Should I be jailed for breaking the law?

[Murphy Jnr]

Good.

 

The current UK drug laws cause far more harm than good. For that reason, I have no problem with people breaking those laws. What we really need though, is for those laws to be scrapped.

 

I think i've touched on this before but anyway. As far as i know the smoking of canabis has not impacted on my life in anyway. I have no argument with anyone who uses it in private or standing next to me at a bus stop. I don't understand why it was classified then reclassified but given that politicians are uniformly unaware of 'real' life I would say they bricked it, only they know. At the moment it is illegal, this has no impact on my decision not to smoke it, i just don't want to. For those that do, enjoy.

[nicky31579]

comment removed

[Cyclone]

No that's not what i'm saying and as is customary with this forum you've chosen an extreme as an example to make a point. I can't class a law as being wrong if it is there to protect but i can appreciate that there will be times when it serves to 'break' a law if circumstances dictate.

 

Does it being extreme make any different to it proving the point that just because it's the law doesn't make it moral?

[Cyclone]

You could apply that to the seat belt laws.

I think certain laws are passed to protect the vulnerable members of society and in so doing affect all members of society.

 

Seat belt laws are there to protect society from the costs of people exercising their freedom.

I suppose they could have been drafted differently, make seat belts optional but you get no emergency treatment on the NHS if you don't use them.

Cannabis use can hardly be compared to the affect of a car accident without seat belts though. It would more accurately be compared to using alcohol or nicotine, something society condones.

[Murphy Jnr]

Does it being extreme make any different to it proving the point that just because it's the law doesn't make it moral?

 

you've lost me

[Mr Bojangles]

Good.

 

The current UK drug laws cause far more harm than good. For that reason, I have no problem with people breaking those laws. What we really need though, is for those laws to be scrapped.

I'm not sure that the law is right, and provided those who abuse themselves through drug misuse don't have access to state-funded medical support I'd be happy for it to be legal I think (dope at least). While the law stands campaign against it by all means, but breaking it is not acceptable.

[Murphy Jnr]

It would more accurately be compared to using alcohol or nicotine, something society condones.

 

Alcohol and tobacco are not condoned they're socially accepted habits

[onewheeldave]

I'm not sure that the law is right, and provided those who abuse themselves through drug misuse don't have access to state-funded medical support I'd be happy for it to be legal I think (dope at least). While the law stands campaign against it by all means, but breaking it is not acceptable.

 

I see no reason why cannabis users would need to access health services more than non-cannabis users- there's no evidence that cannabis use is bad for you in any way and the fact that it has proven medical benefits with far less side-effects than most pharmacutical prescription drugs would suggest they'll access health services less.

 

For other drugs- as we've previously covered the vast majority of overdoses are a direct consequence of the current drug laws, which mean all illegal drugs are unregulated, cut with (potentially poisonous) various substances and of random strength.

 

That means that, even if a heroin user wanted to use the drug responsibly, he/she is unable to do so.

 

Make it legal, regualate it, and, then there's at least an option to use the stuff responsibly and, in all liklihood, a massive reduction in overdoses.

[Murphy Jnr]

 

Make it legal, regualate it, and, then there's at least an option to use the stuff responsibly and, in all liklihood, a massive reduction in overdoses.

 

Correct me if i'm wrong but aren't the likes of Heroine more addictive and susceptible to increased doses in order to gain anything from them?

[onewheeldave]

Correct me if i'm wrong but aren't the likes of Heroine more addictive and susceptible to increased doses in order to gain anything from them?

 

Yes- in common with many drugs (e.g. alcohol, cocaine etc), when abused. The users tolerance increases, so they tend to use more to get an effect.

 

Which is why, in the case of heroin, it's so important that the user actually knows the strength of the dose he/she has bought, and, that's only going to be possible if they have access to a regulated supply, just as currently, alcohol users and abusers, can know the alcohol content by looking at the rating on the bottle.

 

As things stand, a heroin user knows very little about the strength of the produce they buy, or what potentially poisonous chemicals the dealer has mixed in to bulk it up.

 

They are in a similar position to people buying 'moonshine' (home made spirits) in places when alcohol prohibition is in effect.

 

Legal alcohol is far from 100% safe- but, it's a great deal safer than illegal, unregulated alcohol- moderate, responsible users have a very good chance of using it with minimal ill-effects.

 

Similarly, legal, regulated heroin would not be 100% safe, but it would be a lot safer than the current situation.