alm0493
New Member
Hey ya'll! I have something that I want to ask... It's a topic we had in debate class and something I know many people have thought about before:
The fact that being an addict can land you in jail. Through modern science and psychology we have been able to better understand the brains of addicts. We know people can get addicted to a variety of things: drugs, food, alcohol, money, sex, video games etc. So why is it that only one of from the list is considered illegal? Drugs themselves while yes, they aren't healthy at all... They actually can kill you, but so can cancer, pneumonia, tuberculosis. It's not the drug that's bad, it's the person. A guy on drugs isn't always committing crimes, some just need to numb their pain. And you can't deny that not every criminal who ever committed something evil was on drugs... There have been studies of an addicts brain and way of thinking, and it differs from your average joe. I am having a hard time taking the laws side in this case because people wouldn't be arrested for being addicted to food or even alcohol for that matter! Drug possession should not be a crime. Now if a person whilst under the influence of drugs commits a crime, then and only then would that warrent an arrest.? Right?
Please let me know if I am just way off! I just stood their during our debate dumbfounded and couldn't convince my peers that drug possession should stay illegal. Now I am not saying go legalize drugs, but it seems like a contradiction to me that alcohol is legal and weed which was considered a drug a few years ago is now a RX. Speaking of RX, what about ppl who are doctor shopping and addicted to prescribed RX? Are they any different than a crystal meth or herion addict?
The fact that being an addict can land you in jail. Through modern science and psychology we have been able to better understand the brains of addicts. We know people can get addicted to a variety of things: drugs, food, alcohol, money, sex, video games etc. So why is it that only one of from the list is considered illegal? Drugs themselves while yes, they aren't healthy at all... They actually can kill you, but so can cancer, pneumonia, tuberculosis. It's not the drug that's bad, it's the person. A guy on drugs isn't always committing crimes, some just need to numb their pain. And you can't deny that not every criminal who ever committed something evil was on drugs... There have been studies of an addicts brain and way of thinking, and it differs from your average joe. I am having a hard time taking the laws side in this case because people wouldn't be arrested for being addicted to food or even alcohol for that matter! Drug possession should not be a crime. Now if a person whilst under the influence of drugs commits a crime, then and only then would that warrent an arrest.? Right?
Please let me know if I am just way off! I just stood their during our debate dumbfounded and couldn't convince my peers that drug possession should stay illegal. Now I am not saying go legalize drugs, but it seems like a contradiction to me that alcohol is legal and weed which was considered a drug a few years ago is now a RX. Speaking of RX, what about ppl who are doctor shopping and addicted to prescribed RX? Are they any different than a crystal meth or herion addict?