[unethical_ban]

Drugs were already being used. Some of the drugs that were decriminalized are not causing issues. Some do cause issues.

The "issue" drugs and their users existed no matter what, and decriminalization of them (I suspect) hasn't caused a spike in users of the bad drugs.

I for one, will not try meth or heroin no matter how accessible it is.

Decriminalization says "okay we don't want this stuff on the shelf at Walgreens, but trying to jail people for it isn't working, so let's try something else".

Jailing costs money. Treatment costs money. The question is which tool is better for society and each citizen?

[lazide]

Using treatment as the option when there is no treatment available (let alone any with signs of real efficacy) is a bit odd though?

[unethical_ban]

This the argument that the failure here is not the decriminalization as a concept, but the lack of a replacement for removing users of the "bad drugs" off the streets.

[lazide]

I’m not sure what you’re trying to say, mind restating?

[unethical_ban]

That according to the article, it is a failure of implementation, not of concept.

[lazide]

Sure, but that can be said of pretty much anything?

Communism works great on paper too, shame no one ever tried it, amirite?

This does seem to be a particularly terrible ‘implementation’ though.

The problem near as I can tell is that people are ignoring the very real needs of the majority to not be miserable, and actively guilting the majority (you’re not allowed to not like these things because that would mean you’re a bad person) and that is winding the spring for an authoritarian backlash which we’ve already seen get very scary.

People care about their emotions, and when pressed will do almost anything to protect them. Including having people March ‘bad people’ off to ovens as long as they can pretend they’re awesome in the process.

Trump gets so much traction for this very reason, and it’s going to get worse before it gets better.

[unethical_ban]

>Sure, but that can be said of pretty much anything?

No, it can't

>Communism works great on paper too, shame no one ever tried it, amirite?

That's a horrible example.

I largely agree with the rest of the post.