Free and Legal Drugs?

Question

To start - I don't do drugs!

If we legalised all drugs and made herion etc free on the NHS (to registered users) would this not:

Dramatically reduce crime rates - burgalary, mugging old ladies for their pension etc?

Free the Cops up to solve other serious crimes? (don't forget most of the burgalary and mugging will be gone)

Give the people in Afganistan etc a legitimate trade!

It would not be a case of - "here little Johnny have a go with this" but an informed choice that people could make. Support would be given to anyone who wants to kick it but they would not be criminalized and forced to rob, cheat and lie for their fix.

Yes! Drugs kill! But so does alcohol and tobacco (we only get to keep them because the Govt. makes a lot of money in taxation)

Deep breath - Think hard.

Bildymooner - good point. However, think of what we'd save in Drug trafficing officers, sniffer dogs, survelance teams, police officers doing 12 month undercover stints the list goes on... I'm sure that some people would miss the cavity search at the airport but such is life!

Answer 1

I absolutely totally agree with you and have had the same thought for years. I think they should not just be given the drugs for free, but attend a "clinic" in order to get the drugs and the help to come off of them. This should be a controlled environment. I have seen first hand the heartache that drug users cause to their families and friends.
Added : Drug substitutes can be made very cheaply. The money spent on drug substitutes etc. would far outweigh the amount of money spent in police time alone, not to mention the misery caused to members of the public caused by drug addicts robbing, etc. just to get their 'fix'.
I think it would be a very brave member of parliament who would actually try to implement such an idea.

Answer 2

Legalised, yes. Free, no. Supplied to users via govt controlled outlets at a fair price (perhaps comparable to buying cigarettes/alcohol) and taxed, yes. Controlled outlets? Why not use local hospitals?

I shied away from asking this question a couple of days ago because I figured that all I would see in return would be a pile of rant so I apologise to all here for misjudging the calibre of contributors to this forum.

Look at any banned product or service; all it produces is the means for a small group to make large incomes via black market supply at the expense and misery of the wider population and to the detriment of society as a whole. OP lists the downsides of the present system.

Interesting that a news report tonight on BBC mentioned that Brown has ordered a review of the declassification of cannabis. The report included a statement by a pro-C person that use of the drug has fallen since the declassification. Whether that's true, or whether it's just that fewer hours of police time have been spent on prosecuting users I don't know - it would be interesting to see some balanced stats.

Why should we purchase opium from the places whose nationals advocate our extermination though? I'm ex-RAF and can tell you that airfields have a lot of space that is covered by nothing but grass (the type that only cows can use unfortunately). We could grow our own opium in a completely secure environment. All opium poppies need to flourish is ground that is disturbed once a year. I should know - got the d@mn things in my garden (which is OK as long as I don't bleed the heads once the flower goes over.)

Answer 3

Agree with your premise. ALL drugs should be subject to the same laws & taxes. Where is the logic in making some acceptable and other not? And before you start with the 'some cause more harm than others' argument, remember that tobacco is one of the most harmful & addictive.

Oh, and hlthstudent, I have never heard of someone hallucinating on heroin, please read some text books. I only hope you have a long way to go before becoming a health care professional.

If people want to damage their bodies then surely they should have that choice?
If we, society, want to restrict who can take drugs, how about this:
A drugs & responsibility exam (& maybe a licence)?
Let people show they are aware of their own responsibilities, the risks involved, etc. before they are allowed to take ANYTHING intoxicating - especially alcohol!

Answer 4

You say if heron and all other drugs were legal it would reduce the crime rate and free up the Cops. You may be able to get the drugs for free, but what about the hallucinations they give a person. The users don't just commit the crimes to get the drugs. They also do because of the hallucinations caused by meth, heroin and other drugs. Once they have done the drug they can not controll what there brain tells them.

Answer 5

The cost of this would be enormous - also a lot of people are quite happy to use drugs and don't want to stop. They would then stay on the legally, freely supplied drugs for the rest of their lives contributing nothing to society. A lot of drugs cause tolerance which means that more and more drug needs to be used to get the desired effect - so the cost of drugs would mount year on year on year.
I do agree that the UK government shouldbuy Opium poppy harvest from the Afghani farmers - after all we currently have a shortage of pharmaceutical morphine in the UK. This is a disgrace, people dying in agony whilst soldiers burn crops.
Also how would someone get to use a drug recreationally? Most drug users are not dependant but recreational user - they would surely resist obtaining drugs from legal sources if they had to register - maybe it would only work if drugs were available from an off-licence style shop. But they would still have to be paid for - and you can bet that drug dealers would offer cheaper deals.
Just look at the supply of cigarettes in this country - heavily taxed - for our own good (apparently) so a lot of smokers purchase their cigarettes from people who have smuggled them into the UK illegally to sell on.
Illegality does cause problems but legalisation is not the simple solution it appears.
Very interesting question

Answer 6

Though if they were free i'm sure it would reduce the number of crimes carried out to get drug money, there would be the problem that the drugs would cost the NHS money, and then cost them money to treat these people. Also, one of the main thing that stops young people taking more hardcore drugs is the price. Make it more expensive and there will be more of a problem. It is basically a really expensive solution to a dangerous problem, and it will not reduce the number of drug-related deaths.

Answer 7

I fully agree with your point about alcohol and tobacco being legal and they kill more than anything, it is purely the tax and the money the government makes that mean they're still allowed to sell them.

it's a good point you raise but i don't agree that drugs should be handed out to people willy-nilly. we would then become a nation of addicts and the uk would look worse than it already does - if that's possible! Yes it would reduce crime rates and free up police time for more pressing issues like - terrorism - but in a logical sense it wouldn't work!

Good point though !!!

Answer 8

Maintainance prescription for most drugs can be obtained off private doctors quite legally..Cocaine was prescribed to addicts in Britain up to late ,mid sixties....I believe in an ideal world your better not on them but people do take them in increasing numbers it seems..If a person is determined to take drugs they will,no matter what you say,until they wake up one morning and think hey i dont need this ****,its best to use damage limitation approach..I do believe the illegality causes more problems than the drug..Know people who been on opiate prescription for 35 years and lived balanced healthy lives,got job,house family,went to university....Why they put Methadone out ,can only be because its cheap,seems horrible angry little drug,Opiates and Methadone two different drugs really....The Government initiatives are wasting money and people working there ignorant..Read one thing this week a drug addict went to his key worker and he said"we are not here to make your life easier"..For gods sake......For those that think punishment is only way ,think about it has,nt deter ed ,or stopped many....Cannot believe the barbaric sentences the US courts give for small amounts..Unless your G Bushes niece ...Yes best not to take drugs,any drugs that is ...To young people your young now,think about how your get older...Know some people and families who have suffered terrible consequences through drug misuse..Better the Govt control this than gansters but they will not get their heads out them buckets of sand..Apparently was told treatment centre up road has banned Black Poppy from its premises,some people dont seem to want debate,even when i walk through my town can see thier policys are not working...Still not quite as simple as legalising it all..Although do not think many more would take drugs than do know..Gotta face up to these are dangerous substances gotta have some control...I dont get my beer or ciggies free,so i think if your situation was real they should not be free,pay costs..What drugs give you with one hand they take away with other...At the end of the day your mind can be a wonderfull thing,there is beauty and interesting things to do in the World,you dont need drugs ONE LAST THING DRUG S CUT ACROSS ALL TYPES OF SOCIETY ALL TYPES...Ok End on a joke What do you get in room full of drug users ,answer Afull set of teeth

Answer 9

Well you make a good point but here is one. Who pays for the drugs? This would be a hugh burdon on our government or taxes. If we would make them leagal then we should also tax them. Something to think about anyway.

Answer 10

people dont realize thats because drugs are illegal the prices increase so if drugs were legal they will probaly be alot cheaper though I dont agree giving to people for maby they must work for it and also sit through meeting about giving up