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662 points JacobHenner | 6 comments | | HN request time: 1.042s | source | bottom
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Germanion ◴[] No.40213675[source]
Finally!

Then hopefully the f... UN can do that too.

I'm totally shocked that the UN has such a hard and shitty drug policy.

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spaduf ◴[] No.40213729[source]
Wasn't that a project of Reagan's?
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aaronbrethorst ◴[] No.40213787[source]
I believe the concept of drug 'scheduling' was introduced in the Controlled Substances Act under Richard Nixon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_cannabis_laws_in_t....

Reagan had his War on Drugs, which resulted in the imprisonment of an order of magnitude more nonviolent drug offenders: https://www.britannica.com/topic/war-on-drugs

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skhunted ◴[] No.40213934[source]
There was a debate in the early 80s on whether the country should concentrate on treatment or enforcement. Reagan introduced zero tolerance policies. He usually chose the wrong approach.
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Alupis ◴[] No.40214002[source]
> Reagan introduced zero tolerance policies. He usually chose the wrong approach

That doesn't seem to clear cut with the recent failed (and now backpedaling) experiments regarding decriminalization and legalization of most drugs.

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1. NegativeLatency ◴[] No.40214193[source]
Those policies were not well funded or implemented, we should keep trying alternative solutions to the status quo.

In contrast to the "war on drugs" which has been extremely well funded, and implemented to the cost of our own liberties, tried for years and has not been successful either.

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2. Alupis ◴[] No.40214267[source]
> tried for years and has not been successful either.

What's the measurement for success?

It seems, from a casual observer's perspective, we have fewer people trying hard drugs when the consequences are strict and known. We have more people trying hard drugs when the consequences are removed.

Neither system will achieve 0% drug usage - so which policy results in fewer people trying hard drugs?

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3. Hasu ◴[] No.40214529[source]
> What's the measurement for success?

It's not "the number of people who try hard drugs", which isn't a particularly interesting or meaningful number (lots of people, including myself, try hard drugs but never end up hooked on them and are productive members of society).

Try "the amount of harm caused to society". The drug war destroys more lives than hard drugs. It's a policy failure.

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4. Alupis ◴[] No.40214615{3}[source]
> The drug war destroys more lives than hard drugs. It's a policy failure.

Again, this does not seem as clear as you attempt to present it.

In areas with decriminalized hard drugs, drug usage dramatically increased. It has a direct impact on the lives of the users, and also secondary impacts on the lives of everyone around them and/or has to deal with them.

Drug usage is not the so-called "victimless" crime some position it as. It has a lot of effects on society as a whole.

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5. Hasu ◴[] No.40216030{4}[source]
> In areas with decriminalized hard drugs, drug usage dramatically increased. It has a direct impact on the lives of the users, and also secondary impacts on the lives of everyone around them and/or has to deal with them.

Absolutely. I'm no stranger to the impact of drug abuse, as I've had family and close friends become addicts.

Even so, the drug war is way worse. It adds violence and danger to drug use, making it more dangerous for users and those in their proximity. It increases policing and police militarization and violence. Punishments for possession destroy families and career prospects.

Every ounce of prevention bought by the drug war costs a pound of pain.

> Drug usage is not the so-called "victimless" crime some position it as. It has a lot of effects on society as a whole.

Responsible drug use is pretty victimless. Drug abuse has victims. But that's no different than alcohol, and banning that also caused way more harm than it prevented.

6. NegativeLatency ◴[] No.40217983{4}[source]
Are you familiar with prohibition and its effects in the US?

It wasn’t successful and massively contributed to the proliferation of organized crime.