NotYourBusiness Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 Moved to the appropriate forum. In 2001, the Portuguese government decriminalized all drugs, from aspirin to heroin. Question: How's that going for them? Answer: surprisingly well. Our views of the world are colored by our experiences. Sometimes it is very hard to think outside the box, and visualize how things could possibly be any other way. But guess what. They can. https://mic.com/articles/110344/14-years-after-portugal-decriminalized-all-drugs-here-s-what-s-happening Excellent reference link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_policy_of_Portugal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StreetCowboy Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 I'm not so bothered about the health and well-being of drug addicts. To a large extent, that is their problem, not mine. I am more concerned about weakening the grip that organised crime has on our addict population, and reducing the level of crime that addicts commit to fuel their addiction. Decriminalising drugs reduces the opportunities for criminals, improves the opportunities for victims to inform on their dealers, and tilts the balance in favour of the victims and against the gangs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John P Ryke Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 good point cowboy but what about the addicts (legal ones) such as cigarette and alcohol, prescription drugs. you cannot simply say not my problem, it is part of society. society has accepted that these addictions are health problems, drug addiction will eventually be accepted as the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StreetCowboy Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 33 minutes ago, John P Ryke said: good point cowboy but what about the addicts (legal ones) such as cigarette and alcohol, prescription drugs. you cannot simply say not my problem, it is part of society. society has accepted that these addictions are health problems, drug addiction will eventually be accepted as the same. Correct - and I don't view the health problems of drug addicts any differently from the health problems of smokers or alcoholics or people that eat too many sweet foods, except for alcoholics where I have a personal interest. But to a certain extent society's cost in dealing with these problems is only a part of society's part in dealing with all the problems of prosperity - traffic, congestion, old age, ill health... We could take a Spartan approach, and say you're not entitled to societal health care if you didn't run a marathon (OK - that wasn't Sparta (was it?)) last year, but I don't think that is the way to go. But I don't mind paying for getriatric care, or the medical care of drug-users or alcoholics or diabetics, because the alternative is not pallatable, If decriminalisation does not result in a LARGE increase in drug abuse, then surely the undermining of the criminal economy is a great benefit to us all SC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marko kok prong Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Well the so called war on drugs has failed and in a big way,coca production this year up 17%,most of central America and Mexico almost war zones,Poppy production in Afghanistan at record levels,and huge increases of meth production,and the money spent on this folly runs to billions so i agree time to try a new approach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritManToo Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 17 hours ago, John P Ryke said: society has accepted that these addictions are health problems, drug addiction will eventually be accepted as the same. Overeating, liking sweets and not exercising is a health problem too. How far do you want your nanny state to go? A chip in your fridge to lock it when you eat too much and compulsory exercise machines in every home is the ultimate answer. The war on drugs was just another one of America's fake wars, primarily to make money and control people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneMoreFarang Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Everybody who followed the news in the last decades should have read enough articles from drug experts (drug police, anti drug addiction workers, etc.) to know that the so called war on drugs does not work. And making more war on drugs like longer prison, death penalty, etc. still does not work. I remember especially one article with a high ranking police officer. They just made a huge drug bust, I think it was in the UK. The reporter asked him what the consequences will be and the police officer answered similar to this: Now the drugs will be more expensive on the streets. And because many drug users need more money to pay for the drugs they will commit more crimes to get that money. That is what will change... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connda Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 Portugal has a model that Thailand and other Asian countries should consider following. Stop throwing otherwise good citizen in jail and instead concentrate efforts in eradicating the source of hard drugs (meth, crack, heroin, nicotine <laugh>), getting addicts help, and educating kids to understand what hard drugs do to the body and mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
car720 Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 On 12/1/2018 at 1:06 AM, John P Ryke said: good point cowboy but what about the addicts (legal ones) such as cigarette and alcohol, prescription drugs. you cannot simply say not my problem, it is part of society. society has accepted that these addictions are health problems, drug addiction will eventually be accepted as the same. don't you know that anything that can be taxed is never a drug nor a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
car720 Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 Somethings are good in society and some things are bad. What you like, I will hate and visa versa. There is only one real problem with society today and that is that it has people in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombat Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 from 2016https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/59eqqk/ungass-portugal-what-happened-after-decriminalization-drugs-weed-to-heroin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Proboscis Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 Actually Portugal is not completely free of restrictions on the use of drugs. For instance, possession even of marijuana can lead to a talk with the drug committee and incur some costs. Unlike Spain where small cultivation of marijuana is decriminalized, in Portugal even a pot plant can potentially get you jail time. That said, on the hard drug end of things, I would really like to hear what is the effect of the drug policy on the rest of the population? Are there fewer break-ins? Fewer thefts and muggings? Less drug-dealing related crime (murders, woundings, gun fights etc). Are the streets and homes safer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedrogaz Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 On 11/30/2018 at 9:19 PM, StreetCowboy said: I'm not so bothered about the health and well-being of drug addicts. To a large extent, that is their problem, not mine. I am more concerned about weakening the grip that organised crime has on our addict population, and reducing the level of crime that addicts commit to fuel their addiction. Decriminalising drugs reduces the opportunities for criminals, improves the opportunities for victims to inform on their dealers, and tilts the balance in favour of the victims and against the gangs. Make them legal and sell them through government pharmacies at prices cheaper than the drug dealers charge. Use the money generated to finance decent drug addiction problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emster23 Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 Keith Richards put out some of his best tunes, was hard working and all that while strung out on heroin. Like he said "I don't have a drug problem. I have a police problem". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex8912 Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 I’ve never understood why Portugal, which has a lot of economic problems and high unemployment, has never legalized marijuana for sale and made not just millions and millions in tax dollars but also create thousands of jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfd101 Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 People should read the history of Prohibition in Usofa to see how criminalizing what is really a social & health problem simply hands control of your society to organized crime. And, as every senior cop knows, the more 'successful' the 'war on drugs' [ie the more drug seizures], the higher the profits of the criminals who are not loathe to corrupt politicians, judges, police & customs officials and take over whole swathes of a national economy. The 'War on Drugs' is self-defeating & a waste of vast financial & police resources. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyFriend You Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 On 11/30/2018 at 10:06 PM, John P Ryke said: good point cowboy but what about the addicts (legal ones) such as cigarette and alcohol, prescription drugs. you cannot simply say not my problem, it is part of society. society has accepted that these addictions are health problems, drug addiction will eventually be accepted as the same. I can, It's not my problem, I have zero, zero sympathy for any of them. If they all overdosed and died, I wouldn't lose a minute of sleep. Guess you have never been a victim of a drug related crime?? I have, my only regret is I didn't live in Florida where I could have shot them dead legally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritManToo Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 57 minutes ago, TunnelRat69 said: Guess you have never been a victim of a drug related crime?? I have, my only regret is I didn't live in Florida where I could have shot them dead legally. 1 Without the war on drugs, there wouldn't be drug-related crime. Just like there's no smoking-related crime. Not many people stealing to finance their alcohol habit either, as far as I know. Drug related crimes are entirely caused by our governments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exemplary21 Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 3 hours ago, BritManToo said: Without the war on drugs, there wouldn't be drug-related crime. Just like there's no smoking-related crime. Not many people stealing to finance their alcohol habit either, as far as I know. Drug related crimes are entirely caused by our governments. Exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Estrada Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 16 hours ago, alex8912 said: I’ve never understood why Portugal, which has a lot of economic problems and high unemployment, has never legalized marijuana for sale and made not just millions and millions in tax dollars but also create thousands of jobs. Since June 2018, it is legal to sell medicinal Marijuana... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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