very idea of criminalizing possession should have never been considered in a free country. I live in Canada, and part of the barriers to legalizing weed is that we signed 3 international agreements banning the sale and consumption.
How oppressive is it to dictate what I do with my own body? How disgusting is it that we throw addicts in jail instead of addressing addiction for what it is, a mental health problem? Why do we continue to criminalize drugs that aren't on the books yet? Three years ago the Canadian government criminalized Salvia. No real problem with it, it's not being widely abused, it's not addictive. But it was a drug they took notice of, and apparently grown adults can't make their own choices.
Awesome response to my article, thanks for spreading the word, you've been F.U.R.R.'d. =)
It won't change the stigma around people who do them
They deserve the stigma.
that said...drugs should be legal. All of them.
If someone wants to drug himself into oblivion , ruin his life or die from an overdose
that's their choice.
Life is hard.
It's harder if you're stupid.
Don't be Stupid.
but it's up to you.
YOU
Are responsible for your decisions.
I'm going to have to disagree with that. These people could've previously had a lot of great things going for them, but ruined their life with ONE bad mistake. With some of these, it could be completely by accident with opioids being prescribed daily to people with small illnesses. They can quite easily become addicted and when they're prescription is over, many will turn to heroin almost immediately. I'm not saying this is the case for everybody. But I am saying that this is the case for A LOT of people. It doesn't make them bad people at all and they don't deserve to be seen as such.
it doesn't make them bad
if in the case of over prescribed medication
they're not even stupid...
well...relying on a pill pusher..how smart is that.
but the POINT is.
everything you do is YOUR decision
With "trust your doctor" being said all the time, I don't think many people will question anything they say. If your doctor fucks up then it could really fuck you up too. I'm not saying I'm one of those people, but I know a lot who would trust their doctor over anybody any day.
yup..
If you make the decision to trust the snot-nosed wet behind the ear doc who is younger than your grandkid.
it's YOUR decision to do so.
Can't argue with that
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