P and all that jazz

antipodean

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="559472" data-time="1455844363">
allegedly :)
</blockquote>
 
Ha! I'm sure my parents still have the VHS tape somewhere. 

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="559473" data-time="1455844410">
but its only a health issue if people seek help.
</blockquote>
 Certainly. The question is how easy is it to seek and receive adequate help. A number of people who are homeless have substance abuse problems and unfortunately a majority of them also have mental health issues. Previously they were in State institutions, but with the "community care model" that mean sending them on their merry way. A change of approach, <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/09/22/home-free'>like Utah's</a> is often more cost effective in the long run.

MajorRage

The thing is though, is that a lot of people with bad bad addictions, are categorised as losers, as the choices they make (which are of course, made for them by the drugs etc), are absolute loser choices.
 
Philip Seymour Hoffman - had the world at his feet, then chose to take so much drugs he killed himself. Left his 3 young children without a father.
Layne Staley - arguably the best vocalist i've ever heard. A true rockstar, living the dream. Decided at his peak, to become a drug taking recluse until it eventually killed him.
 
Yes, these are the extreme end, but in both cases left a huge amount people who admired them, as well as looked up to them to take drugs. There are countless others.
 
I find it pretty hard to refer to them as anything other than losers.

Paekakboyz

I prefer tragic as opposed to loser - PSH sounded like there were mental health issues alongside drug use etc. Suicide and the reasons/rationale is a whole other kettle of fish.

antipodean

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MajorRage" data-cid="559506" data-time="1455852559">
Layne Staley - arguably the best vocalist i've ever heard. A true rockstar, living the dream. Decided at his peak, to become a drug taking recluse until it eventually killed him.
</blockquote>
 I feel so alone, gonna end up a big ol' pile them bones

NTA

Drug taking at his peak? Well, I think he was hoeing into the gear way before that. Just that he could afford more once the cash rolled in.

Siam

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="jegga" data-cid="559368" data-time="1455816351">
<div>
That was the weakest part of the video, make the world into a utopia and there will be no more drug addicts. Thats as implausible as making everyone equal.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Of course it is, but the issue seems larger than an individual's propensity for addiction.
 
I have a bit of a jaundiced view because I'm sick of politicians and coppers showing how much drugs they've seized on TV, when anyone with any awareness knows it's a futile drop in the ocean. Especially so over here when those same people are actually the dealers bringing in them in - yep the cops control the drug trade in many countries. There as a "war on drugs" here a few years ago, killed 2500 people - drug trade didn't change but the cops got rid of the competitors
 
The drug problem never gets dealt with at the root causes - poverty, treating as criminal vs health and the massive profits being made on it. Decriminalising and taxing takes care of 2 of those problems.
 
Some evidence with kiwi John Lord in Colorado: <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/75612766/Biggest-cannabis-dealer-in-Colorado-from-the-Waikato'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/75612766/Biggest-cannabis-dealer-in-Colorado-from-the-Waikato</a>
 
selected quotes from Lord, (who is now mates with Snoop Dog) :
 
"The business itself has grown. The company pays full health care, which is a big deal over in the States. We have a retirement plan for employees, paid leave and we try to train and hire from within so it gives our employees the chance of climbing the ladder.
 
<div>"What actually occurred is once it was legalized in Colorado, the gangs moved to other States where it was illegal, to get more money for the product." </div>
<div> </div>
<div>"The price in Colorado went to 25 percent of the illegal price."</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"Just a couple of months ago, cannabis taxes exceeded alcohol taxes in the state by double. It's huge," he said. </div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Might not work so well for Class A but neither is what we've been doing for the last 50 years</div>

MajorRage

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="559588" data-time="1455867402">
<div>
Drug taking at his peak? Well, I think he was hoeing into the gear way before that. Just that he could afford more once the cash rolled in.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
No, he just decided to walk away from it when the band was at it's peak. As one of the biggest AIC fans out there, I can't even being to tell you how much that pissed me off.

gollum

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="559425" data-time="1455835388">
<div>
Sort of following on from that, the Green Party in Aus are toying with a plan to decriminalise Ice and other hard drugs. 
 
My initial reaction was "well that's just typically retarded"
 
But, their point is, addiction should be considered a health problem, not a criminal matter, and the money currently spent policing drugs could be spent on rehab and support services. 
 
On the other hand, i have seen enough of what these drugs can do to people and to families, do we really want to remove a stigma that currently probably prevents many from taking it up?
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Decriminalisation is retarded.
 
They are saying drug use is fine, but we aren't going to commercialise it or tax it. So they are in effect giving a green light to the gangs to make a LOT more money from drugs. Its one of the stupidest policies imaginable. Its saying "feel free to buy & use crack, but we'll ensure the only people that can supply you are the Mongrel Mob & the quality will be shit & the dose size vary hugely & there will be zero comeback if you get ripped off"
 
I think long term they will just legalise everything & tax fuck out of it. But it'll be tied to compulsory medical insurance with some sort of implanted fitbit shit (sreriously, that sounds like scifi, but wrist & chest straps & so on are just the bit to get us comfortable with an implanted chip).
 
So your premium goes "well, in the last year you smoked crack, heroin, drank 4 kegs of waikato & ate 47 family buckets of KFC, your insurance for the year is $25,000" versus "you ran 2000km, ate Kim Dotcoms bodyweight in Kale & had a glass of shiraz once a week, your premium is $0.75"

NTA

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="gollum" data-cid="559618" data-time="1455877147">versus "you ran 2000km, ate Kim Dotcoms bodyweight in Kale & had a glass of shiraz once a week, your premium is $0.75"</blockquote>
 
If you ate that much kale, you would have trouble shitting

Godder

<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/06/05/why-hardly-anyone-dies-from-a-drug-overdose-in-portugal/'>https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/06/05/why-hardly-anyone-dies-from-a-drug-overdose-in-portugal/</a>
 
Portugal decriminalised possession of all drugs in 2001, with possession being treated as a health issue rather than a criminal issue, and things have improved rather than gotten worse, so that could be a good model to look at. I'd legalise and tax cannabis while I was at it, since that seems to have worked well in the US states which have done it.

The Silver Fern

P and all that jazz