The ban on drugs

Vexen

Vexen

Registered Member
One of my interests is the legal status of psychoactive substances.

What effects of psychoactive substances (legal and illegal) have on society and individuals, postulating whether the benefits outweigh the cost.

Day to day one seeks happiness or some derivative of it in the form of love, music, socializing, sport, entertainment, food and all other things that may stimulate the mind. However, these activities do have some risk to your health and at times to others. For example, over consumption of certain enjoyable foods such as burgers and French fries may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Falling in love may also be seen as incurring a risk. A person may go through emotional turmoil during and once a relationship has ended. My points is that the risk that one incurs and extends to other (society) should be balanced with the euphoria acquired by an activity.

In many countries it is legal to consume alcohol. This has incurred many risks to these societies including alcohol induced violence and accidental deaths. Do these damages to society outweigh the benefits they provide to individuals? The same question may be asked to other psychoactive substances.

What about the depressed, poor and dying? Should they allowed to induce euphoria through psychoactive substances such as cannabis?

The meaning to life, as I understand it, is to do what makes you happy without inhibiting another person's happiness. Psychoactive substances, in certain circumstances, may provide this.

Sam Harris :
(http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/drugs-and-the-meaning-of-life)
 
I have mixed feelings on this question. Recently marijuana was legalized in my state. Even though I no longer partake, I feel that it's legalization was overdue. I simply don't see it as potentially dangerous as, say, alcohol and tobacco. In regards to other drugs, such as LSD, Mescaline, Meth, or any other illegal substance, I think they would need individual consideration. Quite honestly, there are some drugs that scare me--meth and heroin. Being addicted to tobacco, I can't imagine topping that with another drug.

I do believe some drugs are dangerous and should be illegal, even though doing so creates demand and a black market.
 
Up to 40% of all hospital beds in the United States (except for those being used by maternity and intensive care patients) are being used to treat health conditions that are related to alcohol consumption
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https://ncadd.org/learn-about-alcohol/faqsfacts

Tack on other substances... well you get the picture.

Prescription (legal drugs) are a different story. I know this one schizophrenic dude that when off his meds thinks the mafia and demons are out to get him.
 
Vexen said:
Anti-depressant drugs are a form of pleasure inducing drug.
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I would say this is very wrong - my wife was on antidepressants... if anything, they left her rather flat and emotionless, rather than happy. It took her several weeks after coming off of them to shake the side effects /withdrawal effects (she was on venalfaxaline) and we are still working on combating the occasional bad lows that happen
 
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