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Lessons from the Failed War on Drugs


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Give me the power and I will nationalize the alcohol and tobacco industries, ban any advertisements of them and put them in unbranded plain packaging, then sell them to the public at a cost high enough to cover expenses but not let the government make a profit either.

As for other non-medical drugs, I think I would do the same thing, except for the seriously addictive or otherwise dangerous ones, I would probably make getting them subject to prescription or some such procedural control.

Medical drugs that are deemed relatively safe (nothing is absolutely safe) should be dispensable at the pharmacist's discretion. This is one of the reasons health care is so expensive in the States -- you have to see a doctor to get even a simple thing like a diuretic. Not only is the doctor visit time consuming and costly, but all the paper-work this setup demands adds to costs. Only when the authorities determine that a drug is genuinely and seriously dangerous in a way that cannot be handled with warning labels would I make a prescription necessary.

You would need an educated public but spot on. Even a simple diuretic can kill if abused.

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You would need an educated public but spot on. Even a simple diuretic can kill if abused.

Well yes so can aspirin. Educating the public is an interesting issue -- warning labels and drug advertising would need serious regulation and who actually dispenses the pills at the drug store would need watching. There are a million and one more little devils in the details of such a system, but it seems to work in many countries.
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I do not do drugs myself but have several friends who smoke pot.I tried it some when i was younger just not my thing,i prefer to drink when wanting to unwind.That said i see no problem at all with marijuana i would rather if in severe pain a doc give me a joint than a pain pill.Marijuana has several uses and is only slightly addictive.I agree the hard stuff should stay illegal even though being illegal hasnt really stopped anyone from abusing any of it.Outlawing things just does not work unless brutal measures are taken to enforce it.

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I would not underplay the harm possible in anything you smoke, nor the phenomenon we have all seen of the "pot-head." Still, in Vietnam marijuana is readily available and the police periodically shoot a big drug distributor (they've change the law, now they administer a lethal injection), but ordinary use is pretty much ignored so long as its private. At least that is what I observe: I am not privy to police policy. Certainly putting users in jail is gross overkill and does society massive harm.

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Give me the power and I will nationalize the alcohol and tobacco industries, ban any advertisements of them and put them in unbranded plain packaging, then sell them to the public at a cost high enough to cover expenses but not let the government make a profit either.

As for other non-medical drugs, I think I would do the same thing, except for the seriously addictive or otherwise dangerous ones, I would probably make getting them subject to prescription or some such procedural control.

Medical drugs that are deemed relatively safe (nothing is absolutely safe) should be dispensable at the pharmacist's discretion. This is one of the reasons health care is so expensive in the States -- you have to see a doctor to get even a simple thing like a diuretic. Not only is the doctor visit time consuming and costly, but all the paper-work this setup demands adds to costs. Only when the authorities determine that a drug is genuinely and seriously dangerous in a way that cannot be handled with warning labels would I make a prescription necessary.

Ummm... The only part that isn't being done right now is the nationalization of tobacco and alcohol.(even the bland packaging for the most part) That is pretty much how the system works already.

Honestly though you can just hit up the a walk-in clinic for a consult for like 75 bucks and basically get any drug you want if you put in a little effort in to research and say more then give me this drug. Not at all expensive nor time consuming not a bad system really unless you factor in when doctors try to push medications on you but that's a whole different spiel. (I even talked my way to getting Vicodin when I had a bad cough the regular over the counter stuff makes me feel odd, that actually stopped my cough :P )

Would be far better with nationalized healthcare though and kick insurance companies out. With doctors who do not want to be nationalized still be able to provide a private practice.

The war on drugs is nothing more then a way to control who makes money off of it. Better off regulating production and packaging then outright banning, and criminalization. Considering most serious problems comes from the whole not knowing what is in it and what it will do to you. I'd also increase addiction treatment in general so people who need help can get it.

Edited by Jinxdom
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