The following letter appeared in the Miami Herald the other day and I found it to be incredibly thought provoking. I have not been a major advocate in the past of legalizing all drugs, but I have considered the idea of marijuana and felt that I was really a socialist type guy. But that sort of idea is really not socialism and I am beginning to believe is really Liberalism at its finest. Read the following letter from an older Anesthesiologist and consider a situation where Drugs are legalized. There would be no drug dealers. The crime south of the border would have to dry up as illegal activity would be curtailed. Persons murdered on a daily basis would be spared. Drug enforcement costs would be elimated. The requirement for increased drug detoxification processes and facilities as well as addiction counselors and services would increase. The number of psychiastirsts, physicians and health care needs would have to be increased. Its a give and take. You must spend more time and money on medical services but there would be less crime. There would be less theft to try to support now affordable drug habits as well. Its just a thought provoking idea that I personally think is the future if liberalism is true to form.
Heed drug experts
I have often wondered where the lawyers, judges, Supreme Court justices and elected representatives get their information from in order to make decisions about drug laws, who goes to prison and, even, who lives or dies.
Dana Milbank’s March 2 column, Court in a fog over cocaine, has answered my question.
Why don’t these decision makers ask people who know something about drugs: researchers, scientists, pharmacologists, anesthesiologists? I have been an anesthesiologist for 45 years and have given dangerous drugs to thousands of people. But I don’t think that I have created even one addict. Here is my own quote from my teaching days: “A drug is only as safe as the person who handles it.”
The concept of addiction should be redefined by people who work with drugs.
In my view, addiction has nothing to do with drugs; rather, it’s based on the biochemical and biophysical constitution of the individual.
Research should be directed toward identifying and treating those people instead of punishing them. This also implies making drugs legal, and therefore eliminating crime, gangs, etc.
George Linker, Key Biscayne
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/03/06/2098401/protected-protests.html#ixzz1G2keXRbo
1 comment:
More thoughts on this topic.
I really don't think there is any way that we can legalize any of the drugs that are currently illegal. I just don't have a good feeling about that idea. This article has given me some food for thought, but that said, I say someday it will be debated, but I really think that prudence dictates that we really do have to ensure that we do not allow people to do self harm. Alcohol is not as psychocaustic as the drugs that are legal and it does not deserve to be illegal (not that that was a consideration but you can not use the argument that alcohol is ok so the rest should be too.).
I just can not see that we can allow our population to endure further humiliation and suffering by legalizing drugs that are truly harmful in most all their ways.
So that said, I am going to reconsider the idea that perhaps we might wish to legalize drugs.
True there is a price to pay and innocents are harmed or killed in the process. True there is more crime due to the drug cartels and drug sellers and people seeking money for drugs.
But that said, this is not the most prevalent experience and I must simply guess that our Creator is aware of the price we have to pay to have the creation he has given to us.
That said, if God wants to legalize drugs in America, rest assured that I believe it will be as God wants. But I personally do not think that is what our Creator is going to want... guessing that I can understand our Creator's mind in this case.
I could be wrong.
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