[Newfie]

It seems some are genetically disposed to addiction. I never touched heroin, coke or any such drugs. I did dabble with pot and LSD. It however was a big time drunk in my late teens. I have had delirium tremors and withdrawal symptoms. My buddy and I would drink beer for beer, for several years. He went on to become a full blow alcoholic. He eventually found religion and sobered up. For what ever reason I was able to walk away and can still enjoy a glass of wine or nice beer, gout willing. The demon never got to me. That is no brag, just plain simple luck.

Back on topic, there is no doubt one of our greatest failures is how we treat addicts. Booze, heroine, gambling, whatever. We need to move one direction or the other; either make a concerted effort to help them, or completely cut them free, allow then to perish and eventually the genes will diminish.

As it is we are enabling misery. We kid ourselves that we are doing any real good. Our jails are crammed with druggies, and our homeless shelters. Thats not treatment and its not humanitarian behavior.

[aadbrd]

Ah yes, puritanism and labelling people

Huh?

What I said is that it was a strategic move on the part of government to legalize drugs since time getting tough were driving lots of people into addiction. Not that good times don't do the same (think cocaine in the 80s). But you can see how when it reaches a point where everyone's doing drugs you can't just lock everyone up. But there's no way to characterize a country where everyone is doing drugs as healthy. That's not to say those addicted are worthless scum or anything. That's projection on your part. But I'm not going to say the addicted should be treated as role models either. They need help. A hands-off "don't judge" approach may sound compassionate but it's not. It's enabling. There has to be a middle-ground between locking people up and a free-for-all.

[Tanada]

Ah yes, puritanism and labelling people

Huh?

What I said is that it was a strategic move on the part of government to legalize drugs since time getting tough were driving lots of people into addiction. Not that good times don't do the same (think cocaine in the 80s). But you can see how when it reaches a point where everyone's doing drugs you can't just lock everyone up. But there's no way to characterize a country where everyone is doing drugs as healthy. That's not to say those addicted are worthless scum or anything. That's projection on your part. But I'm not going to say the addicted should be treated as role models either. They need help. A hands-off "don't judge" approach may sound compassionate but it's not. It's enabling. There has to be a middle-ground between locking people up and a free-for-all.

Well the Dutch seem to have it figured out, why not adopt an approach that works without throwing a few million folks into prison for an unwinnable war on drugs?

[Outcast_Searcher]

Well the Dutch seem to have it figured out, why not adopt an approach that works without throwing a few million folks into prison for an unwinnable war on drugs?

Because many US politicians see the "war on drugs" and interfering with people's medical care from their doctors (i.e. prescribed pain drugs) as ways to help them get elected? Based on much of what I've seen on these topics in the US, that certainly seems to be the case to me.