THere *is* a better way that would reduce death, and get people off drugs. You seem to not to want it to happen, though.

I want drug legalization presicely because I want to see drug usage rates lowered.

Why do we have so much crime associated with drugs? Because we make drugs illegal, so only criminals can traffic the drugs. Take the crime away from the drugs by putting them into dispensaries exactly like alcohol and tobacco, and people will not go to gang members, cartel strongholds, or shady residences to purchase their drugs. Legalization doesn't make it okay to deal drugs, it merely makes it legal for people to purchase it at pre-approved areas and consume substances at home. Again, the issues of prohibition are directly analgous to the drug war! We see so much death in Mexico because there is big money in keeping the flow of illicit drugs going. Why is there big money in it? Because illegality has grossly inflated the price of otherwise cheap substances. Therefore, there is huge economic incentive to killing people and distributing the drugs up here - its not like a stupid pot plant grows any more difficult than a pepper plant, or any herb.

Legalization and de-criminalization will help reduce the number of people that engage in illicit drugs. Why? Because there is a taboo nature to getting help and recovery from very illegal activities. Once legalization occurs, there will be less social stigma associated with being a recovering drug addict - therefore, those that want to get off, can get off. Go ask those that run the drug clinics about their clientelle - they will tell you that making it legal is better, because it takes out the taboo nature, and people can face their problems.

I suggest you watch this video and listen carefully. The man presenting the pro-drugs argument is one of America's greatest economists, Milton Friedman. He is not a druggie, or has any ties to the trade. He makes the most sound, logical argument for legalization: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLsCC0LZxkY

(can't find the embed for the video)

Double post

I pretty much agree with most here; at least with the cannabis issues. Legalizing it would significantly cut the drug cartels profit margin through taxing and selling it. Its one of their highest selling products.

Its pretty rediculous for politicians who are against it to say that they cant tax it when they can tax a plant like Nicotiana.

Most people against in a discussion like this fail to see that. They always assume use woudl go up, and that the reasons people are for it is because they want easier access to use it even more. Never mind lots of people arguing the case don't even use any of these drugs (I for one only drink). That and they also just think it's wrong. That very tigma that makes recovery harder makes this kind of acceptance harder too.

Oh, and nice video

To be fair though... Portugal does send anyone who is caught smoking to doctors and others who analyze people and suggest treatment.

Which may help with cutting down, since instead of criminal time drug users are getting treatment.

Not sure the US would do the same thing with an absesne of universal healthcare.

It's a plus... but whether it would be a plus without free drug rehab... who knows.

Probably wouldn't hurt though... and at the very least would slow blood illneses spread by needles.

To clarify because you make a lot of illogical statements. California and Colorado are both voting to legalize marijuana only in 2012. Also this is only one drug not all drugs so this still would not be the best example of how egalizing all drugs actually reduces crime. Also Two states at the most is hardly a good example  when the rest of the country would retain illegal laws.

Just because a proposition may seem counter-intuitive doesn't mean it doesn't work. For example, in the city I live in in Australia (Sydney), we have a place called Kings Cross. The government put in a trial injecting room there that offered a safe, clean environment for drug addicts to take their drugs. Whilst many people railed against the whole concept of the place, it actually helped significantly reduce drug overdoses in the area, with a flow on affect of freeing up more ambulances, which saves the lives of not just the addicts that didn't overdose but of the people that now have access to a less congested ambulance service.

The rational thing to do is to then take that data and try and apply it where you can.

Support what will help save lives, increase the economy, increase freedom and increase tax revenue and make the drugs safer. If that means supporting something that you find distasteful then so be it I say. Combating drug related problems needs to be done with a myriad of approaches.

Mexicans are responsible for choosing corrupt politicians

If it passed you would think it would have to go to the Supreme Court then since they contradict Federal laws (you would think that they would do it for medical marijuana states also).  I am not entirely sure about the whole process.  Having the old dick fucks in the Supreme Court decide would mean that it would probably get shot down (they would probably allow Reefer Madness movie be allowed as factual evidence).  I need to find a country that actually has intelligent people running the country.  To have marijuana as a schedule 1 drug with no medical value while plenty of states are doing medical marijuana shows how out of touch the US government is with its' people.

That was a pretty good video and deserves to be in the op or least in a legalization thread.  I am not for just de-criminalization.  We would have most of the same problems.  The cartels would still be unaffected, people would have to go to drug dealers still, etc..   It has to be legalized not just de-criminalized.  De-criminalization would just help the legal system/prison problem.  I know you are for legalization but I just wanted to point out the difference between legalization and de-criminalization.