The Alex's Unpopular Opinions Show: drug control

[kaberett]

Legalise and tax the fuck out of everything. Make safe high-purity shit available (for preference on a sliding price scale). All related taxes get ploughed back into healthcare, housing, training, and job creation.

Drug usage and consumption is legal if and only if it is via a medium that does not directly affect any parties who have not given full, active, informed consent. Eating hash brownies? Fine. Drinking alcohol? Fine. Injecting heroin? Fine.

Smoking fuck all of anything anywhere but a private residence with appropriate seals and filtration such that you're not polluting neighbours' air? FINES AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.

(Guess who has a partner whose downstairs neighbours spend all evening every evening smoking. Go on, guess.)

This post brought to you by having hit the point in the evening where I'm picking fights on tumblr.

Comments

[batrachian]

I find your ideas intriguing and agreeable.

[untonuggan]

^^

[redbird]

I could go for that. I used to smoke cannabis, but am happier with getting the THC in food/drink form. Not only is it easier on my lungs, but I have better control over dosage: the last time I tried smoking the stuff, I went from "I think I want more" to "I need to sit down on something. Now" and then asking my host for a ride the four blocks to the bus stop in one toke.

[cadenzamuse]

I am totally fine with this. Social work training tells me I should be more sympathetic to people who are addicted to things involving smoking, and I...sort of am? And will take the why as read, because the point is: professionally I have sympathy, personally I am very, very asthmatic and am so tired of people making it hard for me to breathe.

[shanaqui]

Yup! Right there with you.

[sylvaine]

T H I S.

[sashajwolf]

I totally agree.

[rysmiel]

Your arguments make eminent sense to me.

[redsixwing]

Yup.

(Encountered the idea in a fantasy book, lo these many years ago, and have never let go of it.)

[worlds_of_smoke]

I've always thought this is the most sane response. And some of those healthcare funds should go towards needle exchanges and helping addicts.

[kaberett]

yeah, absolutely -- I consider both of those "healthcare", and needle exchanges already Just Operate in the UK, so.

[worlds_of_smoke]

Ugh, I wish we coudl get those here. But everyone's always ERMIGERD, YOU'RE ENCOURAGING THE ADDICTS.

No, dumbasses, they're going to do what they're going to do. How about we make it safer for them?

-stops before I get into a real rant-

[vass]

I'm not sure how useful fining smokers would be as a deterrent, but I agree to the principle of legalising, taxing, and regulating based on active, informed consent.

[kaberett]

I'm not convinced it would make a good deterrent, but if fines scaled according to how many people they'd fucked over and were a starting point only with repeat offenses causing Problems...

[danohu]

you seem to have underestimated the popularity of your unpopular ideas.

[I do disagree about the 'private residence' bit, since it means Only The Rich Get High, but I'm sure there is some solution with licensed crack dens and the like]

[kaberett]

nah, this is one where I'm pretty sure my readership will agree with me (... unlike several of the others >_>), but I am Very Aware that the population-at-large (both ends!) disagrees strenuously, so.

[ennnh 1. yes, tax the fuck out of 'em 2. landlords get to decide that tenants are permitted to etc 3. I'm not dealing with abolishing land ownership in this round ;) ]

[rmc28]

I've been in favour of "legalise, regulate and tax" as an approach to drugs for at least 25 years :-) (yes I remember having these discussions as a young teen with my parents)

I like your addition re smoke. We've been passing an awful lot of people smoking in entrances this week (not sure if this is a Sheffield thing or a city-centre thing, but it is highly annoying). Not to mention the smell of people getting on the tram immediately after finishing their smoke :-(

[hilarita]

I was exceedingly cross with all of humanity that was on the north side of the Euston Road between Euston and King's Cross on Friday night. Because every second fucker seemed to be smoking *something* and my lungs just shrivelled up and died. I was horrifically grateful to be on the train, with its cleaner air.

(Also, injecting heroin - fine, but please dispose of your needles responsibly - otherwise, fines and community service.)