Quote:
Originally Posted by Flash Walken
The argument for this is that Alcohol is a vastly more socially acceptable addiction, and what criminalizes those who are addicts is:
Social Stigma
Unreliability of supply
Cost
What's the difference between Johnny Depp and a guy on the DTES? One lives in a world of easy access, reliable supply and non-stigmatization of his addiction. The other has to worry about crap supply, hot shots, police round ups/beatings, robbery etc.
None of this is to say that I desire the lifestyle of a well-to-do heroin addict. If I wanted to try heroin, I could.
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Well, that argument is wrong.
The vast majority of people can have beers on the weekend and then function through the rest of the week without having to be drunk 24/7.
The same is not true of drugs like heroin, crack, meth, etc.. People don't become addicted to heroin, because it's hard to get. People become addicted because it's an addictive drug in the sense you want to be high on it 24/7.
Some people do get addicted to alcohol, but not nearly in the same percentages. When I get drunk, I get a hangover the next day and want to stay away from beer. This is the normal response. When people come down from heroin...they want more heroin.
According to your argument, the best way to deal with addicts would be to give them unlimited amounts of drugs....simply wouldn't work for addictive hard drugs.