Re:Bill to Legalize Marijuana and Opium Cleared for Indian P...
by dragonwriter on Thursday November 16, 2017 @01:25PM
(#15715140)
> yeah, legalizing opium is an odd choice. I don't understand it. Its addictive
So are caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine (in increasing order of how addictive.)
> It would make more sense to significantly decriminalize it, but keep it illegal, so that addicts can get treatment without fear of legal repercussion
Legalizing it does that, too; “significant decriminalization” without legalization is mostly an incoherent approach that serves no policy end particularly well.
> I don't understand what would be gained by legalizing it wholesale though.
Greater harm reduction than mere decriminalization because of oversight and accountability for quality; greater diversion of funds out of organized crime, rogue states, and terrorist organizations and into the legal domestic economy. Greater tax revenues. Decreased demand for US foreign intervention, covert and military, to cut off the illegal supply at the source when, as consistently happens domestic law enforcement fails to adequately combat the illegal trade.
So are caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine (in increasing order of how addictive.)
> It would make more sense to significantly decriminalize it, but keep it illegal, so that addicts can get treatment without fear of legal repercussion
Legalizing it does that, too; “significant decriminalization” without legalization is mostly an incoherent approach that serves no policy end particularly well.
> I don't understand what would be gained by legalizing it wholesale though.
Greater harm reduction than mere decriminalization because of oversight and accountability for quality; greater diversion of funds out of organized crime, rogue states, and terrorist organizations and into the legal domestic economy. Greater tax revenues. Decreased demand for US foreign intervention, covert and military, to cut off the illegal supply at the source when, as consistently happens domestic law enforcement fails to adequately combat the illegal trade.