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Hi Mark,
Its a taboo subject but the sad truth is, whether drugs are illegal or not, people get hold of them and use them. Its this that society on the whole has largely fails to address. We think that by banning drugs, we are somehow protecting our children and safeguarding our communities. The sad reality is that this is not the case.
3 people I went to school with died of heroin overdoses. No law saved them. I know many more people than that, who were or still are heroin addicts. I know many people who have regularly taken cocaine in the past and the effects of that on their families.Some were from broken homes. Others were from very well to do and wealthy families. Regardless of whether drugs are legal or not, people do them. In fact, because of their illegal status, many youngsters see it as a way of rebelling against society and are more attracted to them.
I also see first hand the fall out from banned substances, as dealers fight over turf or smash the hell out of people who don't pay up. I see armed police storming masionettes opposite me or have my dog attacked by a dealers dog which is nothing more than a weapon of protection for him.
Look at the US in the 1920's and 30's when alcohol was banned. This gave rise to massive criminal organisations like those run by Al Capone. Just because its banned, doesn't stop people doing it. All that happens is that people continue doing it and ruthless scum gets rich from it, allowing them to expand their operations into things like prostitution and gun smuggling, which spreads like a cancer on society.
How many people a year die from alcohol abuse compared to those that die from the results of taking ecstacy? The numbers are staggering in comparison yet, society doesn't shun the off license owner, the guy with the bottle of wine in his shopping basket or the man in the pub. How many violent crimes happen as a direct result of alcohol? People get aggressive on it. People who smoke marijuana go the other way and get chilled out.
We need to educate our children and tell the truth about drugs. A lot of what is pushed on kids and adults today is false, especially regarding marijuana which has an amazing amount of real health benefits to people with medical conditions. Big pharmaceuticals don't want people to have the ability to grow marijuana and alleviate their symptoms. It costs them money. As far as I'm aware, there has never been one reported death as a direct result of smoking weed, yet we have millions dying globally from smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol.
We have to face up to the realities of this world. People have free will. A law will not stop someone from doing anything. Murder, rape, assault, theft, drugs.... all illegal. People still do it. Drugs have been banned for decades, yet we still see the results of it across the nation and its getting worse! What we could do by legalising it, is make it safer for people that do decide to do it and stop criminals empires from wreaking havoc upon our communities by getting rich from those that decide partake.
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