Drugs and alcohol

[natedogg]

I was discussing drug prohibition with a friend the other day and we were stumped by this mutual challenge:

Formulate an argument for/against legal booze that does not apply equally to all drugs.

I can't do it.

natedogg

[nothumb]

Not too difficult, unless I'm missing something. All one has to say is that whatever drugs are prohibited pose a significant threat to social wellbeing and the safety of users or their peers. And that alcohol doesn't.

Now, whether or not such an argument would be true is another matter.

NT

[arabie]

can you make true a statment?

[PhatTBoll]

Alcohol is, and has been, accepted by our culture. Other drugs, not so much. That's really the only argument.

[Il_Mostro]

Booze doesn't drive the economy.

http://solari.com/articles/scoop_narco_dummies.htm

[jesusarenque]

[ QUOTE ]
Alcohol is, and has been, accepted by our culture. Other drugs, not so much. That's really the only argument.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not sure what counts as "our culture," but hard drugs were legal in the U.S. until the early 20th Century. So they have been accepted at one time.

[nothumb]

Sure, hard drugs were legal. But alcohol has a long history of cultural and social significance that other drugs do not even begin to approach. Just because something was obscure enough not to be prohibited, or poory understood, does not mean it had widespread significance.

Now, granted, cocaine and opiates were more widely used than most people know, but they still don't approach the suds.

NT

[daryn]

some would argue that people drink alcohol sometimes w/out the intention of getting drunk.

but nobody does drugs unless they want to get high.

[jesusarenque]

[ QUOTE ]
some would argue that people drink alcohol sometimes w/out the intention of getting drunk.

but nobody does drugs unless they want to get high.

[/ QUOTE ]

What about people who smoke weed for medical purposes?

[daryn]

seems like that should be legal, and is in some places.