How to reduce crime

[s.hawkins]

IF (and it's a big if) that free drugs wouldn't increase consumption then i'd be all for it. But when something is free I could foresee a situation whereby (initially at least) some people will go crazy. Imagine if a similar thing was done for alcohol and cigarettes?

 

true, some kind of control would be needed. dealers would target kids immediatley. to create a new market. the idea has problems but its worth looking at.

[dell12]

There's little need to imagine. Heroin was free on the NHS up until about 1969, and the number of addicts never varied very much, and was always well under five thousand. Most of those addicts lived normal, useful lives, worked and paid taxes.

 

Once heroin was made altogether illegal and given over to the criminals to sell, the number of addicts exploded - because the NHS does not seek out new customers, but people making a profit from selling drugs, emphatically do.

 

You make a good point. I don't know much about the classification of Heroin in the 60s but would you class the the rise of the dealer (i'm sure there were dealers in the 60s?) down to this?

[Mister M]

I'm sceptical whether legalising drugs would reduce crime. I accept that drug users who are desperate, steal & rob to get the money for their fix.

 

After the legalisation of drugs I just can't imagine those who import & push drugs to think 'fair do, we've been put out of business by the pesky government'. They will find some other illegal activity to engage in

[s.hawkins]

I'm sceptical whether legalising drugs would reduce crime. I accept that drug users who are desperate, steal & rob to get the money for their fix.

 

After the legalisation of drugs I just can't imagine those who import & push drugs to think 'fair do, we've been put out of business by the pesky government'. They will find some other illegal activity to engage in

 

i doubt it would have the same profit margin, or the same market size.

[hard2miss]

There's little need to imagine. Heroin was free on the NHS up until about 1969, and the number of addicts never varied very much, and was always well under five thousand. Most of those addicts lived normal, useful lives, worked and paid taxes.

 

Once heroin was made altogether illegal and given over to the criminals to sell, the number of addicts exploded - because the NHS does not seek out new customers, but people making a profit from selling drugs, emphatically do.

Cheers, another day, another bit of acquired knowledge from SF, its one of the things that keeps me coming back for more.

[s.hawkins]

I'm sceptical whether legalising drugs would reduce crime. I accept that drug users who are desperate, steal & rob to get the money for their fix.

 

After the legalisation of drugs I just can't imagine those who import & push drugs to think 'fair do, we've been put out of business by the pesky government'. They will find some other illegal activity to engage in

 

drug taking is rampent, so is the moral outrage. the issue is not getting delt with. why is that? are some issues in our system beyond action?

[Dogs Of War]

we as a nation spend 1.5 billion a year on stopping 2% of the drugs they want in getting in, what a waste of time and effort. make them legal make them free. 50% of crime stops. imagine that.

 

the way forward is to put a drug bin on every street corner , full of crack ,herion etc ,and let the smackheads fill their boots and overdose . that will get rid of the smackheads ,and will save millions on trying to take the drugs off the streets.

 

If the smackheads arnt there , the demand dries up ,so the suppliers wont be there. simples.

[HeadingNorth]

If the smackheads arnt there , the demand dries up ,so the suppliers wont be there. simples.

 

Simple, but wrong. The smackheads weren't there when we handed control of heroin over to the dealers. The dealers created their own market.

[s.hawkins]

the way forward is to put a drug bin on every street corner , full of crack ,herion etc ,and let the smackheads fill their boots and overdose . that will get rid of the smackheads ,and will save millions on trying to take the drugs off the streets.

 

If the smackheads arnt there , the demand dries up ,so the suppliers wont be there. simples.

 

i wish your idea was posible

[Bassman62]

all drugs all free. no market, no crime.

Untill someone close to you gets killed by some drug crazed kunkie then you'll change you tune.