Oregon Decriminalizes Small Amounts of Heroin and Cocaine; Four States Legalize Marijuana

How does prison help a person like that? And what of our overflowing prisons? Is this a good use of tax payer money?

 

IMO, it shouldn't be the drug addict being 'criminalized', it's what they do to support their drug habit they are usually being jailed for.

It takes a lot for me to say this (I lost a family member to heroin) but the first time the stick a needle in themselves, they have signed their lives away. They will drain any money they have, other family members have, and technically have reached the stage of criminal behavior the minute it is not their money they have earned that goes to support their habit.

Those that supply the drugs are criminals, period. They are feeding the destruction of other people. Just as barkeeps can be held responsible for allowing people to consume too much alcohol on their premises, drug dealers are responsible for those who damage other people's lives.

Sorry, I can't be neutral on this subject.

 

I know 2 different women who used heroin with a needle in their youth. They both walked away from it and led ordinary lives. Maybe they were the exceptions rather than the rule?

Dr. William Halstead of Johns Hopkins Medical School used morphine with a needle in the last century, and functioned as a normal individual.

The Swiss have demonstrated with their policy that heroin users can be maintained and function as normal individuals.

 

I am sorry for your loss, your answer was deeply interesting.

 

Your handle is quite personal, I see. I'm sorry for your loss. Heroin is tough.

I agree with you; criminal activities related to getting the drugs, or being high on the drugs, is what needs to be punished. Addiction isn't criminal behavior, and should not be treated as such. My preference is that instead of prison, we put these people into recovery facilities, and give them the tools they need to survive without the drugs. Rehab centers do amazing work. In prison, they get no help in how to handle a life without drugs.

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A timely personal, & sad story. I, too, lost someone to heroin. He was a good friend, and I thought we were making good strides to get him off the stuff.

28 years ago, tomorrow, he died. Yes, Christmas Eve. He was trying to rob a store and got stuck in a chimney and froze to death.

 

I actually agree with this, it's a net drain on society but let's not forget that it's self inflicted. I still remember how many episodes I've seen if cops were the idiot was out driving around with no id, (suspended license and warrants) but remembered their crack pipe.

The consequences are well-known both financially health-wise and with potential prison time that these fools do it anyway, and their record usually indicates a pattern that has gone on for years.

If you can't leave your freaking pipe at home then rhe problem is not the system the problem is you.

With that said I'm still strongly in favour of decriminalizing small amounts, it does more harm than good.

 

Good post.

 

My handle is incidental. I've had for years. My family member died two years ago December 15.

To lose someone to drugs will usually change one's perspective. I used to be to each their own, but while they are only killing themselves and as bad as that is, they are actually committing crimes on others.

Loss, especially around this time of year, seems to hurt a little extra. I'm sorry about your friend.

 

Conservatives would much rather bash you than help you. The saying is they would not piss on you if you were on fire, but they would actually throw gasoline on you and then charge you for the fire hazard.

 

Self medication, as in taking strong pain pills for gout, or back pain. Many of those people had legit reasons to medicate, but the problem was that when you have endless access to Oxycontin, then you will end up addicted, and its all downhill from there. Got pain? Talk to your doctor about it, don't self-medicate with heroin. It's stupid.

 

Your point doesn't negate my point.

My husband has been going to a pain clinic for a few months. It's a good service. He's getting 120 Percocet-10, every month, for a still undiagnosed arthritis of some sort, in his lower body. He remains un-addicted. Some people are prone to addiction.

 

The pain clinics these days are strictly regulated. 8 years ago there was practically no regulations, and they were handing it out like candy.

 

I am for legalizing things. Drug dealers commit lots of crime and put people in danger. If it was legal there could be more regulations on it that are enforced by law as opposed to a drug dealer who will give you whatever he has or can afford. Plus you would have a product that would likely have to be tested for strength and purity. Cocaine is not really as addictive as people say. I would say it is really only addictive while you are doing it. As in it's hard to stop once you've started but once you stop the hangover is so bad most people are put off by that. Now a days you have to worry about what you are getting as well. Used to be you could by coke and the worst you would have to worry about was getting gypped with some baby laxative or ground up drywall. Now you have to worry they cut it with Fentanyl and one line could kill you. I'm usually very right leaning but I do part with conservatives on this issue. Freedom is freedom, including the freedom to choose what you put in your body. Want a vaccine? Take one or not I don't care. Want to shoot heroin, fine just don't bug me or expect any support from me.
I have seen both sides of addiction. My ex-wife's brother eventually killed himself with heroin only after he dragged his family through the mud for 10+ years. I have also had a friend who was addicted to oxy and did it for years however he remained to be mostly functional. I wouldn't want that life for me but he was happy with his addiction while continuing to self sustain

 

Yes, but that doesn't mean people going to pain clinics don't get addicted.

I was "addicted" to cocaine in the 80s. It was hard to stop, but nothing like heroin, as I'm told. When I was diagnosed with bipolar a few years ago, I asked my doctor if that was the reason for my behavior in the 80s. She said it was almost certainly a contributing factor. We dramatically underestimate the power of balanced brain chemistry in this country.

 

Half the people in South Florida did cocaine in the 1980s. I knew many who used it, but only in the weekends and during the week they lived normal lives. I doubt such behaviour of possible with heroin, which is far more addictive. Its strange that crack is so addictive and powder cocaine is not, even though it is the same drug. Either way, there are valid reasons why it is classified as "hard drug".

 

I think more like half the country. It was glorified in movies, and there were lots of bling accessories on the market. I was in Chicago at the time.

 

How any decent person could support this is beyond me. Drugs destroy lives and communities. There is no way around it. Of course what this is really about is the continued destruction of Western Civilization.

 

I knew pot legalization was only the first step towards something bigger. The argument for pot was easier to sell because it is a far less harmful drug, although it is NOT harmless.

 

We need better education. Educated people make better decisions. Our schools are abysmal. We need school choice and a destruction of the Dept. of Education.

No third grader says they want to be a junkie when they grow up.

 

Education cant stand up to the dominant culture. Tune into what young people are being taught be their idols. The whole culture is rotten. The boys want to be thugs and the girls want to be whores. Luther, Beethoven, Washington, Jackson, Churchill are all rolling over in their graves.

 

The only addiction I have ever had is to tobacco which is not illegal. Think about that. Tobacco can and does kill. People don't have to rob and kill to buy it. People can live a fairly normal life while being addicted. Is there good reason that the same could be true of some of the illegal drugs? Could the illegality be worse than the drug? Why not have government replace the drug cartels which are even more dangerous than government?

I would say the drug laws have created terrible unintended consequences. The haven't been effective either. No good comes from them.

 

Decriminalization is not the same as legalization.

 

Why is it so hard to score if they all be whores?

 

I'm not trying to be cruel or smartass, but if your husband is consuming 120 Percocet a month, he is likely already addicted.

Addiction doesn't really manifest until a person stops using the drug, whether it's caffeine, nicotine or alcohol or anything else. Habitual use is usually addiction, but humans live with addiction all the time.

It doesn't become a problem until a person stops taking the substance he uses habitually.

 

You may have a point if he was taking the max does, every day. It's rare he takes the max dose; about once a week. Don't judge others. Addiction isn't an automatic thing.