Peaches Geldof has died

[Gandalf]

It's still observable science to state that alcohol or tobacco are on the whole more damaging drugs than heroin and pretty much most drugs. Millions in the UK are walking around with destroyed livers or are coughing up shit having clogged up their lungs with smoke. The habit will likely get them in the end. A regulated and controlled morphine/heroin would no doubt cause societal problems, but the systems currently in place are likely more problematic. Walk around a British downtown street at 2am in the morning and tell me that looks healthy. A person wacked on heroin is unlikely to smash your face in, but a person looking for cut heroin at black market prices is more likely to steal from your home as the market makes it expensive and cut down in quality. In terms of personal health, and if regulated well, I think heroin is likely to be a safer form of addiction than many others, either legal or illegal. I believe nothing should be illegal, but know that will result in some tragedy. However, people should have the choice. I would much rather smoke opium than get drunk and society would likely be more peaceful.

It's just common sense and none of the policies concerning drugs have anything to do with common sense. It is merely the arbitrary exercise of state coercion and control.

[boyla]

citation needed Gandalf ^^^^^^^^^^^^

[Gandalf]

There are all kinds of studies and some get covered in precise form in the mainstream media. Plenty of stuff comes up on a quick search. I don't doubt for a moment that rampant heroin addiction is extremely harmful and kicking it looks like a scene from Dante's Inferno. However, the extent to which it is demonised and the extent of alcohol abuse in so many countries is a complete contradiction. People are burning through their livers, getting arrested, falling in front of moving vehicles; all kinds of things every day of the week in some country or other. Alcohol is an incredibly destructive drug. Now, if heroin were to be regulated and controlled, the negative consequences would likely fall in these kinds of drugs studies as people wouldn't be injecting talcum powder or be at the whim of an illegal market. Imagine a pint filled with poison and I am sure the already terrible effects of alcohol would skyrocket and they are already significant. I am libertarian on this issue and think nothing should be prohibited. I don't like how governments allow their people to poison themselves, when there are other ways to do so that are probably far less destructive, and all based on little more than ad hoc fear mongering policy. I stand by my claims and plenty of evidence exists to support such a claim, both anecdotal or scientific.

The three deadliest drugs in America are all totally legal - Vox

Study: Alcohol Most Dangerous Drug - Health & Science - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com

[Gandalf]

CNN report this evening saying that Americans consume 80% of the worlds painkilling medication. Now that right there is an admission that the medical industry is in mad mode and that the US establishment wants people addicted and vulnerable. Now, I am not against heroin in any way, but when the establishment is pushing it on people who are only going to get addicted when they don't even need it. Well, that is kind of weird. It also makes you realise what Afghanistan was all about. Once you have a dependent drug population, they will be under control based on medicine and then of course the lovely benevolent ObamaCare.