Denver voters consider next frontier in decriminalizing drugs: magic mushrooms

Re:Denver voters consider next frontier in decriminalizing d... by closeparen on Monday May 06, 2019 @11:51AM (#19840507)

Currently driving functions as a kind of risk tolerance anchor. "Sure, it's dangerous, but no more so than commuting."

If the campaign to eliminate driving from most people's lives is successful (whether through autonomous vehicles or public transit), I expect activists will move on to the next most dangerous activity. Something will always be the leading cause of preventable injury/death and certain people will always be enthusiastic about banning whatever it is.

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Re:Denver voters consider next frontier in decriminalizing d... by rcoveson on Monday May 06, 2019 @11:55AM (#19840551)

I definitely agree that in practice it basically works this way. Though I'd expand on it by saying that driving functions as a risk-tolerance + prevalence + utility anchor, as all three of those variables factor into whether society will attempt to limit something.

I think involving prevalence in the equation is ethically inconsistent. A society that bans drugs on the grounds that they incur a medical cost and provide limited utility should clearly ban base jumping as well.

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Re:Denver voters consider next frontier in decriminalizing d... by closeparen on Monday May 06, 2019 @12:25PM (#19840902)

Policymaking and enforcement resources are limited; it might make sense to triage according to absolute harm.

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