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Re:Late night pizzeria nearby The Pentagon has suddenly surg... by jimkleiber on Saturday January 03, 2026 @09:24AM (#46477013)
Perhaps, if our main goal is to simply reduce consumption of a specific drug. The problem I see is that problem avoidance finds other paths. Get rid of heroine? People will use marijuana. Marijuana gone? People use alcohol. Alcohol gone? People use video games.

I don't think the drugs are inherently the problem, as there's a paper I loved talking about different kinds of escapism: one where people escape to avoid problems and the second where people escape to solve problems.

So I still think the root is problem avoidance, which at an even more root level is emotional avoidance, especially of "bad" feelings, mostly sadness.

So I don't see it as self-actualization for some noble goal, but rather a practical how do I actually solve problems in my life goal.

tldr; banning certain drugs can be whack-a-mole, trying to solve symptoms but not the problem.

Re:Late night pizzeria nearby The Pentagon has suddenly surg... by Saline9515 on Saturday January 03, 2026 @11:29AM (#46478480)
This is why it's more effective to focus on the most destructive drugs. Video games don't make you lose your teeth and become a burglar to buy the new CoD season pass (so far!).
Re:Late night pizzeria nearby The Pentagon has suddenly surg... by jimkleiber on Saturday January 03, 2026 @12:54PM (#46479489)
If heroin were legal, in my current phase of life, I don't think I'd take it. I don't like even being drunk, and alcohol is very legal in most places I've lived.

But I dunno, I tend to say we should make it harder to get guns, so I want to reflect a little more on my double standard.