# What- OTHER THAN guns- do you think people can't be trusted with? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 20, 2014, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242 "2014-01-20T02:13:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242/1 "2014-01-20T02:13:14Z")
What things do you think the general public isn’t competent to handle, and should be banned or limited to specially licensed experts?Since the beginning of the twentieth century narcotics haven’t been allowed to be freely sold; we’re still debating about marijuana. At one time you could buy dynamite in your local hardware store, but you couldn’t legally buy whiskey. And some states still restrict fireworks. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242/2 "2014-01-20T02:18:48Z")
Toxic, poisonous, and chemically active materials. I’ve seen too many people dump too many really dangerous crap into storm drains and creeks. Some things really do need to be licensed and regulated. I would put malware on this list, but there really isn’t any way to regulate that. ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242/3 "2014-01-20T02:20:18Z")
Children ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242/4 "2014-01-20T02:25:49Z")
Cars. They should be registered. And drivers should be licensed. Oh, wait… ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242/5 "2014-01-20T02:30:04Z")
Lethal infectious organisms. I don’t want my neighbor to be fooling around with an Ebola For Dummies biowarfare hobbyist kit. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242/6 "2014-01-20T02:35:31Z")
Absolute power. The ability to make decisions which affect the lives of millions of people can’t be left to just one person. Even if the group chosen to make the decisions screws up, at least they get to share the blame around. Usually. Sometimes. Okay, that doesn’t work so good either… ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242/7 "2014-01-20T02:40:49Z")
> [@randompattern](#): > > Children Seconded. Also lawn chemicals and leaf blowers. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242/8 "2014-01-20T02:41:47Z")
Mercury. As much fun as it is to play with, that shit can kill you. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242/9 "2014-01-20T02:53:04Z")
Radiological material seems an easy one - Pu-239, U-235, Cs-137… I don’t care how cool it is you are \*not \*building a nuclear reactor as a hobby, young man. ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242/10 "2014-01-20T02:56:31Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Mercury. As much fun as it is to play with, that shit can kill you. Nu nu nothing ever happened to mu mu mu me. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242/11 "2014-01-20T03:36:36Z")
So far people have listed Weapons (biological, firearms, explosives, etc) Children Dangerous chemicals Power without checks and balances I would add to that advanced espionage equipment isn’t something people should be trusted with (this includes cops who don’t have checks and balances). ---
**Author:** ![toofs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@toofs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toofs)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242/12 "2014-01-20T03:41:22Z")
Voting. Cite: California Proposition 8. California Propostion 1A. There are others. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242/13 "2014-01-20T03:43:08Z")
Electrical wiring. The shoddy job done by a home handyman today could cost someone else their life at a random point in the future. I’m cool with electrical work being restricted to trained and licenced professionals only. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242/14 "2014-01-20T03:43:12Z")
Real estate. ---
**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242/15 "2014-01-20T04:05:48Z")
Sugar. Just kidding, but unhealthy eating habits do way more damage to us as a country than illegal drugs. ---
**Author:** ![Cumberdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Cumberdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumberdale)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242/16 "2014-01-20T04:09:06Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Cars. They should be registered. And drivers should be licensed. Oh, wait… Seconded. Licensing should be much tougher and penalties should be severe. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242/17 "2014-01-20T04:39:26Z")
Antibiotics. Even after a thorough talking to about how important it is to take 'em all, people don’t. And add to that the urge people have to take them for viral infections…bad news, all around. Frankly, I’m not even sure we should trust all \*doctors \*with antibiotics. Some of them are part of the problem, prescribing them without any evidence that the infection is bacterial, or that the bacteria is susceptible to the antibiotic they chose. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242/18 "2014-01-20T05:29:04Z")
The ability to cut people open. Probably worth making sure that people who do that go to school. Giving legal advice. Designing bridges and buildings. Even cutting hair in some places. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242/19 "2014-01-20T05:55:14Z")
Operating bulldozers, backhoes, pile drivers and other types of heavy engineering equipment. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242/20 "2014-01-20T08:28:35Z")
Their neighbors’ spouses. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-than-guns-do-you-think-people-cant-be-trusted-with/679242.md?page=2)