Criminalize alcohol
- BulliesPhan87

If I had the choice, I'd rather have it be illegal and pot be legal.

So what is the proper penalty for someone carrying a small amount of an illegal substance? Fine him, which may force him to steal to buy more drugs because he has less money? Beat him publicly?

I'm not disagreeing with you, just curious what the solution is.
- jmatchett383

I think you're jumping to a lot of conclusions but yeah, if it's going to remain illegal than a fine should do. If you can't pay the fine you can do a reasonable amount of time in jail like public drunks.

People get fined for speeding every minute of the day and they don't all rush out and rob someone.

If I had the choice, I'd rather have it be illegal and pot be legal.
- jmatchett383

You and me both, and I even enjoy the occasional drinking.

So what is the proper penalty for someone carrying a small amount of an illegal substance? Fine him, which may force him to steal to buy more drugs because he has less money? Beat him publicly?

I'm not disagreeing with you, just curious what the solution is.
- jmatchett383

The drug war is a complete, utter, and ridiculously expensive failure. Why not try the opposite?

Alcohol and Cigarettes kill hundreds of thousands of people per year, so I think it's safe to assume that the health and safety of the individual is not the reason for recreational drugs being illegal.

http://www.cdc.gov/tobacc...obacco_related_mortality/

I think you're jumping to a lot of conclusions but yeah, if it's going to remain illegal than a fine should do. If you can't pay the fine you can do a reasonable amount of time in jail like public drunks.

People get fined for speeding every minute of the day and they don't all rush out and rob someone.
- mayorofangrytown

Well speeding doesn't require money, drugs do. Not necessarily pot, but drugs like heroin and cocaine are often linked to robberies and murders.

And yes, for small first-time offenses, I agree a short stint in jail (10-day mandatory or something) should be instituted. It's the guy that repeatedly does it that I have a problem with.

Sorry, I'm not cool with raising a daughter in a world where people can just walk around shooting up heroin and snorting coke on the street corner.
- jmatchett383

You just ran to the worst-case scenario.

Amsterdam seems to be doing ok.

The drug war is a complete, utter, and ridiculously expensive failure. Why not try the opposite?

Alcohol and Cigarettes kill hundreds of thousands of people per year, so I think it's safe to assume that the health and safety of the individual is not the reason for recreational drugs being illegal.

http://www.cdc.gov/tobacc...obacco_related_mortality/
- wolfhounds

I agree, it's an unwinnable war (just like the "War on terrorism"). I guess the thing about alcohol/cigarettes is that, usually one bad dose of alcohol/cigarettes can't kill you. And I'm not really cool with cigarettes being legal any more than I am with cocaine being legal.

I am fine with legalizing everything, but make it government controlled and illegal to use anywhere except your home. And you make the "black market" penalty so severe (10 years in prison) that no one would risk going outside to do it.

But then you'd have a bunch of people complaining about the government controlling things too much.

You just ran to the worst-case scenario.

Amsterdam seems to be doing ok.
- wolfhounds

I said an illegal substance. People seem to be saying we should legalize pot, so I went to harder drugs which likely won't be legalized.

I agree, it's an unwinnable war (just like the "War on terrorism"). I guess the thing about alcohol/cigarettes is that, usually one bad dose of alcohol/cigarettes can't kill you. And I'm not really cool with cigarettes being legal any more than I am with cocaine being legal.

I am fine with legalizing everything, but make it government controlled and illegal to use anywhere except your home. And you make the "black market" penalty so severe (10 years in prison) that no one would risk going outside to do it.

But then you'd have a bunch of people complaining about the government controlling things too much.
- jmatchett383

Pretty sure one night of drinking could very easily result in death. That's not the reason it's legal. #nitpick

I said an illegal substance. People seem to be saying we should legalize pot, so I went to harder drugs which likely won't be legalized.
- jmatchett383

Weed is leading cause of complacency

Pretty sure one night of drinking could very easily result in death. That's not the reason it's legal. #nitpick
- BulliesPhan87

I said one bad dose (i.e. laced cocaine), not an overdose.

I agree, it's an unwinnable war (just like the "War on terrorism"). I guess the thing about alcohol/cigarettes is that, usually one bad dose of alcohol/cigarettes can't kill you. And I'm not really cool with cigarettes being legal any more than I am with cocaine being legal.

I am fine with legalizing everything, but make it government controlled and illegal to use anywhere except your home. And you make the "black market" penalty so severe (10 years in prison) that no one would risk going outside to do it.

But then you'd have a bunch of people complaining about the government controlling things too much.
- jmatchett383

Agreed. It would have to be regulated just like everything else. I'm not allowed to drink or be drunk in public, so why would I be allowed to be intoxicated any other way away from home?

The way I view it, clearly people are still doing illegal drugs. In fact it can be argued the "war on drugs" has had the exact opposite of its intended effect with more and more drugs coming into the country and more and more people using them. So why not control, regulate, and tax it just like the other substances we use for recreation.

Pharma pills are by far the worst, and people are jamming them down their own and their children's throats all the time.

Some people complain about every and anything. Even when they get what they want, they still complain.

Does Couts get an A after Timonen hangs em up? Him or Coburn if I'm handing out the letters...
- wolfhounds

Simmer wears the A now when Kimmo is out

I said one bad dose (i.e. laced cocaine), not an overdose.
- jmatchett383

You know what Darwin would say...

And that's another reason weed being illegal is beyond stupid...

In approximately 12,000 years of human use, not 1 recorded death.

Oh, yeah, I'm with you but I've heard that fact thrown around a lot lately. Relieving the tax paying population of the burden of incarcerating a guy for 5 years because he had two joints in his pocket is a deserving cause.
- mayorofangrytown

The fact that pot isn't legal in all 50 states is just ridiculous. Whens the last time a pothead beat up his wife and kids? Like he's even gonna get off the couch!

Simmer wears the A now when Kimmo is out
- JAKEw1234

Did he wear it when Hartnell was out as well? I think I remember Vinny wearing an A for a bit there...

I said one bad dose (i.e. laced cocaine), not an overdose.
- jmatchett383

I just don't buy that it has to do with the reduced chance of death, that's all. That, and I'm being a nit picking bastard.

Point taken, though.

You know what Darwin would say...

And that's another reason weed being illegal is beyond stupid...

In approximately 12,000 years of human use, not 1 recorded death.
- wolfhounds

Which is fine. Like I said, I'd rather legalize weed and make alcohol and cigarettes illegal.

You know what Darwin would say...

And that's another reason weed being illegal is beyond stupid...

In approximately 12,000 years of human use, not 1 recorded death.
- wolfhounds

Skimming the gene pool

- Streit2ThePoint

Terrible karma posting something like this while the Flyers are playing their best hockey of the year. 5-1 loss tomorrow vs. Dallas, while a key player is concussed.

Weed is leading cause of complacency
- PhillySportsGuy

and an overindulgence in fast food and tastykakes!

I just don't buy that it has to do with the reduced chance of death, that's all. That, and I'm being a nit picking bastard.
- BulliesPhan87

Well, the reason it's legal is because it's been a staple of life and culture for thousands of years and people wouldn't stand for it becoming illegal (remember, we tried). I'm just saying, alcohol isn't as dangerous as hard drugs.

Well speeding doesn't require money, drugs do. Not necessarily pot, but drugs like heroin and cocaine are often linked to robberies and murders.

And yes, for small first-time offenses, I agree a short stint in jail (10-day mandatory or something) should be instituted. It's the guy that repeatedly does it that I have a problem with.
- jmatchett383

Speeding requires money. No one in this country drives for free.

Which is fine. Like I said, I'd rather legalize weed and make alcohol and cigarettes illegal.
- jmatchett383

Weed is, by a country mile, the safest of the 3...and we haven't even discussed potential medical properties. (The US government and pharma companies don't have patents because there are no medicinal benefits of marijuana...)

But I do like my beer...

Speeding requires money. No one in this country drives for free.
- mayorofangrytown

No, gasoline costs money. Speeding does not. Also, speeding isn't physically addictive.