Should the legalization of drugs be a strong presidential topic in '08 Election?

Okay, this isn't a shallow argument... this is a serious topic.

Should people 21 years of age or older be able to buy illegal substances?

PROS:
-In theory, less gang violence. By destroying what many gangs fight over, we can decrease their activity.
-Crime rate goes down - see above statement
-New industries - people will now have jobs
-Border regulation can go more toward keeping immigrants out than illegal drugs
-Economy goes up - deficit goes down
-Less drug-related laws allow prisons to not fill up so quickly

CONS:
-More deaths, drug addicts, and more hospitals filled
-Medical costs will go up
-Crime will go toward different crimes (most likely more controllable ones)

The question is, do the Pros outweigh the Cons?

**I know there is a lot of things I didn't cover, but that's pretty much the jist of it**

Okay, this isn't a shallow argument... this is a serious topic.

Should people 21 years of age or older be able to buy illegal substances?

PROS:
-In theory, less gang violence. By destroying what many gangs fight over, we can decrease their activity.
-Crime rate goes down - see above statement
-New industries - people will now have jobs
-Border regulation can go more toward keeping immigrants out than illegal drugs
-Economy goes up - deficit goes down
-Less drug-related laws allow prisons to not fill up so quickly

CONS:
-More deaths, drug addicts, and more hospitals filled
-Medical costs will go up
-Crime will go toward different crimes (most likely more controllable ones)

The question is, do the Pros outweigh the Cons?

**I know there is a lot of things I didn't cover, but that's pretty much the jist of it**

ixlr8evo8

[QUOTE="ixlr8evo8"]

Okay, this isn't a shallow argument... this is a serious topic.

Should people 21 years of age or older be able to buy illegal substances?

PROS:
-In theory, less gang violence. By destroying what many gangs fight over, we can decrease their activity.
-Crime rate goes down - see above statement
-New industries - people will now have jobs
-Border regulation can go more toward keeping immigrants out than illegal drugs
-Economy goes up - deficit goes down
-Less drug-related laws allow prisons to not fill up so quickly

CONS:
-More deaths, drug addicts, and more hospitals filled
-Medical costs will go up
-Crime will go toward different crimes (most likely more controllable ones)

The question is, do the Pros outweigh the Cons?

**I know there is a lot of things I didn't cover, but that's pretty much the jist of it**

v3n0m111

I'm more with you on that.

But still if factories produce marijuana people may not like the smell if it was in the city and if everyone in the city did it. cigarette smoke goes away easily but ive noticed marijuana smoke hangs in the air for a while.v3n0m111

It's thicker smoke, which is why it sticks in your lungs for a better high. And manufactuers don't really produce it, they would just have hydroponic warehouses where they grow the cannibus and pick the buds. There's no smell in that process. Plus, warehouses are rarely by housing developments, they are usually in industrial areas or off of highways.

Keep in mind, no one is forcing you to do the drugs.v3n0m111

CONS:
-More deaths, drug addicts, and more hospitals filled
-Medical costs will go up
-Crime will go toward different crimes (most likely more controllable ones)

ixlr8evo8

[QUOTE="ixlr8evo8"]

CONS:
-More deaths, drug addicts, and more hospitals filled
-Medical costs will go up
-Crime will go toward different crimes (most likely more controllable ones)

yoshi-lnex

Okay, this isn't a shallow argument... this is a serious topic.

Should people 21 years of age or older be able to buy illegal substances?

PROS:
-In theory, less gang violence. By destroying what many gangs fight over, we can decrease their activity.
-Crime rate goes down - see above statement
-New industries - people will now have jobs
-Border regulation can go more toward keeping immigrants out than illegal drugs
-Economy goes up - deficit goes down
-Less drug-related laws allow prisons to not fill up so quickly

CONS:
-More deaths, drug addicts, and more hospitals filled
-Medical costs will go up
-Crime will go toward different crimes (most likely more controllable ones)

The question is, do the Pros outweigh the Cons?

**I know there is a lot of things I didn't cover, but that's pretty much the jist of it**

ixlr8evo8

Okay, this isn't a shallow argument... this is a serious topic.

Should people 21 years of age or older be able to buy illegal substances?

PROS:
-In theory, less gang violence. By destroying what many gangs fight over, we can decrease their activity.
-Crime rate goes down - see above statement
-New industries - people will now have jobs
-Border regulation can go more toward keeping immigrants out than illegal drugs
-Economy goes up - deficit goes down
-Less drug-related laws allow prisons to not fill up so quickly

CONS:
-More deaths, drug addicts, and more hospitals filled
-Medical costs will go up
-Crime will go toward different crimes (most likely more controllable ones)

The question is, do the Pros outweigh the Cons?

**I know there is a lot of things I didn't cover, but that's pretty much the jist of it**

ixlr8evo8

No. Most illegal drugs are illegal for a reason. In 19th-century China, so many people (the majority of its population) became addicted to opium that the country relied on British trade and China's productivity plummeted. Result: China gets shellacked in the Opium War. That's not likely to happen, but look at the Caribbean, in some countries virtually everyone smokes pot daily and no one accomplishes anything. If all drugs were legalized, in 20 years over half of the US would be addicted to pot, morphine, crack, ecstasy, heroin, meth, oxycontin, aderall, or who knows what else.

Quite frankly, nicotine and alcohol provide plenty of escape.
sahredd

very true mate

[QUOTE="yoshi-lnex"][QUOTE="ixlr8evo8"]

CONS:
-More deaths, drug addicts, and more hospitals filled
-Medical costs will go up
-Crime will go toward different crimes (most likely more controllable ones)

sahredd

I say more legalization of marijuana. you dont want hardcore drugs being available alot. And though its a strong argument i think that kids would get a hold of drugs and get messed up. Im actually in the middle. I say legalize marijuana but not cocaine, lsd, stuff like that.v3n0m111

Okay, this isn't a shallow argument... this is a serious topic.

Should people 21 years of age or older be able to buy illegal substances?

PROS:
-In theory, less gang violence. By destroying what many gangs fight over, we can decrease their activity.
-Crime rate goes down - see above statement
-New industries - people will now have jobs
-Border regulation can go more toward keeping immigrants out than illegal drugs
-Economy goes up - deficit goes down
-Less drug-related laws allow prisons to not fill up so quickly

CONS:
-More deaths, drug addicts, and more hospitals filled
-Medical costs will go up
-Crime will go toward different crimes (most likely more controllable ones)

The question is, do the Pros outweigh the Cons?

**I know there is a lot of things I didn't cover, but that's pretty much the jist of it**

ixlr8evo8

I don't think the legalization should be the issue as much as the decriminalization of a few of them.

Take marijuana for example: Scientists everywhere that have studied this for decades found numerous medical benefits to it, and the government's public view of it being bad just doesn't have a leg to stand on. It's all bogus, plain and simple.

As for alcohol...if I'm old enough to fight for my country in the military, I should be old enough to drink. I don't drink as much as I used to, but still...it's bogus as well.

Okay, this isn't a shallow argument... this is a serious topic.

Should people 21 years of age or older be able to buy illegal substances?

PROS:
-In theory, less gang violence. By destroying what many gangs fight over, we can decrease their activity.
-Crime rate goes down - see above statement
-New industries - people will now have jobs
-Border regulation can go more toward keeping immigrants out than illegal drugs
-Economy goes up - deficit goes down
-Less drug-related laws allow prisons to not fill up so quickly

CONS:
-More deaths, drug addicts, and more hospitals filled
-Medical costs will go up
-Crime will go toward different crimes (most likely more controllable ones)

The question is, do the Pros outweigh the Cons?

**I know there is a lot of things I didn't cover, but that's pretty much the jist of it**

ixlr8evo8

No the pros do not outweigh the cons.  In fact there are no pros at all.  We're talking about drugs here.  You know.  The stuff that detroys people's lives and tears apart families and kills people. 

Marijuana is okay for medicinal purposes only.  If you don't have a severe illness which it can help alleviate the pain and symptoms you don't need to smoke it.  Unlike alcohol it only has 1 purpose.  To get you stoned.  Not exactly a good enough reason to make it legal to me.

[QUOTE="ixlr8evo8"]

Okay, this isn't a shallow argument... this is a serious topic.

Should people 21 years of age or older be able to buy illegal substances?

PROS:
-In theory, less gang violence. By destroying what many gangs fight over, we can decrease their activity.
-Crime rate goes down - see above statement
-New industries - people will now have jobs
-Border regulation can go more toward keeping immigrants out than illegal drugs
-Economy goes up - deficit goes down
-Less drug-related laws allow prisons to not fill up so quickly

CONS:
-More deaths, drug addicts, and more hospitals filled
-Medical costs will go up
-Crime will go toward different crimes (most likely more controllable ones)

The question is, do the Pros outweigh the Cons?

**I know there is a lot of things I didn't cover, but that's pretty much the jist of it**

greeneye59

No the pros do not outweigh the cons. In fact there are no pros at all. We're talking about drugs here. You know. The stuff that detroys people's lives and tears apart families and kills people.

Marijuana is okay for medicinal purposes only. If you don't have a severe illness which it can help alleviate the pain and symptoms you don't need to smoke it. Unlike alcohol it only has 1 purpose. To get you stoned. Not exactly a good enough reason to make it legal to me.

[QUOTE="ixlr8evo8"]

Okay, this isn't a shallow argument... this is a serious topic.

Should people 21 years of age or older be able to buy illegal substances?

PROS:
-In theory, less gang violence. By destroying what many gangs fight over, we can decrease their activity.
-Crime rate goes down - see above statement
-New industries - people will now have jobs
-Border regulation can go more toward keeping immigrants out than illegal drugs
-Economy goes up - deficit goes down
-Less drug-related laws allow prisons to not fill up so quickly

CONS:
-More deaths, drug addicts, and more hospitals filled
-Medical costs will go up
-Crime will go toward different crimes (most likely more controllable ones)

The question is, do the Pros outweigh the Cons?

**I know there is a lot of things I didn't cover, but that's pretty much the jist of it**

v3n0m111

i think marijuana should be legalized, but not the harder drugs, we should apply an age limit, and not allow it to be used on the streets or have people driving high, treat it like tabacco, and alchol

Okay, this isn't a shallow argument... this is a serious topic.

Should people 21 years of age or older be able to buy illegal substances?

PROS:
-In theory, less gang violence. By destroying what many gangs fight over, we can decrease their activity.
-Crime rate goes down - see above statement
-New industries - people will now have jobs
-Border regulation can go more toward keeping immigrants out than illegal drugs
-Economy goes up - deficit goes down
-Less drug-related laws allow prisons to not fill up so quickly

CONS:
-More deaths, drug addicts, and more hospitals filled
-Medical costs will go up
-Crime will go toward different crimes (most likely more controllable ones)

The question is, do the Pros outweigh the Cons?

**I know there is a lot of things I didn't cover, but that's pretty much the jist of it**

ixlr8evo8

marijuana and other non addictive and weak drugs should be allowed. but heroine, crystal meth, crack and other strong drugs should be wiped off the face of the earth  

Ummm marijuana will be legalized eventually, the rest are really harmful, BUT I think the programs put in place are doing a good job of scarring kids away from meth, heroin, cocaine ect.

No. Drugs should stay illegal as they are.

What should a big issue in the 08 elections is securing the border and stopping the flow of drugs btw Latin America and the United States. The politicians up in Washington need to quit screwing around and actaully do something to secure the border. The polls show that the American people want the to be sealed off and they are getting pissed off at Congress for doing nothing so far.

And that piece of crap legislation that is going to supposedly reform immigration and secure our borders is nothing but an amnesty bill. The only illegal aliens that will have to be fined, go back home, and go to the back of the line are the ones seeking citizenship. The ones that are only seeking legal status don't have to do anything. This bill is nothing but a way to get an extra voter base for certain politicians. Those idiot Congressmen aren't fooling anybody. 

No. Drugs should stay illegal as they are.

What should a big issue in the 08 elections is securing the border and stopping the flow of drugs btw Latin America and the United States. The politicians up in Washington need to quit screwing around and actaully do something to secure the border. The polls show that the American people want the to be sealed off and they are getting pissed off at Congress for doing nothing so far.

And that piece of crap legislation that is going to supposedly reform immigration and secure our borders is nothing but an amnesty bill. The only illegal aliens that will have to be fined, go back home, and go to the back of the line are the ones seeking citizenship. The ones that are only seeking legal status don't have to do anything. This bill is nothing but a way to get an extra voter base for certain politicians. Those idiot Congressmen aren't fooling anybody. 

john_doe2

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/06/07/congress.immigration.ap/index.html

[QUOTE="john_doe2"]

No. Drugs should stay illegal as they are.

What should a big issue in the 08 elections is securing the border and stopping the flow of drugs btw Latin America and the United States. The politicians up in Washington need to quit screwing around and actaully do something to secure the border. The polls show that the American people want the to be sealed off and they are getting pissed off at Congress for doing nothing so far.

And that piece of crap legislation that is going to supposedly reform immigration and secure our borders is nothing but an amnesty bill. The only illegal aliens that will have to be fined, go back home, and go to the back of the line are the ones seeking citizenship. The ones that are only seeking legal status don't have to do anything. This bill is nothing but a way to get an extra voter base for certain politicians. Those idiot Congressmen aren't fooling anybody. 

SaintLeonidas

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/06/07/congress.immigration.ap/index.html

Thanks for the info. Thank goodness it failed.