observer Posted August 21, 2010 Report Share Posted August 21, 2010 The Government have announced plans to stop benefits to drug users - fine. BUT, won't users resort to crime to feed their habit? And if we bang them them all up in prison, where they can apparently get a steady supply of drugs, will we have enough prison space? Is it the case, that there is now so much money involved, that we are losing "the war on drugs"; EG; Mexico has reached a point of almost civil war, fed by arms supplies and drug money from the USA. Afghanistan farmers appear to get more from producing poppy crops than food. So is it time to legalise drugs, and like fags; just tax 'em to death and stop folk using in enclosed public spaces? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted August 21, 2010 Report Share Posted August 21, 2010 We lost the war on drugs along time ago,We should legalise it and tax it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted August 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2010 You mean, like they do with alcohol - that doesn'r cause any social problems ; does it?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted August 22, 2010 Report Share Posted August 22, 2010 It causes alot of problems Obs, but aleast we get some tax out of it, Whats your solution  Most of the Police know we have lost the war Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted August 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2010 Cold turkey: lock 'em up in a padded cell, under medical supervision, with no visitors, until the demon is cast out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted August 22, 2010 Report Share Posted August 22, 2010 Re-hap has a less than 30% success rate, it would not work. Out of all drug and alcohol deaths in this country over 85% are alcohol. Alot of deaths due to drugs is because of what the drug has been cut with, if you legalise it you can clean it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted August 22, 2010 Report Share Posted August 22, 2010 Surely the cost in later life of repairing these bodies will far outweigh the tax taken. What makes anyone think that the diehards won't get them from elsewhere even if they are legalised? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted August 22, 2010 Report Share Posted August 22, 2010 Surely the cost in later life of repairing these bodies will far outweigh the tax taken  I agree Peter, But are we not repairing bodies now, and getting absolutely nothing back. It is a long way off a solution. But the war is lost and a least if the drugs are clean and governed it would lesson the deaths, and help to cut criminality out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverlady54 Posted August 22, 2010 Report Share Posted August 22, 2010 I thought the article said that benefit would be stopped for those who won't accept the help offered to them. Perfectly reasonable I would have thought! Â I'm happy for my taxes to help people get off the drugs, alcohol etc, but not to support those who won't help themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted August 22, 2010 Report Share Posted August 22, 2010 I can see your point silverlady but maybe the shock of having your benefits stopped completely (with the threat of having no money or anything else) would be more of an incentive to get off the demon drugs in the first place. Saying that I have never taken drugs and would imagine that many with a real addiction simply wouldn't care anyway  The other problem with stopping benefits is that many may turn to crime to pay for their addiction  I'm a bit split on this one as it's great when you hear about someone turning there lives around but for every one that does there are hundreds that don't.  I'm sure an awful lot of our money is wasted on people who 'say' they want to give up when faced with an ultimatum but have no real intention of doing so or those who take help only to revert straight back to taking them again when the support is no longer there.  Not nice to say I know but sadly it's true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted August 22, 2010 Report Share Posted August 22, 2010 Slightly off track, but I was amazed to see an ad in the chemists offering FREE help to stop people smoking. Most had to stop of their own accord. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted August 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2010 Cold turkey would work for smokers too, at least those who want to volunteer for a padded cell - in the case of smack heads, proof of non-addiction would warrant the resumption of benefits, assuming they can't gain employment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted August 22, 2010 Report Share Posted August 22, 2010 Drug habits cost more than benefits, hence most addicts pinch stuff to feed their habit, stopping benefits would just increase crime. It would not solve anything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fugtifino Posted August 22, 2010 Report Share Posted August 22, 2010 The war on drugs is one that can never be won. Decriminalising most of them would save shedloads in police time and costs and would reduce crime dramatically. Â There are other arguments in favour of decriminalisation, but you don't really need them. Â For anyone who can be bothered, here's an old piece of proper journalism which pretty much sums up my stance on this issue: Â http://tinyurl.com/cpnvhj (Graun) Â The only reason most drugs are illegal is that it's a vote winner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 Are you all saying that it would be ok for school kids to have cannabis instead of school dinners? and that this would have NO effect on their health and mentality? and that it wouldn't lead to stronger drugs once the buzz had warn off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted August 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 We have two "legal" drugs at the moment, nicotine and alcohol; both are taxed, but both cause social probs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 Legalising drugs is the only rational solution. They've tried it in Portugal I beliwve, with some success. It is madness the amount of police and court time and money that is tied up prosecuting people who are just going to carry on with the habit afterwards anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 Peter  You could put an age limit as they do with alcohol, and it would probably work as well as the alcohol one does now with kids Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=10080 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 Why would anything that happens abroad work in this country? Look what a resounding success the 24hr drinking was. Perhaps we should remove the drinking, drugs and driving laws whilst we are at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 Take a look around Peter, The war on drugs was lost along time ago, no one in power has the guts to admit it, so we send good money after bad. Â Why are we spending millions on a policy that even most of the Police say is fruitless, You seem to be against it just because it comes from abroad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fugtifino Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 Why would anything that happens abroad work in this country? Â Why should it not? People are people, after all. Â My personal experience of the 24 hour licence is that it has made going for a pint a bit more civilised, I don't go into town much though. Â Could be a good thread this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted August 24, 2010 Report Share Posted August 24, 2010 Take a look around Peter, The war on drugs was lost along time ago, no one in power has the guts to admit it, so we send good money after bad. Why are we spending millions on a policy that even most of the Police say is fruitless, You seem to be against it just because it comes from abroad  NO!!!!. Not because it's from abroad. I just think that the English mentality is on a different planet to the rest of the world, and has to be treated differently. Lager louts being a quick example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted August 24, 2010 Report Share Posted August 24, 2010 Lager louts being a quick example  Lager louts are a very small but well publicised percentage of the whole Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted August 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2010 Notice Kije's crew atre there first with the white flag! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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