Put an end to illegal drug use?

[VanIsle]

Re: A proposed solution to dealing with hard drugs:

I don't mean this to be rude in any way. However - your proposal sounds a lot to me, like someone who has never been around anyone with a serious drug addiction. I don't see how one thing you suggest could begin to work. The addicts will go and purchase the drugs and be super happy to get them at a lower price. Gives them the chance to buy more doesn't it! It won't matter if they are known to the police or whoever if someone is legally allowed to sell and they are legally allowed to buy. If it was my kid going to that "store", I would make every effort to sue the store, the government and any police officer that directed my kid to the store.
I have a friend who has a son with a serious drug problem. He stays clean for a year or two and then he's off again. She calls the police herself and helps them to arrest him. She is happy when he is in a cell for a few months. It gets him off the streets and off the drugs. He's been to therapy over and over and over. Like all the rest he makes all the promises in the world with no intention of ever keeping them.

 

[L Gilbert]

Re: A proposed solution to dealing with hard drugs:

I'd be curious on your thoughts on the following strategy to deal with hard drugs in Canada:

Any thoughts on this?

I think sticking this in with the other thread about the drug problems would be a nifty idea.

 

[Machjo]

Re: A proposed solution to dealing with hard drugs:

I don't mean this to be rude in any way. However - your proposal sounds a lot to me, like someone who has never been around anyone with a serious drug addiction. I don't see how one thing you suggest could begin to work. The addicts will go and purchase the drugs and be super happy to get them at a lower price. Gives them the chance to buy more doesn't it! It won't matter if they are known to the police or whoever if someone is legally allowed to sell and they are legally allowed to buy.

What would matter though is that the 'store' could only sell by prescription to confirmed addicts, and prescriptions always define the dosage, so it's not like they could purchase however much they want. Also, the clinic would be given more legal powers to force a addict into rehabilitation in exchange for the drugs, after which, depending on the addict and at the clinic's discretion, he could either be required to stop cold turkey or gradually according to what's better for him.This would take away much of the market from the illegal sellers, thus forcing them to stick their necks out all the time to find new clients, which increases the chances of getting caught. And since purchasing drugs would not be illegal, addicts would have no fear of the police and so the police could always ask them whom they bought the drugs from. So the sellers could not even trust the addicts either. So essentially, the sellers are cornered.

If it was my kid going to that "store", I would make every effort to sue the store, the government and any police officer that directed my kid to the store.

A simple solution would be to require parental consent if the child is underage. But here's the thing. If the kid is already an addict, and has possibly run away from home and is purchasing drugs illegally on the streets and likely committing crimes to get the money, my guess is as a parent you'd rather he get his drugs from a clinic that will charge less, restrict the amount, and, depending on circumstances, possibly even force him into rehabilitation. In this respect, the clinic would have powers similar to the police in that it could restrain an addict against his will at their discretion if they believe that's what's best for him.

I have a friend who has a son with a serious drug problem. He stays clean for a year or two and then he's off again. She calls the police herself and helps them to arrest him. She is happy when he is in a cell for a few months. It gets him off the streets and off the drugs. He's been to therapy over and over and over. Like all the rest he makes all the promises in the world with no intention of ever keeping them.

OK, you have a point there. Then we make the purchase of drugs legal but such purchase of drugs also forfeits your right to not be forced by the police into rehabilitation. Instead of prison, it would a hospital where he'd get maximum treatment. And though the police would not 'arrest' users, they'd be obligated to take them into custody to hand them over to a rehabilitation clinic, similar to a prison, but with the focus on rehabilitation.

I don't know, maybe they have something similar already, and if so, then there is not much more we can do. But I think we could certainly get much, much tougher on the supply side.

As for your friend's son, he's certainly getting the drugs from somewhere. I'm sure your friend would appreciate it if the seller could be eliminated from the drug trade for good, and the only way to do that is either death or life.

 

[Machjo]

Re: A proposed solution to dealing with hard drugs:

Maybe the OP is too soft on the supply side, and we should make the purchase and use of drugs illegal too, with compulsory drug rehab meted out to the perpetrator. But the supplier must certainly get hanged by the nuts and nailed to the cross so to speak.

 

[Machjo]

Re: A proposed solution to dealing with hard drugs:

I think sticking this in with the other thread about the drug problems would be a nifty idea.

Maybe you're right.

 

[VanIsle]

Re: A proposed solution to dealing with hard drugs:

Maybe you're right.

I agree with Les. That is what I thought when I saw it. Too many threads on the same topics get opened and I'm a firm believer that they should be melded into one.
That said - there are re-hab places in every city now. Addicts go to jail for a few months, then to a halfway house for about a year and then home again. Cost goes to the tax payers. If they "run away" from the halfway house for 24 hours, they don't get back in. They live, and are used to a hard life. Most of them have had better and most of them can still have better. Their addiction controls them. Your ideas are nice but they just don't touch an addict. They will buy what they can as cheap as they can and then get their next hit from a dealer. Little would change other than they would have more access to more drugs.

 

[lone wolf]

Re: A proposed solution to dealing with hard drugs:

I agree with Les. That is what I thought when I saw it. Too many threads on the same topics get opened and I'm a firm believer that they should be melded into one.
That said - there are re-hab places in every city now. Addicts go to jail for a few months, then to a halfway house for about a year and then home again. Cost goes to the tax payers. If they "run away" from the halfway house for 24 hours, they don't get back in. They live, and are used to a hard life. Most of them have had better and most of them can still have better. Their addiction controls them. Your ideas are nice but they just don't touch an addict. They will buy what they can as cheap as they can and then get their next hit from a dealer. Little would change other than they would have more access to more drugs.

...and as hard-hearted as it is, they'll die sooner than later. A liver can only be abused so many times.

 

[Ron in Regina]

Re: A proposed solution to dealing with hard drugs:

I think sticking this in with the other thread about the drug problems would be a nifty idea.

Maybe you're right.

....and where is the other Thread? This one is in Canadian Politics, & the other one?

 

[Ron in Regina]

Re: A proposed solution to dealing with hard drugs:

....and where is the other Thread? This on is in Canadian Politics, & the other one?

I found it in the Canadian Culture SubForum. They're now Merged.

 

[L Gilbert]

Right on. I'd buy you a beer, Ron, but I can't throw that far. How'd ya like to combine all the Gulf of Mexico spew threads together, too?

 

[darkbeaver]

An obcession with thread neatness could indicate an underlying drug problem.

 

[Risus]

I can't be bothered to read through all the mumbo jumbo above in this thread (no time) but the easiest way to solve the problem is, first to arrest the bastards who produce it, then arrest the bastards who sell it, then arrest the bastards that possess it, and then lastly, arrest the bastards who use it.
Its not rocket science...

 

[JLM]

I can't be bothered to read through all the mumbo jumbo above in this thread (no time) but the easiest way to solve the problem is, first to arrest the bastards who produce it, then arrest the bastards who sell it, then arrest the bastards that possess it, and then lastly, arrest the bastards who use it.
Its not rocket science...

That should do the trick.:smile:

 

[lone wolf]

Who'll do the guarding?

 

[In Between Man]

The only thing that MIGHT be legalized is marijuana, and I really don't see it happening. I don't care if it s legal or not to buy/sell pot because its super easy to get if you want. But I do firmly believe that you should be allowed to grow it for yourself. Small personal amounts...enough for you, your roommate...your friends...in exchange for donations I believe is the legal word. hehe, :color: