Washington state's marijuana laws keep getting more sane

[© tweed]

We need to stop imprisoning people for drug violations. I am not just talking about Marijuana, but any simple drug possession. Those people need help, not prison. Of course the prison industry won't like that.

why do people in possession of drugs "need help"?

[© tweed]

We need to stop imprisoning people for drug violations. I am not just talking about Marijuana, but any simple drug possession. Those people need help, not prison. Of course the prison industry won't like that.

why do people in possession of drugs "need help"?

People addicted to Heroin, Meth and Nicotine don't need help?

not necessarily, and regardless of what they 'need', forcing help on them is going to be counterproductive.  but the key point here is that possession is not equal to addiction.  you wouldn't call someone carrying a six-pack an alcoholic.

[© tweed]

We need to stop imprisoning people for drug violations. I am not just talking about Marijuana, but any simple drug possession. Those people need help, not prison. Of course the prison industry won't like that.

why do people in possession of drugs "need help"?

People addicted to Heroin, Meth and Nicotine don't need help?

not necessarily, and regardless of what they 'need', forcing help on them is going to be counterproductive.  but the key point here is that possession is not equal to addiction.  you wouldn't call someone carrying a six-pack an alcoholic.

So do you think meth should be sold in stores?

in an ideal world of my creation, it would be sold via state monopoly, yes, though this has little relevance to current public policy debates.

[© tweed]

Sbane, while addiction is not good, there does not seem to be any good evidence that treating it as a criminal problem instead of a medical problem is more helpful to the addict,

there is also scant evidence that medical 'treatment' of addiction, particularly of the coerced type, is of any use beyond the 5%ish natural remission rate.

[© tweed]

Of course people will use mind altering substances. Alcohol and Marijuana are mild altering substances, and people should be allowed to indulge in them in their free time. I just don't think it is as easy to function if you are hooked on heavily addictive drugs like Heroin and Meth.

this is mostly just prejudice.  there are plenty of heroin and cocaine addicts sheltered within middle-class and above.  it is no harder to be a 'functional' alcohol cocaine addict than it is an alcohol addict, and the only reason why it would be are due to the consequences of legal prohibition.

[© tweed]

Of course people will use mind altering substances. Alcohol and Marijuana are mild altering substances, and people should be allowed to indulge in them in their free time. I just don't think it is as easy to function if you are hooked on heavily addictive drugs like Heroin and Meth.

this is mostly just prejudice.  there are plenty of heroin and cocaine addicts sheltered within middle-class and above.  it is no harder to be a 'functional' alcohol cocaine addict than it is an alcohol addict, and the only reason why it would be are due to the consequences of legal prohibition.

So, Tweed, what's your drug of choice? Heroin?

alcohol most of my life, marijuana for part of it, supplemented with daily caffeine and nicotine.  opiates I liked but (thankfully) never sought nor developed a habit.  why do you ask, Badger?

[© tweed]

Of course people will use mind altering substances. Alcohol and Marijuana are mild altering substances, and people should be allowed to indulge in them in their free time. I just don't think it is as easy to function if you are hooked on heavily addictive drugs like Heroin and Meth.

this is mostly just prejudice.  there are plenty of heroin and cocaine addicts sheltered within middle-class and above.  it is no harder to be a 'functional' alcohol cocaine addict than it is an alcohol addict, and the only reason why it would be are due to the consequences of legal prohibition.

Yes, Cocaine is in a bit of a gray area I think. Heroin is extremely addictive though.

drugs have many different properties.  capacity to produce harm and the capacity to form habit do not necessarily align.  nicotine is more-or-less harmless in the short and medium-term but is extremely habit-forming.. addictivity (if you will) and harmfulness are separate properties.

[© tweed]

The enthusiasm for prison shown here by the subjects of a penal society is hardly surprising.

Surely you people realize there are other solutions, no?

None that I'm interested in. I think violent people should be locked up so I don't have to deal with them.

locking someone up is a violent act -- so the circle is closed.

[© tweed]

perhaps the scariest public health drawback of heroin is the transmission of HIV through needles, which is easily eradicated by clean-needle exchange or, better-yet, safe-injection sites.  another of the scariest drawbacks is the accidental overdose, which again could be eliminated by safe-injection or legalization w/proper labeling (use no more than x amount if you weigh <110lbs, 1.2x if you weigh <130lbs, etc.)