Why do people assume that if you advocate legalizing drugs that you must be a user?

Question

Do they really have such a difficult time understanding the larger issue which is that the "War on drugs" is a failure. Prohibition is not working and it has never worked at any time in history. This is not to say that drugs are not interdicted and criminals are not jailed, but rather that these efforts have not reduced drug supplies or drug dependence in the country.

Answer 1

Because the majority of people who want to keep drugs illegal think that the government is doing a good job with the war on drugs. They think that the only reason they don't do drugs is because it's illegal. They have this false assumption that if the drug is legalized the country will lose all control, and we'll live in chaos with junkies on the streets with needles in their arms and pilots flying airplanes while stoned. They think that only people who do drugs want the drug to be legal.

They don't understand that most people who want drugs to be legalized, only want the drug to be legal so that people who commit !victimless! offenses don't wind up in jail. They think that people who want the drug to be legal, want the entire world to be on drugs. This is far from true. I myself would like that we continue to educate citizens to make wise decisions and avoid using drugs, however if a person decides they want to gamble with drugs, the government should not be a factor that detriments the persons future.

People should have the right to have control over their own body. And if a person does decide to use drugs, they should be taught how to use drugs responsibly, much the way the we try to teache people how to use alcohol responsibly. However, even I wouldn't expect the government to be responsible for this type of education. Once again, I want to stress, that the government should continue to educate society about the dangers of drugs (including alcohol), unsafe sex, gambling, etc., but should not TRY to force you to live by another persons standards. I emphasize "try" because the war on drugs has not detered drug use.

This is about Freedom. We should have the Freedom to say no to drugs, we should not be forced to say no. People who think only drug addicts want the drug to be legal, think this way because they are not worried about Freedom. They think, "well, I don't do it, so it's no loss to me. Only people who are druggies are sad, so only they want it legal." Not always true. I want many things in society to be allowed, and I do not even encourage these types of behaviour myself. I would be mad as heck if I had a family member go into the business of prostitution. I wouldn't even want them going to a prostitute, let alone have any of them work as one. But I think that it should be legalized, so that any person who CHOOSES to go into this business, wont have to worry about going to jail for commiting a !victimless! offense. They wont have to walk the streets at night in dangerous neighborhoods. I think that it would drop the spread of STDs since people who work in this field LEGALLY will surely be tested, as opposed to people who work illegally. And because, what another person chooses to do is not my business, and I don't feel any one should be condemnded for living a lifestyle just because I disagree with their choices. I think homosexuals should have the right to marry, and to be honest with you, I find it pretty gross. But my choices are mine alone, and their choice is their own.

Personally, on the suject of drugs, I feel that not every drug should be "legal", only that every drug should be decriminalized. However if a person is caught with large amounts, they should be treated as a criminal, as they most likely have the intent to sell, and THIS affects other people, and should be considered a crime. When a person has a small amount, they affect only themself; this should not be a crime.

I DO feel that marijuana should be legalized, though. Only because alcohol and tobacco are legal drugs, and they are no safer than pot. I'm not saying marijuana is harmless. It has it's negative effects, but alcohol and tobacco are not perfect little angels either, and marijuana is no more dangerous than either of those. It's not even AS dangerous as those two legal drugs.

A little side note:
Marijuana's sister, Hemp would actually benefit the environment in so many ways. And the only reason we don't take advantage of the endless possibilties of hemp is because the government is afraid that if it gets good press and is seen as benificial people will want to legalize marijuana. It's insane. They'd rather chop down forests which take decades to regrow, than to use hemp which takes weeks to regrow, for paper. They'd rather use plastic which is toxic, than to use hemp. There are so many uses for hemp, it's unbelievable. And it's not legal to grow in the US because it's closely related to marijuana. Outrageous!

Answer 2

You might have to accept the fact that most people are never going to think about these issues and are just going to regurgitate whatever info the government feeds them. The only time your average citizen is going to hear about making drugs legal is from some stoner on the 6 o' clock news. There are many educated people who are making the case for legalizing many drugs and none of them are drug addicts. Many libertarians including Neal Boortz advocate the legalization of drugs.
I discovered a long time ago that the best way to approach controversial topics is to not push your point but to make whoever you are talking to defend their views. Then once they have said their piece, chime in with your ideas. When you ask them why they think the way they do you will suddenly find out they have no basis for their opinions and they actually know very little about the topic. Plus, never talk with anyone about anything remotely intelligent if they have never moved away from home and formed their own opinions. They are strictly regurgitating the views of their parents and other figureheads and do not understand why they believe what they believe. This goes for drugs, religion, abortion, war, business, immigration, and just about every other topic on earth.

Answer 3

"Prohibition is not working " you said it. You have a very good question there, but drugs make many people happy the only ones who pay high prices are those who sell them and end up in jail. Drugs make very people rich , so why legalized them. Lawyers will have no jobs, courts will have less jobs for judges, jails will have no inmates (majority are there for drugs) this is a business just that. It is a shame.

Answer 4

ignorance would probably br the best answer to your question. and you are right prohibition has never worked and most likly will,never work. if they, the government , would use the resources spent on trying to control drugs on something usful, like say homelessnes or child neglect, i think the world would be a better place to live

Answer 5

I agree. I just think it would take a lot of violence off the street if you could walk up to Jim the drug dealer and buy the bag of crack that you need. You wouldn't have to worry about being paranoid that he's a cop.

Answer 6

Cause a lot of the time it is users who complain about how this or that drug should be legal whenever busted for using it.

Answer 7

Generally people who do not use drugs or have a special need for them dont care if they are illegal or legal. Thats why if you keep talking about how pot should be legal people generally know you smoke pot and just dont want to get thrown in jail for it.

Answer 8

because it has been the mentality of this nation for the past 7 years. this administration has perfected the use of "guilt"
if you are not with us you are against us
if you vote to remove the troops you are against US soldiers
if you disapprove with the war you are a pro terrorist
that is just a politic used by this administration to pretty much do whatever they please by bringing discord and tension between parties ,,, all they have to do is say "see you guys can't figure it out so we will do it our way" ...sad part: IT WORKED!

Answer 9

The war on poverty is also a failure.

Answer 10

if the Government could figure out how to control it.....they tax it........