if the use of addictive drugs is illegal, should addictive substance like nicotine or coffee be illegal why?

Answer 1

Considering the massive damage that tobacco (not necessarilly nicotine itself) products do to the human body, I absolutely think they should be illegal. Now on the other hand, making them illegal would likely wind up making them cheaper and easier to come by (despite our so-called "war on drugs," exactly how many high school kids have access to pot? 9 out of 10?). No such thing is ever going to happen, however--and it has more to do with money than it does our safety. Americans alone spend billions on their tobacco habits, and it's all highly taxed. Way too much revenue coming in to stop its useage, despite the many health problems that crop up because of its useage.

But your logic is flawless on this one: It's addictive (10X more so than heroin), it's destructive (the list of medical problems linked to tobacco use continues to grow nearly every day), and even harms those around the smoker (secondhand smoke is every bit as destructive as the smoke inhaled from the actual cigarette). Sounds like a drug to me! And with no real medicinal use (unlike pot), if it wasn't for the massive amounts of money addicts spend to fuel their habit, there'd be no reason to ever TRY and seperate it from other "nastier" drugs.

Caffine is an interesting one, because in moderate use it actually does have medical benifits to it. It's also a very useful substance for people recieving treatments for certain diseases (chemo patients, for example) in that it helps offset the fatigue that these treatments can cause. But, yes, it's addictive--and to abuse it is to risk heart complications, create nervous anxiety, and the inability to focus mentally on problems. But like cigarettes it generates tremendous amounts of money. All those coffee shops you see everywhere? (Starbucks ring any bells?) Yep. Money. Green. Moola. And there's thousands more coffee drinkers than there are cigarette smokers and tobacco chewers combined. Add to this consideration that most soft drinks, "diet" drinks, and sports drinks also have a heaping portion of caffine added to them (even chocolate contains caffine!), and you'll soon realize that nearly everyone walking the planet consumes caffine to some extent. But it's really like asking if aspirin should be outlawed since taking a whole bottle won't stop at just curing the headache--it'll kill the guy with the headache as well. Caffine has too many good uses if it's kept in moderation (aids in painkillers' effectiveness, sharpens the thinking process, aids in athletic performance without permanent damage, aids those with chronic fatigue, speeds metabolism and aids in carbohydrate digestion, and the list marches on) to illegalize it. It's like anything else in medicine: Proper tool, proper use, proper results. It's the ABuse that makes us worry!

Answer 2

No, it shouldn't be. Nicotine, maybe... because it is after all a huge addictive in cigarettes, but because the cigarette companies depend on it, they couldn't ban nicotine because you would initially be killing a large supply of the stock market, addicted smokers who cannot quit the habit easily, and killing the businesses. Although... cigarettes are not good for you, government nor should anyone else have the right to do that.

Also when it comes to coffee, its not that the coffee is addicting. It is the caffeine in the coffee that stimulates the brain and makes it addicting for people that drink it on a daily basis. It cannot be illegal because of its use not only in coffee but also energy drinks, soda, and even types of medicine.

I am some what of an addict to coffee, and I was a previous smoker. Both habits are not good things to deal with, but there is no realistic way either substances of caffeine or nicotine could become illegal.

Answer 3

By making drugs illegal, our government is helping the drug trade. Not only does it make drugs more appealing, but it is why cartels can charge so much for drugs at all times. Think of any other commodity that is constantly sold for sometimes 100 times more than it is worth, and keep in mind that high price means high demand. The way I see it, American citizens should be free to do whatever they want with their bodies, but there will always be a self-righteous majority who believe that we need to be protected by our government, by having them decide what we can and cannot do to our own bodies, which supposedly belong to us. The reason that caffeine and nicotine are legal is because they are accepted as being okay by most Americans, and because there would be outrage by people who are addicted if they were deemed illegal.

Answer 4

Cannabis is certainly a psychologically addictive substance. That's about as far as it goes though. It doesn't have the addictive characteristics that narcotics or even alcohol and nicotine have. Obviously everyone is different and you may have truly developed a physical dependence to cannabis. It is more likely the result of an addictive personality type.

Answer 5

I don't think any of it should be illegal. I don't believe there would be half of the drug related violence if it were legal and regulated. And in case you haven't noticed, they're cracking down on nicotine and I wouldn't be surprised if that was illegal in the next 5-10 years. Also, ANYTHING can be addicting - there are people out there who are addicted to sex, should that become illegal as well?

Answer 6

No, because there would be actual wars. There were wars due to chocalate, tea and other vital substances that man need and deserve. If you take someting away that the human body craves, there will be wars. Natural drugs such as canabis should never be illegal. Governments don't like these kinds of drugs, simply because they bring people together and help make them think for themselves. Drug companies fund many governenments and they really don't want you getting to anything that might actually work. No, even bad things like tobacco shouldn't ne illegal but very heavily taxed to pay for the deaths and sickness they bring our society. Chocolate is good for you in moderation. Hey, I have one for you. Lets make guns, and other weapons illegal. How about war. Lets make it illegal too. Those things actually hard our society and should be illegal but are glorified instead.

Answer 7

The difference is that drugs are addictive and harmful, while caffiene is addictive but not harmful in normal doses. Nicotine is less harmful than street drugs, but still harmful. Oddly enough, nicotine has been found to be more addictive than cocaine...no wonder it's so hard to quit!

Answer 8

Nicotine, maybe. Coffee, no. The difference between these drugs and "harder" drugs is that they don't cause seriously altered states of mind that make you act crazy and alter your personality. Look at people on meth, coke, or heroin. They can become complete raging maniacs because of the drugs. Sure, people who desperately need their ciggies or caffeine can act quite on edge and even be annoying to be around, but it's nowhere near the affect of hard drugs on people's bodies, actions, and personality.

Answer 9

Nicotine should be illegal. Coffee has shown to have many benefits. Cafine and other substances in coffee are actually antioxidants. Of course, too much is not good.

I wish nicotine was illegal, maybe I would never have started smoking and wouldn't have wast thousands of dollars over a 20 year period.

Answer 10

I think so....my mom not having her morning coffee acts like a crackhead needing a fix. lol But then again people are doing illegal things to acquire those things like they do for drugs. But if drugs were cheaper people wouldn't have to steal to get them. But I tell ya, if nicotine and coffee were as expensive as drugs, people would be stealing and killing over it.