What is your opinion on recreational drugs?

BetterThanThou

I've been thinking about recreational drugs a lot lately. I've done a lot of research on them, read a lot and watched a lot of documentaries, as well as some field research.
The legalization of cannabis is something which definitely has a large amount of people lobbying for it, I wouldn't be surprised if more people are for the legalization of cannabis than against it. I personally feel cannabis should be widely available and totally legal. But what about other harder drugs, such as LSD, mushrooms and ecstasy? Most of the harm from these drugs is caused by unknown substances being mixed in with the drug to produce cheaper drugs. I feel even though these drugs require responsible use, legalization and regulation of the sale and production of these drugs would greatly reduce the damage caused by these drugs, it is harder to overdose on all 3 of these drugs than alcohol.
On the other hand, I feel highly addictive drugs, such as crack, cocaine and heroin, should remain highly controlled an illegal, as all regular users eventually become addicted to these type of drug.
What does after hours think?

enniscorthy

hehehehehehehe

Clandestine

Legalize all drugs... people should be allowed to put what they want into their own bodies

Augmerson

I am not in favour of legalization. I am in favour of decriminalization.

enniscorthy

slightly off topic mate but i tell my kids that i'm going for an important contract signing in the office when i'm actually signing on down in the social and going into the bookies straight after it hehe what u think of that

Arsemageddon

Clandestine wrote: »

... people should be allowed to put what they want into their own bodies

I agree 100%


Why should any of his look down on Richard Gere for shoving a Gerbil up his hole? (allegedly)

toastedpickles

Ah jaysis not another one of these

Arsemageddon

toastedpickles wrote: »

Ah jaysis not another one of these

It's because of the associated short term memory loss, just humour 'em

Czarcasm

Clandestine wrote: »

Legalize all drugs... people should be allowed to put what they want into their own bodies

This kind of nonsense is exactly why drugs need to be controlled. Some people cannot be trusted to be responsible for themselves, so they need protecting from themselves.

toastedpickles

Arsemageddon wrote: »

It's because of the associated short term memory loss, just humour 'em

Well played, well played :pac:

HurtLocker

Augmerson wrote: »

I am not in favour of legalization. I am in favour of decriminalization.

So people still have to go to dealers who spray and mix who knows what to their stuff

AngryHippie

Pro Decriminalization.
Pro Legalization of Cannabis, but with quality control limits on THC and CBD levels.
Same goes for Ecstasy.

I'm not really sure where I sit with Acid, I know of a good few basket cases and tragedies from "normal" use. It needs a controlled environment and a babysitter.

Mushrooms - Why the fcuk were the ever made illegal. They're mighty craic.

Cocaine - depends on the individual. In the hands of an asshole or an addict, its bad news. Still needs control

Heroin - depends on the individual. In the hands of an asshole or an addict, its bad news. Still needs control

I know there are plenty of other substances out there, but the new synthetics coming on the market are higher risk than any of the established tried and "trusted" substances as there are actual complete unknowns about them.

IMO its safer to regulate and permit the ones we understand the risks of, than to fuel the black market for substances we know nothing about. At least the risks are quantifiable and assessable, rather than the train wreck that is black market quality, concentration, finance chain and pricing.

Prohibition does not work.

Deranged96

Weed, sniffing, mushrooms and pill popping I'm OK with. I don't mind friends are people around me doing any of those as long as they are not prone to complete flips and as long as they don't push anything on me.
I wouldn't be comfortable being in the same room as anyone dabbling in harder stuff, and if needles are involves i am out of there double quick.

Macavity.

Czarcasm wrote: »

This kind of nonsense is exactly why drugs need to be controlled. Some people cannot be trusted to be responsible for themselves, so they need protecting from themselves.

If they want drugs, they can get drugs. Illegality makes little difference tbh.

Clandestine

Czarcasm wrote: »

This kind of nonsense is exactly why drugs need to be controlled. Some people cannot be trusted to be responsible for themselves, so they need protecting from themselves.

That logic is full of holes. Which people need "protecting from themselves"? People with mental illness? You know that this is the same logic that got people who are of no harm to the public involuntary committed, because someone may think that "they may one day commit a crime"? If a person commits a crime on drugs, they are incarcerated. If they take drugs and don't, then whats the issue?

enniscorthy

Deranged96 wrote: »

Weed, sniffing, mushrooms and pill popping I'm OK with. I don't mind friends are people around me doing any of those as long as they are not prone to complete flips and as long as they don't push anything on me.
I wouldn't be comfortable being in the same room as anyone dabbling in harder stuff, and if needles are involves i am out of there double quick.

mate you should have seen me down at the spraoi fest in waterford a few weeks ago i was gone like a shot when they came around with the buckets looking for donations hehe they think you and i both be racing each other down the road hehe regards brian

Schwiiing

Czarcasm wrote: »

This kind of nonsense is exactly why drugs need to be controlled. Some people cannot be trusted to be responsible for themselves, so they need protecting from themselves.

If a bad batch wipes out a few scobes and scumbags then society wins so let them at it.

recylingbin

The thing about canabis is that you think you keep seeing this exact thread over and over and over and over...

pablo128

Seriously, you haven't lived till you've dropped a few yokes at a decent rave. G'WAN!:) :pac:

toastedpickles

pablo128 wrote: »

Seriously, you haven't lived till you've dropped a few yokes at a decent rave. G'WAN!:) :pac:

I drop yokes all over me kitchen floor all the time, the mother goes mad and tells me to stop dropping the good eggs :pac:

SMJSF

I'm totally against legalisation of them, even cannabis... it's illegal for a reason!!

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

recylingbin wrote: »

The thing about canabis is that you think you keep seeing this exact thread over and over and over and over...

Maybe it's a really boring acid flashback..?

Egginacup

BetterThanThou wrote: »

I've been thinking about recreational drugs a lot lately. I've done a lot of research on them, read a lot and watched a lot of documentaries, as well as some field research.
The legalization of cannabis is something which definitely has a large amount of people lobbying for it, I wouldn't be surprised if more people are for the legalization of cannabis than against it. I personally feel cannabis should be widely available and totally legal. But what about other harder drugs, such as LSD, mushrooms and ecstasy? Most of the harm from these drugs is caused by unknown substances being mixed in with the drug to produce cheaper drugs. I feel even though these drugs require responsible use, legalization and regulation of the sale and production of these drugs would greatly reduce the damage caused by these drugs, it is harder to overdose on all 3 of these drugs than alcohol.
On the other hand, I feel highly addictive drugs, such as crack, cocaine and heroin, should remain highly controlled an illegal, as all regular users eventually become addicted to these type of drug.
What does after hours think?

Amazing how recreational drugs are illegal and non-recreational drugs are legal.

dd972

as opposed to formal, business drugs?....

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

dd972 wrote: »

as opposed to formal, business drugs?....

Cocaine? :P

pablo128

Schwiiing wrote: »

If a bad batch wipes out a few scobes and scumbags then society wins so let them at it.

And if a couple of professional people, or maybe some student nurses or whatever die from taking recreational drugs, does society still win? It's not only 'scobes and scumbags' who take recreational drugs.

Sir Arthur Daley

Legalise them all, that will sort it all out.

Arsemageddon

pablo128 wrote: »

And if a couple of professional people........ die from taking recreational drugs, does society still win?

Society sure would win if there were a few less bankers and estate agents

SMJSF

Magaggie wrote:

What reason? Being illegal is only going to increase any dangers.

there's always going to be dangers with drugs- legal or illegal... isn't there dangers to the pack of panadol in every home?

if weed will be made legal, then people will protest for all other drugs to be made legal, so more addicts on the streets, more over-doses, more deaths, more meth clinics, more rehab facilities will have to be funded for, so taxes will go up, and then people will start complaining.... the exact people who wanted the first drug to be made legalised.
I know, I'm going to the extremes there, but people have to think of what MAY happen in the near or far future.

drugs are a horrible circle to get caught up in, and I've known too many people who have become addicted to drugs before there even 30. so my opinion will probably never change....

Deranged96

SMJSF wrote: »

there's always going to be dangers with drugs- legal or illegal... isn't there dangers to the pack of panadol in every home?

if weed will be made legal, then people will protest for all other drugs to be made legal, so more addicts on the streets, more over-doses, more deaths, more meth clinics, more rehab facilities will have to be funded for, so taxes will go up, and then people will start complaining.... the exact people who wanted the first drug to be made legalised.
I know, I'm going to the extremes there, but people have to think of what MAY happen in the near or far future.

drugs are a horrible circle to get caught up in, and I've known too many people who have become addicted to drugs before there even 30. so my opinion will probably never change....

Government would surely clean up on drugs like they do on fags and drink?

catallus

Macavity. wrote: »

If they want drugs, they can get drugs. Illegality makes little difference tbh.

Absolutely totally wrong.

The illegality of drugs has saved billions of people from the horror of addiction.

Schwiiing

pablo128 wrote: »

And if a couple of professional people, or maybe some student nurses or whatever die from taking recreational drugs, does society still win? It's not only 'scobes and scumbags' who take recreational drugs.

A wouldn't let a pill-head student nurse near the hospital let alone actual patients.

calanus

Clandestine wrote: »

... people should be allowed to put what they want into their own bodies

THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID

Clandestine

catallus wrote: »

Absolutely totally wrong.

The illegality of drugs has saved billions of people from the horror of addiction.

Really? I'd say its caused the government to ruin countless lives...

Czarcasm

Macavity. wrote: »

If they want drugs, they can get drugs. Illegality makes little difference tbh.

That's true, but any little inconvenience that makes people think before they act, isn't really a bad thing as far as I'm concerned.

Clandestine wrote: »

That logic is full of holes. Which people need "protecting from themselves"? People with mental illness? You know that this is the same logic that got people who are of no harm to the public involuntary committed, because someone may think that "they may one day commit a crime"? If a person commits a crime on drugs, they are incarcerated. If they take drugs and don't, then whats the issue?

Dial it down a notch, jesus, you're way off base there. I'm talking about the people such as those people in this post -

Schwiiing wrote: »

If a bad batch wipes out a few scobes and scumbags then society wins so let them at it.

Whether you like it or not, the State has a duty towards all it's citizens, not just the law abiding ones, but also the scobes and scumbags and the more affluent drug users.

I personally would like to see medicinal marijuana made available to arthritis sufferers over the counter, then I'd be a happy bunny, but you can't even get nurofen over the counter in this country without an interrogation, so we're a long way off from even medicinal purposes yet for other drugs, let alone even more illicit chemical substances.

I couldn't see it happening in my lifetime in this country anyway tbh. At some point you have to be realistic.

Schwiiing

Deranged96 wrote: »

Government would surely clean up on drugs like they do on fags and drink?

How much of this money has to be ploughed back into the health system to treat alcoholics and lung cancer victims?

kleefarr

Do the survey..

\/

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

catallus wrote: »

Absolutely totally wrong.

The illegality of drugs has saved billions of people from the horror of addiction.

Nope

Deranged96

Schwiiing wrote: »

How much of this money has to be ploughed back into the health system to treat alcoholics and lung cancer victims?

I don't know

catallus

Juan Embarrassed Cologne wrote: »

Nope

If it looks too good to be true, it's too true to be good.

Seriously, I've looked at the Portuguese thing and they are really just moving goalposts and massaging numbers.

Do you really think making drugs freely available is a good thing??

RayM

I think we probably already have enough problems with cigarettes and alcoholic drinks - both of which, if they were invented today, would almost definitely be immediately banned. It's all well and good, saying that people should have the right to ingest whatever they want. But what about their families... and the rest of society? Why should they have to deal with the aftermath of other people's stupid decisions?

I'd actually advocate stricter anti-drug laws - on the grounds that society as a whole is far more important than the self-indulgent whims of the individual.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

catallus wrote: »

If it looks too good to be true, it's too true to be good.

Seriously, I've looked at the Portuguese thing and they are really just moving goalposts and massaging numbers.

Do you really think making drugs freely available is a good thing??

Care to back that up?

Freely available, bad thing. Tightly controlled legal availability, a better thing than prohibition, at least in the cases of some drugs. I'm really not sure about the very hard and addictive drugs, addiction is underpinned by a lot of social issues that aren't going to be sorted out by legalisation, and I'd imagine a thriving black market for heroin will always be around even if it were legal, to be perfectly honest I don't know enough about all the relevant issues to feel comfortable adopting a position.

Marijuana and a few other things though, I think is a pretty clear cut question. Moot point in this country probably anyway though.

NIMAN

Watched a documentary on them last night, and you have got to agree that the war on drugs is simply a waste of time.

It would be the sensible thing to do to legalise them and tax them. Then quality could be controlled, and criminals would be put out of business.

catallus

Juan Embarrassed Cologne wrote: »

Freely available, bad thing. Tightly controlled legal availability, a better thing

No, not a better thing.

Given the problems caused by "tightly controlled legally available drugs" such as alcohol, or sleeping pills, do you really think having marijuana in the same class is a good idea?

I get the thing about taking power and money away from criminal gangs, but they're well able to look after themselves. If they don't have drugs then they'll find something else.

con___manx1

Imagine a room full of people on acid and mushrooms it would be hilarious. I really don't think there would be a possibility of those drugs ever being made legal for that reason.one of the reasons They banned mushrooms in amsterdam is because some French girl on mushies jumped off a balcony. Maybe she thought she could fly ; ) I could see cannabis being made legal . I took acid once and mushrooms twice . Never again. That was years ago now ; )

takamichinoku

NIMAN wrote: »

Watched a documentary on them last night, and you have got to agree that the war on drugs is simply a waste of time.

To be honest, with documentaries in general, it's pretty important to cite which one you've watched because there's a fierce amount of bull**** out there. Documentaries about drugs being by far the biggest culprits.

Not saying the war on drugs isn't a waste of time, just got huge issues with people watching documentaries of any kind and accepting the content as unbiased fact.

bodhrandude

con___manx1 wrote: »

Imagine a room full of people on acid and mushrooms it would be hilarious. I really don't think there would be a possibility of those drugs ever being made legal for that reason.one of the reasons They banned mushrooms in amsterdam is because some French girl on mushies jumped off a balcony. Maybe she thought she could fly ; ) I could see cannabis being made legal . I took acid once and mushrooms twice . Never again. That was years ago now ; )

Are you sure that wasn't an Irish report, was it 2005 or 2006 when mushrooms were banned from the head shops.

catallus

"Breaking the Taboo" is the one I think he's talking about, it showed a lot of politicians proclaiming that legalisation is the way forward.

But they would say that, wouldn't they?

Macavity.

Are shrooms illegal? For some reason I have it in my head that you just can't sell them?

Czarcasm

Macavity. wrote: »

Are shrooms illegal? For some reason I have it in my head that you just can't sell them?

They are nowadays, but at one stage they weren't -

Until 31 January 2006, unprepared psilocybin mushrooms were legal in Republic of Ireland. On that date they were made illegal by a ministerial order. This decision was partly based on the death of Dubliner Colm Hodkinson, age 33, who fell to his death on 30 October 2005, after suffering a psychotic reaction some 15 minutes after consuming 3 legally purchased psilocybin mushrooms

Source: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_status_of_psilocybin_mushrooms

greenflash

con___manx1 wrote: »

Imagine a room full of people on acid and mushrooms it would be hilarious. I really don't think there would be a possibility of those drugs ever being made legal for that reason.one of the reasons They banned mushrooms in amsterdam...

I'm fairly sure shrooms are not banned in Amsterdam. They stopped selling processed (dried) mushies but you could still buy fresh ones from smart shops last time I was there (April 2011). Not that I did.