[brien]

Quote by: brien Those who continue to support keeping drugs illegal leave us who disagree only to conclude you agree with punishing the sick in our society. So be it.

pikatore wrote:

That, I'm afraid to say, shows the flawed logic underlying your whole argument. What the HELL kind of assumptions are you making to come to a conclusion like that?

It is flawed logic to advocate treatment for an illness(drug abuse) rather than punishment? Keeping illegal drugs illegal perpetuates the punishment cycle of drug abuse and also perpetuates the criminal activity associated with illegal drugs. There are no treatment programs in prisons for drug abuse. In fact, drug abusers can get along quite well with their habit in corrupt prisons.

If keeping illegal drugs illegal is working, then why do we continue to have the epidemic of drug abuse in the US? Those of us who understand the problem of drug abuse, perhaps understand better that the solution is in treatment, not punishment. Those who use analgesics on a recreational basis are forced to use an underground of organized crime to obtain their drug of choice. If it were legal, the criminals would have no customers and they would have to turn to another lifestyle to support themselves while the occasional user could obtain their drug without perpetuating crime. How is not a bad thing to not perpetuate crime? Keeping drugs illegal perpetuates criminal activity since it doesn't solve the problem of drug abuse.