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Drug Decriminalization

3 points by gilded-lilly ↗ HN
Where I live, there has been some recent changes made towards decriminalising all drugs.

Personally, I feel this is a populist policy. Why? I feel like there is no literature to support the notion that decriminilisation will lead to fewer drug users overall - and hence fewer drug addicts. It seems more a policy aimed at looking after current addicts, with little or no thought towards prevention.

I note that Singapore is a nation that has effectively dealt with the drug problem.

What are some opinions/thoughts? With emphasis on unbiased studies that have looked at before/after decriminalization.

23 comments

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version_five
The goal is not necessarily to minimize number of drug users, it is to prevent people dying from overdoses (or other secondary issues like diseases), either because they have to hide their drug use or because there is no access to "safe" drugs (the drug your expecting, consumed in a sanitary way). Also, decriminalization can remove organized crime, violence, and other criminal activity from the equation, and make it less complicated to address drug abuse. The idea that it's just about reducing "addicts" is flawed. Decriminalization doesn't mean society thinks drug use is good, it's just the least bad option.
gilded-lilly
If you want to prevent people dying of overdoses, then stopping people from starting would achieve that. “Decriminalization” is about treating the symptoms rather than the problem.
ohiovr
It is decriminalized in places cops refuse to go.
lostdog
We tried punishing drug users as strongly as possibly. It didn't work, and had a ton on bad consequences. Now we are trying different types of leniency. I'm sure it will work better.

I notice that you did not cite any citations for articles against leniency. Really, it's difficult to prove one way or the other since no solution has worked well yet.

gilded-lilly
Incorrect. Singapore has almost eliminated drugs and drug use entirely. I believe it has the lowest rates of drug abuse in the world.
perilunar
Which it achieves via capital punishment for drug trafficking.
gilded-lilly
Not all drug crimes carry a death sentence in Singapore. Only meth/opiate manufacturing and importation above a certain threshold.
aristofun
The core of the problem lies not in users or even small street dealers. It is in bigger fish.

But most of the time there is no profit for politicians in solving the real problem and plenty of risks.

So officials pretend their vitamin is a cure, while it doesn’t even scratch a surface.

WallyFunk
I would rather go to a (legal) cannabis dispensary than buy weed from the criminal underworld (which is sometimes dangerous). Regarding dispensaries, there is the harm reduction aspect and I know what I'm getting. Street weed could be sprayed with synthetic cannabinoids and other chemicals to increase its potency. Street weed could also be laced with rat poison for all I know.
perilunar
There are lots of practical reasons to decriminalise drugs, but the biggest reason is ethical: society has no right to tell anyone what drugs they can take.
gilded-lilly
Would you still think that if your only son became a heroin addict? Would you stand by your ideology in that case? Addiction is a life sentence.
the_only_law
> Addiction is a life sentence

Breaking news: no one has ever recovered from an addiction.

perilunar
Yes.

Just because he is my son doesn't give me the right to tell him what he can do with his body. I would support him any way I could, but I would not force him to do anything. Criminalising drugs is using force to solve a mental health issue.

I've known people addicted to drugs, btw, mostly legal. I wouldn't ban their drugs either.

gilded-lilly
Well, hey, if you’re willing to die on that hill, and feed your only child to the machine on principle, then I guess there’s nothing I can say that would change your mind. Personally, I think there is nothing good that can come from recreational heroin or methamphetamine. They are not only hurting themselves - the cost to society is massive. And while they may choose to do it - they can’t choose to stop.
perilunar
The only machine here is the legal machine that makes criminals out of ordinary people, and makes cops and politicians corrupt.

The cost to society is mostly caused by the criminalisation, not the drugs. And many drug users do stop eventually. Give them access to clean drugs and mental health support and more will.

gilded-lilly
Keep spouting that nonsense. You’ve clearly never been close to a drug addict. As an addict told me once: drugs will take away everything you have.
perilunar
What would you know? I've known addicts, and I've known addicts that got clean.