Re: Legalise "Illegal" Drugs?
There appears to be a strong body of opinion expressed here that holds that all controlled substances are bad and should be shunned as tools of the Devil and a danger to the young and impressionable. It is hard not to concurr. But in the interest of fairness I think it should be pointed out that the issue here is the abuse of substances rather than the use of substances per se.
Abuse typically occurrs when a substance is used either to excess or in ways other than originally intended.
There is a large and growing body of evidence to suggest that Controlled substances of whatever class have good, positive and life saving properties when used in the correct context and under supervision. MDMA (Ecstacy) is finding increasing use in the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, LSD is more effective at treating the problems of Alcohol withdrawal than standard therapies. THC, the active ingredient in Cannabis is used to combat the pain associated with degenerative conditions such as Arthritis with none of the noxious side effects of anti-inflamatory drug regimes. The analgesic properties of Cocaine and its derivatives have long been known and made use of in dentristry, among other branches of medicine.
What is not addressed by this discussion, or any other discussion I have heard over the last forty years, is why our young are so attracted to court the obvious dangers of substance abuse? Why are they so impelled to seek temporary release from everyday life? What is it about the qualities of our society that they find so oppressive or restrictive that they are prepared to spend large sums of money in funding criminal enterprise for a period of respite or escape?
How have we failed our young?
And, if so many of them are so affected, often at the risk of their health and lives, what are we going to do about changing our society to make such substance abuse unecessary?
It strikes me that in reaching for the 'BANNED' stamp, we are dodging the real issues.
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Enough is ENOUGH Get Britain out of Europe
Last edited by Acrylic-bob; 06-02-2012 at 09:42.
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