What Is The Best System For Setting The Rules On Recreational Drugs?
The laws on recreational drugs are set by the government, they have a series of advisors that give them information on which to base their decision. This article will look at this system and ask whether this is the best system for determining the laws for legal drug use.
There are huge differences between the way recreational drugs are legislated, some have historic links and are considered legal (with restrictions), others are simply outlawed. The most famous of these is probably alcohol, this substance is used daily by thousands of people around the world. It has a rich history within many cultures, it is often intertwined with particular moments social calendars such as annual holidays. This complex relationship means that in many ways it could be seen as being treated as a special case in the eyes of legislators. This is a substance that intoxicates its users, has been linked to social problems and even deaths, and to which some people become addicted. Some observers would ask whether if alcohol was to become suddenly available today if it would be made legal.
One other special case is tobacco, this is another substance that is linked to health issues and deaths, so much so that warning labels are now mandated to be placed on its packaging - yet people are allowed to purchase and use tobacco freely. Although some might argue that smoking is become less and less socially acceptable it is still legal to buy and sell.
Some experts have said that some illegal recreational substances are in fact less dangerous than some legal recreational substances. At this point the decisions over which substances are allowed to become legal almost reaches a philosophical level - if the reason for a substances illegality is its danger to the public, then if experts in that particular field feel it is not as dangerous as other legal substances then some might ask what the reason for that banning. Others would argue that recreational drugs need to be tightly controlled, that their effect on society is too strong to simply legalise them on a 'technical point'. The other currently legal substances could be looked on as an aberration on the preferred situation rather than a line drawn in the sand to legalise other drugs.
Whatever the viewpoint, this issue seems to be here to stay. People will always argue over whether such laws should be tightened or relaxed. The difficulty for legislators is walking that line knowing there is no way to please everyone.
There are also some interesting loopholes in the law, such as how it is legal to buy Cannabis seeds (even female seeds) although germinating the seeds is legal.
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