Should I be jailed for breaking the law?

[Murphy Jnr]

http://www.amsterdam.info/drugs/

 

This is moderately interesting, i'll refrain from using the word 'very' for fear of being slammed

[Conrod]

If it's readily available would it be presumtious to assume that, that fact alone would curb it's use to free time/personal time only. If the penalties were high for using the drug in positions of responsibility it may deter it's use.

The problem there is that while alcohol is flushed out of the system over a relatively predictable period, other drugs can have lingering effects.

It would open up a whole can of worms for the government. Imagine, cannabis legalised then a few cases hit the tabloid press of people causing death while driving under the influence of cannabis.

[Murphy Jnr]

The problem there is that while alcohol is flushed out of the system over a relatively predictable period, other drugs can have lingering effects.

It would open up a whole can of worms for the government. Imagine, cannabis legalised then a few cases hit the tabloid press of people causing death while driving under the influence of cannabis.

 

But alcohol carries the possibility of causing far more damage while it is in the system doesn't it?

[Murphy Jnr]

To be fair, the press will openly seek out cases where canabis abuse has been the cause of an incident purely to embarass a government and stir public feeling.

[Conrod]

But alcohol carries the possibility of causing far more damage while it is in the system doesn't it?

Perhaps, but that's not the point. Alcohol clears the system in a known and relatively predictable way, so we know thyat people can drive and carry out delicate work as long as they've allowed time for it to get out of thier system.

[Murphy Jnr]

Perhaps, but that's not the point. Alcohol clears the system in a known and relatively predictable way, so we know thyat people can drive and carry out delicate work as long as they've allowed time for it to get out of thier system.

 

But who's to say or know whether or not the taxi driver/nurse/doctor/pilot has allowed sufficient time for the amount they have had. We take the chance regardless of whether or not the chosen drug is legal or otherwise, not sure it can be used as an argument against legalisation though.

[Conrod]

But who's to say or know whether or not the taxi driver/nurse/doctor/pilot has allowed sufficient time for the amount they have had. We take the chance regardless of whether or not the chosen drug is legal or otherwise, not sure it can be used as an argument against legalisation though.

Nobody can say, and I'm sure there are plenty of cases of such people demonstrating poor judgement and ending up out of work or, worse, responsible for somebody else's injury.

But the issue remains that alcohol clears the system and leaves people safe to function - numerous other drugs have lingering effects and the legislation would be very difficult to put in place to make sure people's drug habits didn't put others at risk. The only legislation which can be sure to offer that protection is prohibition.

[Murphy Jnr]

Nobody can say, and I'm sure there are plenty of cases of such people demonstrating poor judgement and ending up out of work or, worse, responsible for somebody else's injury.

But the issue remains that alcohol clears the system and leaves people safe to function - numerous other drugs have lingering effects and the legislation would be very difficult to put in place to make sure people's drug habits didn't put others at risk. The only legislation which can be sure to offer that protection is prohibition.

 

But it's working in The Netherlands and other countries are beginning to follow their lead. Conrod, i'm neither anti nor pro the legalisation of another drug but its use is common and for all i know my last train journey may well have been at the hands of a user. You can't legislate against risk instead we rely on common sense and in the main it serves us well.

Assuming that you yourself drive a car and drink alcohol i'll warrant that you rarely if ever combine the two to such a point that you become a danger. You abide by the law voluntarily, some do not, such is the case with everything. The Laws are there to prevent accident or incident, some take heed but there will always be a few that wont, best we can hope for is that they are caught.

[Conrod]

But it's working in The Netherlands and other countries are beginning to follow their lead. Conrod, i'm neither anti nor pro the legalisation of another drug but its use is common and for all i know my last train journey may well have been at the hands of a user. You can't legislate against risk instead we rely on common sense and in the main it serves us well.

Assuming that you yourself drive a car and drink alcohol i'll warrant that you rarely if ever combine the two to such a point that you become a danger. You abide by the law voluntarily, some do not, such is the case with everything. The Laws are there to prevent accident or incident, some take heed but there will always be a few that wont, best we can hope for is that they are caught.

I can't find fault in what you say here, but I would still have the concern of the longer-term effects that other substances may have, and the difficulty (even with good intention) of managing the longer term effects. It may be that for some professions, use of certain drugs would be forbidden as a term of employment - I guess that would be a step in the right direction.

[Murphy Jnr]

I can't find fault in what you say here, but I would still have the concern of the longer-term effects that other substances may have, and the difficulty (even with good intention) of managing the longer term effects. It may be that for some professions, use of certain drugs would be forbidden as a term of employment - I guess that would be a step in the right direction.

 

Fair enough, perhaps the fear of the unknown will be sufficient to prevent its legalisation and ease your concerns. It's unlikely that we will receive a government with radical thought