I’ve been struggling for a long time to come up with an answer that satisfies me. Prohibition has never worked and never will, especially when it’s based on the fear born of ignorance. The drug war has created an enormous disrespect and disdain of law and law enforcement, not to mention unnecessary destruction of families by incarceration of harmless, nonviolent people.
On the one hand, I’d hate to see some drugs legalized, meth and PCP in particular. They’re just plain destructive.
The opiates are strongly addictive, but long term use has roughly the same physical hazards as alcohol. Most “OD’s” are the result of either very pure stuff after some that’s heavily cut, or from the adulterants used. Early deaths are primarily from those factors or from dirty needles, other confounding factors. These factors are almost entirely the result of illegality.
Hallucinogens, while their use can lead to a panic reaction (bad trip), are in the most part pretty benign and can be extraordinarily useful. Psilocybin has been demonstrated to be highly beneficial in easing the pain and fear of cancer patients. An occasionl trip has been shown to improve mood and outlook for long periods of time, maybe permanently. Ibogaine is an incredibly effective treatment for any type of addiction. And the hallucinogens themselves are totally non-addictive.
Same for ecstasy. Not the chemical concoctions often sold on the street, but the real stuff, MDMA. While there are some hazards from excessive use, such as increased body temperature and dehydration, it’s pretty benign and has shown good results in situations like marital and family counseling.
LSD and mescaline probably have similar effects, although I haven’t seem many good studies yet. The governmental shut-down of nearly all research into these drugs has resulted in an unnecessary and destructive lack of knowledge.
The more exotic hallucinogens like ayahuasca and DMT should likewise be legal.
The designer drugs seem to be like Russian roulette. I can see them being banned until there’s good evidence of whether or not there is reason to prohibit them.
So… Make the growing, selling and use of pot legal under the same controls as alcohol and tobacco. Hallucinogens too, though with a good honest program of education on what to expect.
Make use of all opiates/opiods legal. Create channels where addicts can satisfy their cravings with cheap, pure, controlled and known doses. The addiction WILL NOT totally go away, ever, and it’s senseless to think it will. Although illegal (in the U.S.), the potent hallucinogen ibogaine does a good job of getting addicts to stay clean.
Keep the illegal sales illegal. It’s the pushers that have created most of the problems, and the pushers are there because once hooked, they’re the only place to get what’s necessary.
Cocaine, well, that’s on the line. Crack heads beyond a doubt often get to the point where they’re a danger to others. It hits the user fast and hard. That’s why it’s so popular in certain circles. On the other hand, powdered cocaine, while not particularly benign, can be used in a somewhat responsible manner. If somebody gets out of hand and commits violent or property crimes nail them for the crimes.
Crank an PCP are imo a scourge. There’s a high likelihood that the user will fly off the handle and create havoc. Keep 'em illegal, but focus enforcement on the cooks and dealers.
I have a little bit of a problem with that on philosophical grounds, but as a practical matter it probably makes sense.
Most of all, base any and all laws on reason and fact. On how much damage is likely to be done to others. Go for the harm reduction model.
When ya get right down to it, what business do politicans have telling me that my body and mind should be under their control? If the objective is to keep me from harming myself then most sports should be illegal. Football in particular often results in severe brain damage.
In summary, from a philosophical and moral point of view I’m opposed to any governmental entity controlling my mind and body against my will. From a practical point of view, most of the “drug problem” is more a result of prohiibition than of the drugs themselves. Another result of prohibition is an erosion of personal privacy, free speech, and respect for law in general. All kinds of invasions of privacy are now allowed and promoted in an effort to escalate the drug war.
I just realized how long I’ve been blatherin’ on. It’s a complex subject and bears lots of thought and gathering of accurate knowledge. As a society, how much violence, how mcuh loss of lives and livelihoods, how much ostracism, how much denial of the normal rights of citizenship can be justified in the pursuit of something that has little or no personal danger, little or no likelihood of harming others, and little or no potential for accomplishing its stated irrational goals?
End of long-winded rant. For now, anyway.