"Legalize whatever and let people have the freedom to ruin their own lives.'
"I do not believe in allowing people to have that freedom.
"Why?
"Because it will always come down to the youth, who abuse substances legal and illegal. They do not have the experience or common sense to behave responsibly in regards to these affairs, and education discouraging drug taking only serves to raise the level of taboo."
They do it now. Trouble is, what they get now could be cocaine, or could contain a large amount of laundry detergent or something. The dealers of the BLACK MARKET don't have the same types of scruples as a store owner, who would first of all enforce any legal age we place on substances (just like "carding"--checking IDs, including watching very closely for fakes--for liquor--hell even I in my 30s have gotten "carded" on the VERY rare occasions I buy any alcohol), and second of all only carry a branded, standardized product.
I see a problem, and I look for PRACTICAL solutions. I know that the problem will exist, and will continue to exist, laws or not. I see the "War on Drugs" as just misplaced faith that the government can somehow MAKE people not destroy themselves, when it really cannot. Instead I see more crime on the streets as drug prices skyrocket and dealers get more greedy for these artificially high profits.
And what will organized crime get into when drugs, adult prostitution, and gambling are all made legal? Extortion? Child porn? All those cops now chasing drug users--not to mention the street pushing scum who will no longer exist--will be freed up to tackle these TRUE crimes, and they can be as draconian as they want with them as far as I'm concerned.
Bottom line--JUST AS you say organized crime will seek out other avenues of criminal business (but you'd have to admit their options would be VERY limited), people bent on destroying themselves will ALWAYS find an avenue to do that, too. It is a sad fact of life, but some people are just damned determined to destroy themselves--and they will. And there have been people like that around for thousands of years. Just try not to be one of those people, is all you can do. Maybe showing your love for one of these whom you care about MAY make a difference--it sometimes does--but don't count on a guarantee. In the end, they must and WILL decide whether or not to continue with their own destruction.
"They will be among those abusing this freedom, and the ripple effects will impact upon their family, friends and acquaintances."
They already do--the law changes nothing, and even tougher laws won't either.
"We can have it both ways, addressing supply and demand through concerted action and harsh penalties. The cost to society of drug abuse is far too high,"
Like I said, I work, pay my taxes, and smoke some pot now and then. So do quite a few productive, working people. If for some reason I can't afford it at some time or other, more bills due or whatever, I simply go without it. If I did end up having a family, I certainly wouldn't do ANYTHING to jeopardize their security and well-being. I would be as loving a parent as mine were to me--and I was certainly blessed in that area, growing up. I am, and would continue to be, responsible.
I don't know if this shatters your image of what a typical casual pot-smoker is supposed to be like, but that is what I am. I DON'T cost society--I CONTRIBUTE to it every day through my work, every year through my taxes, and try to as often as I can through good deeds (I ain't a saint by any means, but I do good now and then
). Pot is NOT so important to me that it will ever get in the way of these things--I haven't let it do that for the last decade and a half, and so I think the question of addiction, uncontrolled actions and so on, is moot for me. But I DO enjoy it, and prefer it over the stupidity and uncoordination of a drunken state, something I USED to engage in quite regularly, at far more detriment to myself, and emotional hurt to those around me.
I guess what I am trying to say here is that you can't lump every user into one pile, one box, one description, one stereotype. And I just don't fit into the one you seem to be presenting here. And neither do more people than you might think, who also use pot. You may not be aware of people like us around you, because we generally tend to keep very quiet and discrete about our vice, for obvious reasons--we want to KEEP working and contributing our share to society, rather than waste time in jail. I am only speaking out here, well, partly because of the internet's anonymity, but mainly because I think awareness of people like me, as a general group, should be made known--if anything, to counter others' misconceptions, government propaganda efforts, or what have you.
And if you met me, spent time with me and knew me--well, you may or may not decide you LIKE me for whatever reason, but I am confident you would NOT think that I belong in jail. Simple as that.
"and simply legalizing and regulating it does not change the horror of drug addiction. We have a responsibility to fight constantly for what is good and right for society and the community."
As I have demonstrated, I am not an addict. I don't let my casual pot use take precedence over my responsibilities to be productive, trustworthy, and moral in society. If I am addicted to ANYTHING, it's my principles. I never back down from them. And one of those principles is liberty WITH responsibility--and they go hand in hand.
People can drink responsibly if they want to. Similarly, people can use marijuana responsibly if they want to. Some people don't, whether it be alcohol or pot, and of course they are more visible and talked about BECAUSE they don't, but many more people DO.
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