Drugs are decriminalized, and that product is moved to retail outlets. Since growing is legal, there is a legal chain from growers to sellers, crime organizations are taken out of the loop, thus crippling the source of income for many gangs. And since growers are legal, quality control improves, they can advertise what their products are, their effects, and the customer knows exactly what they are buying. No more overdoses because the junkie took something he did not know was more powerful.
For the buyer, the price is not changed, and to be honest, most of us have our friendly dealer, access is still the same as before. But unlike dealers who will sell to anyone, minors are not allowed, reducing the access of illegal drugs to minors.
But in legal stores, taxes flow into the government. that boosts the economy. Some of that money is directed toward treatment and rehabilitation for addicts.
In summation: make it legal and gangs lose a large income source, minors have less access to drugs, addicts have better odds of rehabilitation, and better odds of not having an overdose. And citizens like me who truly desire to stay on the right side of the law can relax and enjoy our poison.
A major practical issue with eugenics is that the knowledge simply wasn’t there to do the genetic manipulation required. A bit different today.
There’s a very interesting film called “Gattaca” (1997) in which DNA manipulation is used to design your children, if you can afford it. Society is divided by the deigned people and those not designed, who are called ‘invalids’ (not valid) who do all the hard ,menial labour.
I don’t have a moral issue with advanced eugenics. However, I’m not convinced it would be a social good or indeed have any idea of the long term evolutionary effects on our species. I have a feeling (can’t prove it) that there are far too many variables to know .The whole concept is arrogant imo.
This one is a toughy … I am who I am today because of all my experiences and challenges. I love the people I’m with and they have or have had their challenges.
I think the claims that “suffering ennobles” , or “that which doesn’t kill us makes us stronger” ,“Spare the rod spoil the child” are all nonsense as general principles. They may make a person stronger, but just as often they do not in my experience.
I am not convinced that the suffering I have endured has made me a better person. Surviving emotional , physical an sexual abuse as a child has not been good for my character as far as I can tell. In fact I attribute some of my least attractive /praiseworthy qualities to those experiences, at least in part. .
God, hands down I am much happier with my Crohns controlled. I’ve lived with it not … it’s not pleasant.
I’ve been through some harrowing experiences - and great ones too.
But the “magic wand” - and eugenics is removing the physical “issues”. Maybe my Crohns … ok … but who gets to determine if there are predetermined mental “issues” or brain fixes. Maybe “fixing” a psychopathic brain vs genetically fixing personality.
This is a whooping can of worms . Perhaps there are some that society and parents may deem “appropriate” …
I didn’t say I was a better person because of it. I just stated I am who I am today because of it.
Ah, my mistake I misread… I agree that person one is now mainly the result of life experiences up to this point. I also accept the notion that genetic determinism is also a factor. I have no idea to what degree. I’m aware that claim may lead to the nature/nurture dichotomy.
Oh I think you can push your imagination a little, who’s running the nuclear power stations, managing the nuclear weapons, policing the streets, flying planes, running governments, prisons, hospitals, schools etc?
The idea of decriminalising the recreational use of some drugs has some merit I’ll admit, the sweeping generalisation we should all walk into some libertarian dystopian nightmare has less appeal.
So you’re ok with say for example, airline pilots and police officers taking crack or heroin?
I’m not sure you’ve subjected your idea to anymore critical scrutiny than @mr.macabre has his own but opposite position.
The idea of an airline pilot or even a bus driver having some sort of acid flashback, or withdrawal symptoms from crack or heroin, ought to have alarm bells ringing.
Those are not the type of drugs I do though, and doubt I ever will. Well, I did try cocaine when I was 21, it has been pretty many years as I did go into withdraw the very next day. I am going on 51, so you can see how long it has been. I prefer pot as you can usually still function. And I know there are cops in my town who smoke pot themselves.
What I am saying is that we need something fair for a law system.
If one hurts another in any way, that’s what we need to focus on.
I don’t think that we should legalize any of the more addictive drugs out there. Heroine, cocaine, meth or crack don’t do anything but make you crave more of it. There is also a huge problem with people abusing prescription drugs, especially painkillers.
I’m currently taking 8 different prescriptions for pain, depression, high blood pressure, and nerve damage in my feet. Here’s the “current” list,
Gabapentin-6 pills a day
Duloxetine-2 a day
Nortripyline-2 a day
lorazepam-1 1/2 a day
Lisinopril-1 a day
Pravastatin-1 a day
Colchicin-1 a day
Allopurinol-2 a day
This doesn’t include the 2 pro-biotics and other supplements that I take to try to stay healthy.
I almost forgot about the 4 Immodium pills I have to take every day to avoid the chronic diarrhea that I’ve suffered from for almost 4 years.
I have consciously avoided getting addicted to the painkillers that my doctors have given me after surgery. I only took them for 2-3 days after getting home, then I would stop and deal with the pain by taking Aleve(naproxen sodium). It’s the only thing that works, I only take it when I’m having a bad day.
If I’m having a really bad day, my wife will pull out the Oxycodone from my past surgeries and I’ll take one. It works and numbs down the pain so that I can sleep.
This is probably more info. than most people would make public, but my current situation has put me in the mindset that I don’t think people should be taking more drugs, they should be taking fewer. It is just the result of having to live on prescription drugs in order to feel somewhat “normal”.
Everyone has the right to choose whether or not to use drugs, but some drugs end up using you, sometimes to your death.
I take a similar quantity…question why do you use the brand names of the drugs?
If you are not paid to advertise the buggers why?
The active ingredient makes more sense.
Legalise drugs, make them all available under regulation and taxation.
Less (MUCH less) corruption
No gang income from drugs
No dirty money flowing through laundries to political candidates
Use the tax revenue to subsides the cost of necessary drugs in the US where the prices are obscene.
Because I’m a senior on an age pension, my drugs cost me $6.50 per script. Use generic if possible to save the government money. After all the government has no money, the money they have is ours.
. Perhaps there are some that society and parents may deem “appropriate” … 