Illegal drug usage, have you, will you, tempted?

[Puckoon]

You big jessy, that doesnt even make the top 20 list!

[Bogball XV]

You big jessy, that doesnt even make the top 20 list!

Damn, I thought the street name was cocaine?

[imtommygunn]

Interestingly since they downgraded cannabis in the UK the usage of it has been found to have dropped. (Not sure of where these statistics originated.)

This I suppose would introduce another argument for the legalisation and raises the question - are drugs being made more attractive because they are illegal?

Personally I don't , and never have, taken any substance and would only take medication if I was really sick. However I would have no issues with cannabis being legalised. Ecstacy is not something I can understand the appeal of. Heroin is too addictive and cocaine well the high people get from it is not something that appeals to me either.

Having had the discussion a few times with a few mates a number have said that had they not got addictive personalities they would probably do something like cocaine - they don't because they know they would not "grow out of it".

Legalisation would guarantee more quality control but I do not believe this is even close to a strong enough argument for legalising. By legalising you make it acceptable and then you would have to say that there is a big chance the number of addicts etc would drastically increase. Then again you could argue the point for alcohol however I believe things like hangovers, weight gain excessive tiredness and things like that are large reasons for people no becoming alcoholics. Cocaine, as an example, will not have those side effects. It will have it's own granted.

[Fishbat]

Lot of sense talked here, difficult to know what is the best approach - it is possible that people would make gulpins of themselves if they were legalised....like beer

but also instead of buying it in large quantities like now and smoking/snorting like blazes for a week, people may also ease off and use as a luxury and buy less as they know they can get it handy if they want it.

Having said that it could be a difficult door to close once opened.

Drugs have been used for such a long time now by humans, its never going to change.  Lots of cultures use drugs, whether it be lickin a toads back, chewing/smoking the cocoa leaves or eating and smoking grass and drinking hooch - does it wreck these communities that live in the depths of south america or hill tribes in africa etc...

I see NZ has now banned party pills (BZP) - kind of similar to E tabs, but it drive it into the hands of the gangs and previously having been no deaths associated with them will no doubt be mixed with P and whatever other shit they can find - and theres plenty of destruction associated with that gear - madness

[lynchbhoy]

never never never

all drugs should remain outlawed (drink should be permitted in quotas)
drug dealers should get life or in the case of persistent big shot dealers - maybe commutation to dundalk/death.

But what does making these substances illegal achieve?  It just creates a massive profit incentive for people to suply them, once there's that amount of money involved the battle for control of the supply inevitably follows.  The high price means that users may have to resort to crime to feed their habit, and all the time have no idea as to the potency or quality of their next hit

making these drugs illegal keeps them somewhat under wraps.
Maybe it is the Irish psyche but once things are left to their own devices they seem to go off the scale rather than become 'normalised'.
Look at divorce and abortion, or the abject failure of the drink driving campaign since it was attempted to enforce this since the early 80's.

Throw in the fact that any Irish gov cannot seem to organise proper rules, regulations, advise, clinics, procedures, measures and enforcement that would be required with making any drugs legal.
There is a huge battle with the whole drink thing these days and the drink and abuse is clearly winning , with people/victims, cops, state, country etc all the losers here with only solicitors and barristers 'winning'.

Our country cannot properly organise roads or rail links. They fail on health issues and policies let alone addressing the physical lack of hospitals.
Dont even start on the upsurge in crime and the lack of any real move to combat it.

Even if we had all of the above (and theres more than this) dealt with - I'd still have reservations about legalising ANY drugs.
However we are not in a position to think of this given the problems we are experiencing or on the cusp of doing so.
imo.

[Zapatista]

I have had my own experience with drug use. Thankfully it was a long time ago and I am a little embarrassed by it now. I'm not sure if I grew out of it or because I moved away and found a different group of friends. I know many of my friends from years ago have stopped but there are some who have not. I also know of some who have left that life for a long time only to return to it.

I know some people who use drugs on a regular basis now and they are good people who honestly believe it is harmless (I don't necessarily disagree). I don't know any dealers although I would say casual drug users know what a huge problem drug dealing is. The users seem to be able to disconnect themselves from the dealing. Drug use should be argued along with drug dealing. I would say drug dealing kills more people and ruins more community's than drug use if you take them seperately.

I also don't believe the story of dangerous substances being added to drugs. Dealers are not stupid and would not add 'rat poison' to their drug. It would kill off their clients which is just stupid business.

[Bogball XV]

Primetime are running a show now on whether or not 'the war on drugs' is working, seems to be doing well amongst the gaa followers of Ireland, with a whopping 27% being totally opposed to those drugs our great leaders have deemed illegal.

[Puckoon]

Primetime are running a show now on whether or not 'the war on drugs' is working, seems to be doing well amongst the gaa followers of Ireland, with a whopping 27% being totally opposed to those drugs our great leaders have deemed illegal.

Here was me thinking you'd had a stag weekend in Amsterdam and were coming back to confess!

[Bogball XV]

Primetime are running a show now on whether or not 'the war on drugs' is working, seems to be doing well amongst the gaa followers of Ireland, with a whopping 27% being totally opposed to those drugs our great leaders have deemed illegal.

Here was me thinking you'd had a stag weekend in Amsterdam and were coming back to confess!

Aye, but this thread is about drugs not hookers.

Anyway, at least I now understand why we have retained prohibition, it's because the UN estimate the world drug trade to be worth $320bn, second only to the armaments trade, with that much money involved there's no way things will change (plus of course the war on drugs requires plenty of armaments on both sides, thus the two biggest industries worldwide are heavily dependent on the status quo being retained).

[stew]

I have never used a cigarette much less anything else and I nevr will. I dont understand the appeal of drugs yet many's the time I have made an arse out of myself with drink. I would hate to see myself on drugs, God knows what shite I would get up to.

I do think that drugs area big part of the social issues that exist in Ireland today.

[Tyrones own]

  First of all no, no and no...Believe it or not but Meth has become a very common thing around here
especially among the middle aged wealthy soccer mum/Milf Types, seem to be able to just use recreationally
and still able to go about their daily lives.
I hadn't read anyone mentioning Meth in this thread, is it becoming a problem back there yet?
Nasty nasty drug to get off supposedly.

[Puckoon]

  First of all no, no and no...Believe it or not but Meth has become a very common thing around here
especially among the middle aged wealthy soccer mum/Milf Types, seem to be able to just use recreationally
and still able to go about their daily lives.
I hadn't read anyone mentioning Meth in this thread, is it becoming a problem back there yet?
Nasty nasty drug to get off supposedly.

That wont last long. Meth is a demon drug. Reno has a huge meth problem also, but not so much among that demographic.