IMO nothing touches opiates as far as addiction potential goes. That shit becomes as important as food, water, and sex to an opiate hijacked brain.

Still, yes I think they should be completely legal. Legalizing these drugs would completely destroy the black market for these drugs and greatly mitigate deaths from shit like fentanyl and carfentanyl.

    • Phillipkdink [he/him]
      ·
      4 years ago

      Decriminalizing just means you're not going to put someone in a cage for using it. Keeps the black market running, keeps the drugs easily available to children, incentivises spiking drugs with other drugs (or non- drugs) to improve potency, keeps imprisoning drug dealers, etc.

      Legal means it is allowed to be provided to you through legitimate avenues, but that doesn't mean there are no laws around it. Alcohol is legalized but it is lightly controlled - you can't just buy it anywhere, you need to be above a certain age, etc.

      Because of the severe effects of certain drugs, the level of control for them should necessarily be higher than for alcohol.

      For example, where I live if you're addicted to opiates you can be provided with legal, regular doses free of charge that are titrated to your need. These are administered three times a day in a medical clinic with doctors and nurses, and also with other supports like social workers to make sure your needs are being seen to.

      This is one example of a drug being legal, but highly controlled. My argument is not that this specific model is used for all serious drugs, but appropriate controls are decided upon for such drugs.

      • AlephNull [she/her]
        ·
        4 years ago

        I'd argue alcohol ought not be as freely available as it is either tbh

        • Phillipkdink [he/him]
          ·
          4 years ago

          Sure, maybe. Depends where you live. Many places have pretty severe controls on alcohol.

          I don't have strong feelings about the appropriate level of control for each drug, I think there are a lot of reasonable positions and I'm not an expert. I just know I shouldn't be able to walk into a grocery store and buy some methamphetamines because I'm curious and I've had a bad day.

          • Mardoniush [she/her]
            ·
            4 years ago

            Yeah, E on it's own is almost fucking harmless, but crackdowns on production meant they started passing other bullshit off and that killed a lot of people. The right wing press of course prevented any testing kits being made available.

            Ditto (non-meth) Speed, which lead to Meth becoming more popular when supply dried up and fucking over the unwary.

            • AlephNull [she/her]
              ·
              4 years ago

              Yeah not the best link sorry. It's been a political hot potato for years and kids keep dying at music festivals in the meantime

                • AlephNull [she/her]
                  ·
                  4 years ago

                  I'm sorry comrade. Testing (and clean product) should be readily available to all who need it. In a better world, maybe

      • katanakatona [she/her,comrade/them]
        ·
        4 years ago

        Thank you! So what would that look like for pharmaceutical drugs that people currently buy illegally & use recreationally?

        • Phillipkdink [he/him]
          ·
          4 years ago

          It would look the same as your uncle who makes moonshine in his basement. Kind of weird, definitely dangerous and pretty unnecessary.