Aussies have the right to partake of legal (tobacco, alcohol) drugs and now many partake of illegal drugs (marijuana, cocaine, heroin, speed etc. etc.) with varying results.
Sure we can legalise these drugs. However who picks up the tab for all of the Aussies with their health permanently ruined? What about the resulting increase in psychotic nutters and sundry bods who are now on a disability pension that was all their own fault?
The taxpayer pays in increased costs to hospitals and the health system generally. Innocent bystanders are killed or maimed by 'stoned' drivers.
The costs to the community outweigh the 'benefits' of liberalising the drug laws in my opinion.

Alcohol & Tobacco are by far and away the most destructive drugs mentioned by the last poster, and I haven't heard that anyone has ever died of weed.

I suspect an examination of police records would confirm that in the case of tragic events where an individual has been run down by another under the influence of substance that in the vast majority of incidents that the offending substance has been alcohol.

Who pays, well, those who imbue in a regulated industry, by way of tax on product and proceeds are used purely for medical

(irrespective of whether or not individuals break down due to say unknown genetic predisposition or otherwise)

with any surplus then going to medical research and charity, not to nefarious media campaigns aimed at propagating partisan political agendas - I call that soft KORRUPTION!

Indeed the previous poster appears to be an uninformed individual.

nswnotill: Well I agree entirely.

DreamOn: <"I believe that reasonable, rational consenting adults should be able to, and that for those who go wayward, they ought be lovingly picked up and rehabilitated as a matter of medical significance.">

People who have a psychosis either triggered by or exacerbated by using MJ; amphetamines and other mind altering substances are hardly "reasonable, rational" in their choices when the addiction continues to demand relief. Neither are those whose moods and often personalities are altered, for the worse, by drug use. None of them planned to become the monumental pains in the ass that they are that drive others away from them.

As nswnotill said, we already have many individuals on disability pensions because their thinking and functioning is damaged beyond repair - the best that can be done is to add antipsychotic and various other sedating medication in the hope of rendering them harmless to others.

As for using health services to pick up and care for people with addictions - I agree that people should be cared for respectfully and kindly regardless of their behaviour. However, there is also the problem of enabling. I am also worried about health services that are already miusused as rest services for people who seem unable to function in any domain except in procuring their fix.

Even so, I tend to like the idea of dispensing drugs - the full range - from pharmacies and the like. Let Darwinian principles sort it out - hopefully it wouldn't take more than a generation or two. MJ alone if they are supplied with enough of it on a regular basis will reduce fertility.

I would love to see the drug income ripped out of the pockets of people who exploit others' immaturity and weakness. Some government agency or other could distribute them for a nominal amount. Proceeds could go towards rehabilitation for those who still have enough brain cells and wherewithal intact to make that choice. The more impaired could at least be provided with dry, warm flop houses etc.

Cont/d

Cont/d:

Potential hitches in the plan include the impact of their behaviour on other people. I think especially of babies who are born addicted and others too helpless to escape the neglect or rage of a drug fuelled adult. I think also of drugged drivers. There are legal consequences too. Who is culpable if your local truck or bus driver or building contractor is souped up on government crack?

It might also be that no matter what range of substances the government supplies; that some backyard cook somewhere will soon develop something different that competes.

Some people seem to be able to use drugs and remain fairly unscathed; but there are already far too many who have become damaged and altered beyond recognition. Arguments about vested interests on the prevention and health sides of things, keeping things as are, are irrelevant as legalization will hardly prevent the stream of customers with whom health, legal and policing services presently deal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2HipedgM3I&NR=1

Posted by Pynchme, Saturday, 2 January 2010 1:36:01 AM

" ... People who have a psychosis either triggered by or exacerbated by using MJ; amphetamines and other mind altering substances are hardly "reasonable, rational" in their choices when the addiction continues to demand relief. ... "

Do you have a medical/scientific basis for your views or are you just spouting off personal opinion based on emotive grabs from the newspaper?

Or perhaps you have someone close effected and even though you likely know very little about it have convinced yourself that you know the "evil reasons" behind it?

..

From what I know about the area people who have some form of mental pathology in the vast majority of cases cannot tolerate consumption of stimulates any longer and if they do imbue they suffer greatly as a consequence. But here again, in the absence of a decent mental health system, often these people are "self medicating" in an effort to self treat.

Even in the case of our own military, many come back with latent and altered states of consciousness, often described as "P.ost T.raumatic S.tress syndrome" and are left to flounder. Now, undoubtedly, some of these characters can be extremely dangerous, but I personally don't blame them for that, but rather the gutter trolls from the liberal and labour pary and their parasitic cohorts in the A.ustralian M.oney grubbers A.ssociation.

Again, though you may note that from my earlier posts in this thread that I am very much aware of the harm that some substances when abused can cause, or in the case of predisposed individuals very quickly, brain chemistry is a very complex area and some individuals benefit greatly from a bit of this or that to relieve stress or otherwise.

..

1/2

2/2

For example, I would point out that the vaso-dilatory effects and the appetite stimulant effect of ganja are still utilised in a controlled manner in some medical facilities as whilst all drugs have side effects, the weed side effect profile is far less, being a natural, than anything synthetic we have on offer currently.

Likewise, Ecstasy was for a long time prescribed by psychiatrists until its long term effects were known, and our own Vietnam troops went packed with a nice baggie of weed to boot.

As already stated, many of these substances can do great harm, but so can food to a person with a specific allergy. I would suggest that if you seek to impose abstinence on mature adults, as history attests, you will not only fail, but you will also fail to avail yourself of the benefits of certain currently illicit substances, which is why of course we also keep and study highly virulent viruses.

Why don't you go and live with Muslims if you want to understand what the results of forced abstinence can be?

As for your comments what ought be done with those suffering a psychosis, I find them to be a most ignorant and offensive generalisation and on behalf of those so inflicted, am pleased to to have the opportunity to tell you so.