[Spivak]

> and they're assessed to be mentally ill and/or addicted to drugs

I think this is where you'll get a lot push back because I have absolutely zero trust in my or any government to make this determination and not abuse it. I'm "mentally ill" a few times over, Johns Hopkins says 24% of adults have a mental disorder.

As much as I agree with you in theory that getting people help is good it requires a government of angels. It's the same thing with the war on drugs, the reality is much much worse than the theory.

[creato]

> but when someone is a repeat offender of some petty crimes, and ...

This is a critical part of the comment you are talking about. Everything you say is irrelevant if you're already objectively guilty of crime.

Legalization of drugs doesn't mean legalization of behavior caused by drugs.

[sangnoir]

>> but when someone is a repeat offender of some petty crimes, and ...

> This is a critical part of the comment you are talking about. Everything you say is irrelevant if you're already objectively guilty of crime

This sounds like an expansion of "three strike" laws to include petty crimes.

[Spivak]

Sure, but if you wouldn't jail them for their petty crimes then I don't think it's right to force them into a mental institution or rehab either. So as long as it's only an alternative to jail I agree.

[seanmcdirmid]

Yes. I think more people wouldn’t be so annoyed by decriminalization in Portland or other places if police would actually throw people in jail for property crimes that go along with drug decriminalization.