You are straw-manning. The war on drugs almost certainly reduces drug consumption and has almost certainly stopped lots of people from having their lives ruined by drugs.
Do you really think it has that much of a benefit? I think it increases consumption if anything by making it cooler. It’s hard to imagine anyone would do coke if it wasn’t illegal and cool because of it’s legal status.
edit: im not sure if your’e serious mr.miller, maybe i’ve misinterpreted something
I think it increases consumption if anything by making it cooler. It’s hard to imagine anyone would do coke if it wasn’t illegal and cool because of it’s legal status.
Well, back when it used to be legal a lot of people did do it. Also, it caused so many problems that a movement started to ban it.
I think that whatever we do with drugs, lots and lots of people are going to suffer. I’m not claiming that on net that the drug war is good, just that it almost certainly stops many people from getting addicted to drugs. I would still favor legalization of most drugs, but I admit enacting this position will have significant (although probably not net) costs. The fact that most Americans support keeping lots of drugs illegal probably shows that most Americans recognize that legalizing all drugs would push up drug consumption and create more wasted lives and more collateral damage from drug users.
On the other hand some people pushing for drug legalization like to pretend that the costs don’t exist.
FTFY.
But that’s a pretty general phenomenon, by no means specific to the legalization of recreational drugs. Just because there exists some people who believe X for dumb reasons isn’t terribly strong evidence against X, especially when counterbalanced by the fact that there also exist people who believe not-X for dumb reasons.
I don’t think I said that. Lol. Very few people would use it without the current stigma, do you know how I know? Because I do coke and most of the culture is influenced by its illegality by a significant degree. It would just reduce to a baseline number, and it’s hard to imagine people destroying their lives due to cocaine if you’re not living in a world of mythology.
Because I do coke and most of the culture is influenced by its illegality by a significant degree.
I agree, coke culture would be different if it was legal. Doesn’t mean people wouldn’t use it, do you know how I know? Because it used to be legal and people did use it, a lot.
I don’t think it would return to its current status and would most certainly decrease. You’re in the wrong forum to discuss this accurately, too many sheltered kids.
You are straw-manning. The war on drugs almost certainly reduces drug consumption and has almost certainly stopped lots of people from having their lives ruined by drugs.
I’m strawmanning whom?
Notice that I’m actually objecting to polymathwannabe’s claim that the War on Drugs is “pointless”.
I thought (perhaps mistakenly) that you were strawmanning the social benefits of the war on drugs.
I consider these benefits to be much lesser than the costs. But, as I pointed out, it depends on the point of view. It’s an ill wind...
I thought he was being sarcastic. But my sarcasm meter is terribly miscalibrated.
Do you really think it has that much of a benefit? I think it increases consumption if anything by making it cooler. It’s hard to imagine anyone would do coke if it wasn’t illegal and cool because of it’s legal status.
edit: im not sure if your’e serious mr.miller, maybe i’ve misinterpreted something
Well, back when it used to be legal a lot of people did do it. Also, it caused so many problems that a movement started to ban it.
That’s a fully general argument against most everything under the sun.
Like what?
I think that whatever we do with drugs, lots and lots of people are going to suffer. I’m not claiming that on net that the drug war is good, just that it almost certainly stops many people from getting addicted to drugs. I would still favor legalization of most drugs, but I admit enacting this position will have significant (although probably not net) costs. The fact that most Americans support keeping lots of drugs illegal probably shows that most Americans recognize that legalizing all drugs would push up drug consumption and create more wasted lives and more collateral damage from drug users.
TANSTAAFL does not imply the fallacy of the grey.
On the other hand the people pushing for drug legalization like to pretend that the costs don’t exist.
For example SanguineEmpiricist was claiming up thread that no one would use cocaine if it wasn’t illegal.
People pushing for the continuation of the war on drugs like the pretend the costs don’t exist, too.
It’s a very pervasive attitude :-/
You are right in your sentiments in this thread.
FTFY.
But that’s a pretty general phenomenon, by no means specific to the legalization of recreational drugs. Just because there exists some people who believe X for dumb reasons isn’t terribly strong evidence against X, especially when counterbalanced by the fact that there also exist people who believe not-X for dumb reasons.
I don’t think I said that. Lol. Very few people would use it without the current stigma, do you know how I know? Because I do coke and most of the culture is influenced by its illegality by a significant degree. It would just reduce to a baseline number, and it’s hard to imagine people destroying their lives due to cocaine if you’re not living in a world of mythology.
Where’s gwern when you need him?
I agree, coke culture would be different if it was legal. Doesn’t mean people wouldn’t use it, do you know how I know? Because it used to be legal and people did use it, a lot.
I don’t think it would return to its current status and would most certainly decrease. You’re in the wrong forum to discuss this accurately, too many sheltered kids.