Top medical experts say we should decriminalize all drugs (2016)

Re:Top medical experts say we should decriminalize all drugs... by xorcist on Tuesday September 19, 2017 @02:33PM (#15287489)

That's a strange argument. Alcohol is a drug sold in the open pretty much everywhere.

You still see plenty alcoholists unable to keep a job, stealing things, fighting and even dying from their habit. It's almost as if easily accessible drugs doesn't fix the underlying problem here.

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Re:Top medical experts say we should decriminalize all drugs... by dredmorbius on Wednesday September 20, 2017 @07:41AM (#15292621)

But alcohol addiction of itself is not a crime.

Sure: being drunk in various contexts may be, and can be a serious crime (drink driving, certain commercial operators expecially). But being in possession of alcohol, drinking it in your home, sharing it with friends (provided above legal age and not driving): not a crime.

You've got the fundamental problem of addiction, for those who are addicted (many are, many are not). But you aren't layering on the additional crime of criminalisation.

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Re:Top medical experts say we should decriminalize all drugs... by Nursie on Tuesday September 19, 2017 @02:46PM (#15287624)

Alcohol is addictive and toxic. Yes, we do have alcoholics all over the place. Few are dead.or dying because of methanol poisoning, and few need to steal hundreds of dollars a day for a fix.

It's not really a very strange argument, particularly when it comes to opiates - it's a pretty well evidenced argument. Those with access to cheap or free maintenance doses have a better recovery rate, and a better rate of being able to re-enter prodictive society.

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