Should drugs be decriminalised?

[Christian Taylor]

http://www.samesame.com.au/news/local/500/Ice_Ice_Baby

The NSW Greens have argued that ice/crystal meth should be decriminalised, and that the focus should be on rehabilitation and getting people drug free, not behind bars.

What do you think? Liberal Leader Peter Debnam has said that decriminalisation means that ice junkies are free to buy as much of the stuff as they like. Hey Peter - newsflash - they already are.

[jackie87]

I think that marijuana should be decriminalised but I think it should be left there, if heroin and ice were legal it would be pretty insane.

[alison87]

I'm all for decriminalization of drug possession - it's a victimless crime and imho there's better things the cops could be doing than arresting kids with drugs. I think we should have MUCH tougher laws and controls on the outcomes of drug abuse, though - stuff like drugged/drunk driving, physical abuse, B&Es, etc.

[genkij]

Yes totally - Just like the Olympics ... they should have a drug one & a natural one... education is key !! .. make great TV...

If people who have been educated wanna run a muck & kill themselves... do it !! we are living in an over populated & polluted world anyway !! ... it'll be fun to watch... it a personal choice !!

[infinity]

The decriminilisation of drugs has way more positives than negatives. The benefits:

1. Drugs could be taxed and the money could go straight back to the government to fund other initiatives.

2. The quality of drugs could be tested and maintained to avoid overdoses and impurities.

3. The bottom would fall out of the black market and stop funding drug syndicates, gangs and more.

4. Ecstasy has a far lower death rate than alcohol or nicotine.

5. Prohibition of drugs is a relatively new concept, only introduced in the past hundred years or so. Before that there was nothing wrong with it, in fact drugs were encouraged to solved certain things.

6. Let's fact it, would you rather a crowd be drunk and rowdy or happy and high?

It's time to drop the archaic arguments of "because it's bad". It's only bad becuase of the current situation.

[taylor-dayne]

i agree - it's not about setting an example, the law should actually be a process that cares for the community, not just the ones who don't fall foul of it... i say lets move beyond pure the boring right wing "right and wrong" debate cos drugs aren't wrong, they're just as wrong as cigarettes or alcohol and that's the TRUTH - lets actually start using our resources in a way that's going to ADDRESS the problem, not IGNORE it.