Why are certain drugs illegal?

[QuantumJG]

Come on /0, you can't possibly believe that allowing someone to be free to take a drug that will skew their perception of right and wrong is a freedom you want people to be have the choice of exercising. Having the attitude 'people can stuff up their life if they want' is wrong, because when you do this, you put others at harms way.

As for alcohol. I believe that we have a long way to go with fixing that problem, so I'm not going to say it's not a problem. When you compare potency of an illicit drug to alcohol it is massive.

In the end 'nobody is going to change my view the matter of illicit drugs.

[Collin Li]

a freedom you want people to be exercising

major contradiction.

[Glockmeister]

sooo... should alcohol be banned?

No, but it should be regulated with reference to the risk factors associated with that drug (the work of Nutt, King, Saulsbury and Blackmore (2007) would a good reference for determining such factors).

[slothpomba]

Its too late to ban alcohol i think, once you give something and entrench it as much in society as alcohol its hard to take away. Most people who drink alcohol turn out fine though but like i said one pill could fuck you up badly. Yes, alcohol has its problems but i believe thats a weak deflection... sure it has its problems but do you seriously think by leaglising MORE drugs..its going to get any better..really?

or are you just sticking to your rigid belief in one system?

I like libertarian beliefs in some arguments and socialist ones in others... i go with whatever works...

[xXNovaxX]

I think Alchohal is JUST as bad.

Yes drugs cause many bad things etc, but in OUR country Alcohol is the issue.
In AMERICA drugs is the issue.

When I say "issue" I mean the root of 90% of all crimes, does the CBD ring a bell?

It's embarssingly become Australian "culture" to have drinking games, to get "pissed" to jump on any girl you see when drunk. It's effing disgusting. Australia lacks so much culture because all we have to offer are meat pies and booze. FFS im angry atm from writing this.

We are a country with so much potential, in movies, music, aboriginal ART, biomedicine, nanotechnology, and all we have to show for it is alcoholics.

What makes it worse, you get immigrants come here, see that beer is "accepted as norm/cool" they get into it and racial gangs and groups form, and then we become racist. This is specifically an issue for African migrants as well. You cannot say "oh, they were into beer before" because COME ON, they lived in war torn countries and could not afford/would spend money on BETTER things then alcohol.

I know I am not being single minded on this issue, because the POLICE COMMISSIONER of Victoria said its going to take around 2 decades to remove alcohol FROM OUR CULTURE.

I know not EVERY Australian (this means me and you) is obsessed with booze, for example last Christmas I went to a great family who had grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins etc all around a feast  drinking LIGHT wine, and LGIHT alchohal, and remaining sane throughout the evening.

FFS, 13-16 year olds are drinking BEER, whereas in other developed nations it is drank around 17-20 onwards (generalisation, no evidence). It's become like "Australian" to do it.

I know I have sort of went off topic, but im trying to build a correlation b/w beer and drugs, both are as bad as each other, but in Australia beer is the root cause of all evil. And no I am not saying ban alcohol. Other countries haven't banned it, and they do not have bloody alcohol fuelled violence

[Collin Li]

I think Alchohal is JUST as bad.

Yes drugs cause many bad things etc, but in OUR country Alcohol is the issue.
In AMERICA drugs is the issue.

When I say "issue" I mean the root of 90% of all crimes, does the CBD ring a bell?

It's embarssingly become Australian "culture" to have drinking games, to get "pissed" to jump on any girl you see when drunk. It's effing disgusting. Australia lacks so much culture because all we have to offer are meat pies and booze. FFS im angry atm from writing this.

We are a country with so much potential, in movies, music, aboriginal ART, biomedicine, nanotechnology, and all we have to show for it is alcoholics.

What makes it worse, you get immigrants come here, see that beer is "accepted as norm/cool" they get into it and racial gangs and groups form, and then we become racist. This is specifically an issue for African migrants as well. You cannot say "oh, they were into beer before" because COME ON, they lived in war torn countries and could not afford/would spend money on BETTER things then alcohol.

I know I am not being single minded on this issue, because the POLICE COMMISSIONER of Victoria said its going to take around 2 decades to remove alcohol FROM OUR CULTURE.

I know not EVERY Australian (this means me and you) is obsessed with booze, for example last Christmas I went to a great family who had grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins etc all around a feast  drinking LIGHT wine, and LGIHT alchohal, and remaining sane throughout the evening.

FFS, 13-16 year olds are drinking BEER, whereas in other developed nations it is drank around 17-20 onwards (generalisation, no evidence). It's become like "Australian" to do it.

I know I have sort of went off topic, but im trying to build a correlation b/w beer and drugs, both are as bad as each other, but in Australia beer is the root cause of all evil. And no I am not saying ban alcohol. Other countries haven't banned it, and they do not have bloody alcohol fuelled violence

I haven't really seen this happen -- but then again I don't read mainstream media or news sources.

I think perception is playing a larger role than reality here?

[d0minicz]

thats pretty harsh...
australia is recognised for many many things =="
racial gangs form becuz they arent actually accepted into the new community or are bullied so they group themselves together to protect themselves, not because of alcohol...
just saying

[enwiabe]

yeah racial gangs form because our integration policy is so shit, that it's more or less a segregation policy

our immigration ministers fail at life so hard...

[minilunchbox]

I think Alchohal is JUST as bad.

Yes drugs cause many bad things etc, but in OUR country Alcohol is the issue.
In AMERICA drugs is the issue.

When I say "issue" I mean the root of 90% of all crimes, does the CBD ring a bell?

It's embarssingly become Australian "culture" to have drinking games, to get "pissed" to jump on any girl you see when drunk. It's effing disgusting. Australia lacks so much culture because all we have to offer are meat pies and booze. FFS im angry atm from writing this.

We are a country with so much potential, in movies, music, aboriginal ART, biomedicine, nanotechnology, and all we have to show for it is alcoholics.

What makes it worse, you get immigrants come here, see that beer is "accepted as norm/cool" they get into it and racial gangs and groups form, and then we become racist. This is specifically an issue for African migrants as well. You cannot say "oh, they were into beer before" because COME ON, they lived in war torn countries and could not afford/would spend money on BETTER things then alcohol.

I know I am not being single minded on this issue, because the POLICE COMMISSIONER of Victoria said its going to take around 2 decades to remove alcohol FROM OUR CULTURE.

I know not EVERY Australian (this means me and you) is obsessed with booze, for example last Christmas I went to a great family who had grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins etc all around a feast  drinking LIGHT wine, and LGIHT alchohal, and remaining sane throughout the evening.

FFS, 13-16 year olds are drinking BEER, whereas in other developed nations it is drank around 17-20 onwards (generalisation, no evidence). It's become like "Australian" to do it.

I know I have sort of went off topic, but im trying to build a correlation b/w beer and drugs, both are as bad as each other, but in Australia beer is the root cause of all evil. And no I am not saying ban alcohol. Other countries haven't banned it, and they do not have bloody alcohol fuelled violence

I'm pretty sure alcohol plays a large part in the culture of a lot of other developed nations. Just because their (America) drinking age is 21 doesn't stop teenagers from drinking. Also alcohol in America is definitely a problem as well, it's not just not as widely broadcasted here since the media doubts we'd be interested. But I do think what's happened with the Aborigines and alcohol is tragic.

I don't think that other countries see us as a bunch of alcoholics though, what with the Jackson Jive and the models with blackface, and the violence against Indian students... But that's a different issue.

Also banning alcohol would just lead to people going through dangerous and shady measures (like they do now with certain drugs) to get it which will lead to even more violence.

Personally, I don't understand why weed/marijuana is illegal when tobacco and alcohol, which are both more addictive and have greater consequences, aren't. Every other drug should remain illegal.

[xXNovaxX]

thats pretty harsh...
australia is recognised for many many things =="
racial gangs form becuz they arent actually accepted into the new community or are bullied so they group themselves together to protect themselves, not because of alcohol...
just saying

Nah im not being rude/racist (u didnt explicitly say this, but its important to point out)

It is HARSH, but it's the truth, and I am not afraid to say it when there are thousands out there who know it DEEP INSIDE, but are too shy to say it. We need to be HONEST, and not be AFRAID in order to keep democracy working.

Why do you think we are in such a HOLE right now? Because nobody is WILLING to admit the way society is right now is stuffed up hard core. I appreciate ur comments, and thank you for not accusing me of being "racist" or being told to "GET OUT OF HERE IF UR NOT HAPPY".

If I wanted to get out I could, but I would much rather make my country a better country then simply migrating, get what I' saying?

I agree whole heartedly to ur explanation of why gangs form, its 100% true.
Admins explanation is also 100% true
And the final explanation is alchohol and drugs.....does Aboriginal communities ring a bell?

 But I must stress with this latter point, my opinion of whether drugs/alcohol should be banned in indigenous communities is irrelevant because I am not supporting or condemning the policies made by the Gov, just opens up a can of worms. 

But I must say, I am so glad I am able to vocie my opinions and not be attacked by members on this forum. I highly respect this, and appreciate it.

I once voiced an almost exact same opinion at school and was told "go back to your own country" and was called many other derogatory comments.

I think the intelligence of members here is very clear.

Thank you

Oh, btw @ Collin, you may be 100% right. I know and understand the media tends to focus on "scandals" and tends to over exagerate things, but there really is a fine line.

I remember when I was 10-15 years old I wouldnt hear about crime to the scale that exists today. I sent a personal message just last ngiht after taking NOTES whilst watching Channel 7's 6pm news.

The news goes for 15 mins
Sport=10
Weather= 5 min

Of the 15 minutes of news, over >>>10 minutes<<< was on CRIME, Drug Bust, murder, rape etc, including that football player recently. Two thirds of the news was dedicated to this, I was absolutely shocked, I kept telling my dad, wow this story is on crime, wow this story is on crime, by the end of it he told me to stop telling him because over 6 stories in a row were on the above mentioned things.

Seriously, I am so bored of hearing "car crash" "alcohol fuelled violence" "man murdered"  "drug bust worth x million" "schoolies/arrests".

End rant////

[stonecold]

I disagree that most gangs are formed because certain races are discriminated against, and that they feel the need to form groups which they will belong to.  This would be the case sometimes but certainly not all the time.  It has a lot more to do with idiots and there gigantically over sized ego's getting together with their "bro's" to show the rest of us how hard and tough they are, and the lengths which they will go to, just to prove this.

The answer to solving drugs/alcohol is simple IMO.  It can't be fixed, we have passed that point.  A few lame ass ads telling us not to turn "a night out into a nightmare" ain't doing squat.  The only option is to hand out much more severe punishments.  It's the only way people will get the message.  I am talking drug dealers and those who are the cause of violence, (i.e. scum that go out and intentionally look for fights) be dealt with in similar fashion to that of murderers/rapists.  They are not needed in society.
Give 25+ years prison to these jerks, and I can guarantee you would see a sharp decline in the number of violent attacks and drug dealings occurring.  People should fear the law, not look at it as something which they can manipulate there way around.  I doubt that most convicted drug dealers/violent people even spend 5 years behind bars before they are released.  For actions that destroy lives, these light sentences seem hardly appropriate or fair.

I can only feel for the victims and their families who have to live with the repercussions of these sick minded people.  I know that most posters here would want a life sentence given to someone who sold one of their siblings a pill that killed them, or glassed their best mate in the eye and as a result they will never see again.  This is not me trying to build emotion.  Try and tell me honestly that you wouldn't want to see the perpetrator locked away forever.

The violence is escalating and the number of victims is rising, yet politicians and police still continue to point the finger at society.  "Ultimately, it is up to us to fix," they say.  If society got us here, then it sure as hell ain't going to be able to get us out.  A hard line aproach needs to be taken, and people be made sure of the fact that violence of any kind (including acholol fueled violence) and drugs will not be tolerated in our city, instead of merely hearing about it on TV.  The way the situation is being handled by key leaders in the community at present is all words, no actions and it is giving no results.

[Collin Li]

Actually, there is evidence that the perception that others are taking drugs (like marijuana) is enough to cause more people to take it.

And when they asked college students to guess how many people take marijuana, they overestimated it. So there is a lot we can do about perception, with ad campaigns, to reduce drug usage.

[Glockmeister]

Actually, there is evidence that the perception that others are taking drugs (like marijuana) is enough to cause more people to take it.

And when they asked college students to guess how many people take marijuana, they overestimated it. So there is a lot we can do about perception, with ad campaigns, to reduce drug usage.

I mean a slightly peripheral, but related example would be the TAC ad campaign, which celebrated its 20th birthday only a few weeks ago.

[stonecold]

The fight against marijuana has been lost.  The fact that it can be grown very easily in ones backyard makes it impossible to police.  It shouldn't be made legal however, as more will try it, and as I mentioned before, ultimately it is just a stepping stone for people to experiment with more dangerous substances.  Not good.

[Collin Li]

The fight against marijuana has been lost.  The fact that it can be grown very easily in ones backyard makes it impossible to police.  It shouldn't be made legal however, as more will try it, and as I mentioned before, ultimately it is just a stepping stone for people to experiment with more dangerous substances.  Not good.

Growing = supply side issue. Agreed, it's easy to make it.

But ads can influence demand.

In the end, both demand and supply matter. Since we can't affect supply, but we can affect demand, we can still play an important role in reducing the use of drugs (that is, if we have decided this is what the government should do)