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Comment by Karsteski | Hacker News Reader

I am extremely against criminalization for any drugs, regardless of their impact to the person. Yes, some drugs are horrible and people should not take them. That does not mean ruining their lives and imprisoning them is something to even consider. Especially given that their family's lives are impacted even more so from them being absent, and the worse yet the dark cloud that continues to follow them for the rest of their lives now that they have federal charges, which makes them discriminated against for employment and forces crime through desperation.

Harmful drugs and drug addiction should be treated through education, healthcare and community involvement. It actually disgusts me at this point that people think drug criminalization is a good thing despite what prisons are in much of the world.

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Have watched a number of people decline from hard drugs. Have lost years and huge sums trying to help some. Now it’s to the point where entire family hopes they get arrested before they kill someone.

A few cleaned up some. But never the same.

Zero sympathy for people pushing stuff.

The post above yours said 'sale' though, not consumption. Do you think it should be permitted to sell heroin freely?

Unfortunately yes, but even more so I would prefer if there were safe, licensed places to buy these drugs so that people can do them safely if they so choose.

If/when we do eventually go down that road, I certainly hope people are well educated in the harms of these drugs, and that they are in a position mentally/physically/socially to not have to turn to such things...

Your first two words are pretty much exactly how I feel as well. I can't see how to avoid supporting the black market in any other way.

I would like to see some kind of hurdle erected to give kids (and young adults) a serious educational blast before selling them their first dose, but otherwise I think it has to be legal if you're interested in harm-minimization.

In my experience the only effective education about these particular drugs is experimentation. Problem here is that if they were administered safely and legally, there would be (predominantly) zero downsides. Barring unexpected negative side effects, the only time "this is bad" comes into play is long, long after addiction takes hold. You can tell somebody for 30+ years "this is bad don't do it" even up to the point of using unethical methods (i.e. force a teen to smoke a whole pack of cigs, or give a preteen a shot or three of Popov)... it doesn't really click that first time, or even after several times.

The missing element with drug legalization is the preventative aspect. It simply doesn't happen in large enough numbers using the exposure/education method.

However, shame based propaganda has been showing significantly positive(?) results with cigarettes. Most people I've e countered from younger generations cannot fathom smoking a cigarette. Vaping, sure, but stinky cigarette? Ewwww, gross.

Meth and heroin legalization and "it's all good if you're responsible" mentality isn't going to work.

I don't think anyone said "it's all good if you're responsible" lol...

You're right though, often times the only solid education is experience.

Do you see a distinction between consumption and clandestine trafficking?

Well the trafficking is necessary because the substances are illegal, so yes..? If there were just legal, safe ways to obtain these drugs, the vast majority of people who wanted to do them would choose to do so. For those who chose to go for the cheaper but riskier options, that's their choice, they should be educated on the dangers, and then that should be end of it

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