The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Drugs! Wow

Dust_Devil · July 9, 2006, 01:48 PM

I would like to give my side to the debate of whether or not to legalize drugs.
I am against the legalization of drugs. Sorry that this is a long read.
My reasons;
First let’s start with marijuana, which people think isn’t a dangerous drug.
There is a great misconception that just because a drug like marijuana may not be technically “dangerous” compared to the other drugs or possibly may not even have the type of health effects that regular tobacco may have, marijuana still has more of a more overall negative effect on the user.
Now, can a person who only smokes marijuana occasionally live a normal , healthy and productive life? Possibly yes. But here is the clincher. How many people who actually use marijuana or would be given the opportunity to use marijuana legally would use it wisely? Not that many compared to those who would over-use marijuana to the point where they start to become lazy, unproductive, zombies that have no useful role in society.
I have used marijuana a few times and know people who have used it, but I and most others stopped using it and now have responsible lives. Let me assure you that all the people that I know that still use marijuana and use it on a regular basis have been in jail at least once, divorced, paying child support, unemployed, and involved in many domestic disputes.
Oh sure, the marijuana may have little immediate health effects, but the negative effect is has on a person’s mind as far as being responsible, productive and making correct decisions is far too great.
Now let’s compare drugs with alcohol.
Yes, when abused, alcohol is a very dangerous substance. However, alcohol which the majority of drinkers consume in a moderate amount or at least an amount which their bodies can tolerate and drink for the taste of the alcoholic beverage and for social reasons, drug users use drugs for the sole purpose of getting “high”. No crack user or meth user uses those drugs for the taste of the drug and those drugs require only a small dose or hit to have a negative effect on the user whereas alcohol requires most people to consume quite a bit before getting too intoxicated.
In other words, the main reason why those illegal drugs exist is for the user to “alter” his/her mind which only leads to negative circumstances.
I don’t know any regular user of illegal drugs that is a normal, productive law-biding citizen and would become so and use drugs in a responsible or occasional manner if those drugs were to be legalized.
What would happen if more drugs were legalized? We would just have more people with lazy, non-productive, criminal behavior because the drugs are more accessible for people to get hooked on.
Alcoholism is bad enough.. Why feed the society with more reasons for individuals to get dependant on something that only has negative effects?

“The war and drugs is costing too many lives and costing too much money!!” True, but the war on terrorism also costs lives and money and seems ever hopeless, but none of us thinks about quiting fighting terrorists, now do we? Well, maybe if you are a pot smoking, liberal hippie.

I believe there are 3 reasons why anyone would want any such type of drugs legalized and that there is no reason to try to get drugs off our streets and out of our society.
1. They are a drug user themselves.
2. They truly never saw anyone such as friends, family or anyone else who abused drugs and have seen the negative effects that they have.
3. They think that the majority of drug users are “occasional users” that can quit at any time.

July 9, 2006, 01:48 PM	#4
Dust_Devil Senior Member Join Date: August 5, 2005 Location: Arizona Posts: 235	My thoughts on this subject I would like to give my side to the debate of whether or not to legalize drugs. I am against the legalization of drugs. Sorry that this is a long read. My reasons; First let’s start with marijuana, which people think isn’t a dangerous drug. There is a great misconception that just because a drug like marijuana may not be technically “dangerous” compared to the other drugs or possibly may not even have the type of health effects that regular tobacco may have, marijuana still has more of a more overall negative effect on the user. Now, can a person who only smokes marijuana occasionally live a normal , healthy and productive life? Possibly yes. But here is the clincher. How many people who actually use marijuana or would be given the opportunity to use marijuana legally would use it wisely? Not that many compared to those who would over-use marijuana to the point where they start to become lazy, unproductive, zombies that have no useful role in society. I have used marijuana a few times and know people who have used it, but I and most others stopped using it and now have responsible lives. Let me assure you that all the people that I know that still use marijuana and use it on a regular basis have been in jail at least once, divorced, paying child support, unemployed, and involved in many domestic disputes. Oh sure, the marijuana may have little immediate health effects, but the negative effect is has on a person’s mind as far as being responsible, productive and making correct decisions is far too great. Now let’s compare drugs with alcohol. Yes, when abused, alcohol is a very dangerous substance. However, alcohol which the majority of drinkers consume in a moderate amount or at least an amount which their bodies can tolerate and drink for the taste of the alcoholic beverage and for social reasons, drug users use drugs for the sole purpose of getting “high”. No crack user or meth user uses those drugs for the taste of the drug and those drugs require only a small dose or hit to have a negative effect on the user whereas alcohol requires most people to consume quite a bit before getting too intoxicated. In other words, the main reason why those illegal drugs exist is for the user to “alter” his/her mind which only leads to negative circumstances. I don’t know any regular user of illegal drugs that is a normal, productive law-biding citizen and would become so and use drugs in a responsible or occasional manner if those drugs were to be legalized. What would happen if more drugs were legalized? We would just have more people with lazy, non-productive, criminal behavior because the drugs are more accessible for people to get hooked on. Alcoholism is bad enough.. Why feed the society with more reasons for individuals to get dependant on something that only has negative effects? “The war and drugs is costing too many lives and costing too much money!!” True, but the war on terrorism also costs lives and money and seems ever hopeless, but none of us thinks about quiting fighting terrorists, now do we? Well, maybe if you are a pot smoking, liberal hippie. I believe there are 3 reasons why anyone would want any such type of drugs legalized and that there is no reason to try to get drugs off our streets and out of our society. 1. They are a drug user themselves. 2. They truly never saw anyone such as friends, family or anyone else who abused drugs and have seen the negative effects that they have. 3. They think that the majority of drug users are “occasional users” that can quit at any time.