Drug Legalization

Nurses Activism

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I am adamant about the legalization of all drugs and substances, but I don't get much support from other members of the nursing community. Are my ideas that radical? Has anyone had a change in mind regarding the subject since you've began your nursing career?

Specializes in icu/er.

nope..i still disagree. i dont want another mind altering drug out there for anyone to take and climb behind a car wheel. as for drug users being punished...drug users commit crimes and they deserve punishment. i see your point and i think its valid to a degree, but as a er nurse i see enough mangled bodies from dui mvc's & dont want to increase that ratio by factor of x with a few hundred thousand cheech and chongs plowing over folks while high on hemp.

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nope..i still disagree. i dont want another mind altering drug out there for anyone to take and climb behind a car wheel. as for drug users being punished...drug users commit crimes and they deserve punishment. i see your point and i think its valid to a degree, but as a er nurse i see enough mangled bodies from dui mvc's & dont want to increase that ratio by factor of x with a few hundred thousand cheech and chongs plowing over folks while high on hemp.

To make sure it's clear, people that drive under the influence should definitely face jail time. I think that the focus should be on rehabilitation if someone is just caught with possession of a drug. I see it from your point of view. I'm sure there would be some people that would try it because it is legal, which in turn would lead to more tragedies. I think that drug policy as it stands is not succeeding, and they need to do something differently. I'm not saying my way is the perfect, or even the right way. Just having the discussion in the first place will influence any changes to our laws and policies in the future. :up:

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Specializes in Infectious Disease, Neuro, Research.
Really? Comparing the rape and molestation of a child to the legalization of drugs, you guys are stretching just a little bit. But hell, lets see if i can make some ridiculously insane comparisons of my own that make absolutely no sense

1. All non-religious persons could transfer their thoughts and beliefs to others, therefore they should all be executed. (Rhetorical argument: Because a given sub-culture espouses doctrine contrary to the greater society, they should be exterminated. In context, that is anarchy. It is a valid position, but it is self-limiting in expansion and development. Might-makes-right, but eventually siomeone mightier comes along.)

2. If a child is old enough to be alone in a shopping mall, they are old enough to work in the sex industry. (Non-sequiter, different actions and non-consequential.)

3. If a person is allowed to take a life in self-defense, we should make murder legal. (Non-sequiter, different actions and non-consequential.)

4. According to the bible women are supposed to be submissive, therefore there is no such thing as rape in a marriage. You have centered on Biblical argument, so, in context, I may simply state that you are wrong. Ephesians 5:25, Colossians 3:19 are both direct and clear- some men simply choose to ignore the imperative. http://www.prca.org/articles/family/family_5.html

(But, again-Rhetorical argument: If the desire of the individual is declared to have primacy, "moral wrong" resides entirely within the individual. Ergo, there is no "abuse", only misunderstanding of individual desire.)

5. If a person is diagnosed with a mental illness, they should be locked up or executed to prevent harm to anyone else. (Rhetorical statement: "If an individual exhibits mental illness which causes persistent, irrevocable danger of intentional harm to the society, they should be executed. If an individual exhibits mental illness which causes persistent, irrevocable danger of severe injury through diminished capacity, to the individual and/or the society, they should be institutionalized. These are logical, "if X, then Y statements", event-then-consequence, and may be supported on an evidentiary basis.)

6. If we legalize drugs, we should legalize child abuse. (Rhetorical argument: If the desire of the individual is declared to have primacy, "moral wrong" resides entirely within the individual. Ergo, there is no "abuse", only misunderstanding of individual desire. Assuming one is willing to rephrase, and not simply dismiss as another non-sequiter.)

I guess it's like the bible says in passage 5:16 "You can't cure stupid."

You have a logical fallacy. Your arguments(hypothetical statements) are hyperbole, and cannot be equated.

In summary: The case for legalization is centered on the concept of "individual right to choose". Economics, "Gubmint control", social oppression, and social criminalization are the tools of argument, but they are not the argument itself. The root of legalization is, "I want". The only way this argument can be validated is through moral relativism, i.e., there are only situational/individual ethics, because the individual's rights take precendence over those of the social group. This is the definition of sociopathy, is it not- I know right and wrong, they just don't always apply to me...?

We experienced the same thing with Prohibition, and came to the "agreement" that we are willing to kill several thousand of our fellows, a fair number of whom do not imbibe, for that "right."

Now, if you have an argument, with "if X, then Y" statements that may be shown to be cause-effect and consequential, by all means, but being derogatory and pejorative:

I guess it's like the bible says in passage 5:16 "You can't cure stupid
is the device of those who lack substance in position, and/or have not thought through the actual consequences of said position.;)
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Specializes in Critical Care,Recovery, ED.

Portugal decriminalized drugs 10 years ago. They treat people who use drugs as patients. They have recently released a 10 year follow up study. If you are interested in this topic, without regard to your position on the topic, i think you will find it interesting.

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Portugal decriminalized drugs 10 years ago. They treat people who use drugs as patients. They have recently released a 10 year follow up study. If you are interested in this topic, without regard to your position on the topic, i think you will find it interesting.

I am a bit lazy, this fine sunday morn, do you have a link?

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I found an article about it in Time:

"Portugal's case study is of some interest to lawmakers in the U.S., confronted now with the violent overflow of escalating drug gang wars in Mexico. The U.S. has long championed a hard-line drug policy, supporting only international agreements that enforce drug prohibition and imposing on its citizens some of the world's harshest penalties for drug possession and sales. Yet America has the highest rates of cocaine and marijuana use in the world, and while most of the E.U. (including Holland) has more liberal drug laws than the U.S., it also has less drug use."

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1893946,00.html#ixzz1R43dQHkx

One thing someone said in the article was that Portugal isn't a realistic model to compare the US, because of it's size and culture. It seems like any time we have an unsuccessful policy (such as sex ed and pregnancy rates) any country that has a better way of doing things can't compare because it is too different than the US.

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I found an article about it in Time:

"Portugal's case study is of some interest to lawmakers in the U.S., confronted now with the violent overflow of escalating drug gang wars in Mexico. The U.S. has long championed a hard-line drug policy, supporting only international agreements that enforce drug prohibition and imposing on its citizens some of the world's harshest penalties for drug possession and sales. Yet America has the highest rates of cocaine and marijuana use in the world, and while most of the E.U. (including Holland) has more liberal drug laws than the U.S., it also has less drug use."

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1893946,00.html#ixzz1R43dQHkx

One thing someone said in the article was that Portugal isn't a realistic model to compare the US, because of it's size and culture. It seems like any time we have an unsuccessful policy (such as sex ed and pregnancy rates) any country that has a better way of doing things can't compare because it is too different than the US.

yeah, so they don't have to try....
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legalize them. but tax the **** out of them :D

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