[mobertol]

Originally Posted by annesingleton

There are lots of reasons why people use drugs/substances both legal and illegal, myself included regarding alcohol and cigarettes (and cake and chocolate to an extent in my case!). In the main they are used to self medicate as a way of escaping from reality to a larger or lesser extent - people tend to say they are a means of relaxation, but this tends to be another name for escapism. I know that after a stressful day at work I like nothing more than a trip to the pub on the way home or to open a good bottle of red wine when I get home. But none of this means that illegal drugs should be legalised, there would be no benefit to either society or to the individual - if drugs were legalised the government would tax them to the hilt and make them unaffordable to most people, the police would be unable to prosecute which would affect the economy. By this I mean that the police, prison and legal system would have less business, the people who support them would have nothing to do, drugs agencies would decline, the health service would not need so many drugs related staff, and also the infrastructure who build rehab units, supply alternative medication, and even things like catering for their needs would suffer. The country cannot afford the legalisation of illegal substances!

Agree with much of what you say here, Anne, but how can you legalise substances which impair people's judgement. How would you regulate driving licences for example - if someone was a "user" of something that was legalised could you let them drive their own car or a works vehicle -what if they had an accident because their senses were impaired...if they wer driving a school bus -how would you proceed in the case of the death of a young passenger, or if they smashed into a car at high speed carrying 2 young parents whose children are now orphaned? This happened here in Cremona on Sunday evening -thank-god the grand-parents offered to keep the children that evening and let the parents have a (last) night out alone...