Re: Full Submission : Mind-Expanding Substances - The Use Of Drugs Posted by Lori on July 17, 1998 at 14:30:23:
In Reply to: Re: Full Submission : Mind-Expanding Substances - The Use Of Drugs posted by Erik@CoreWave on July 16, 1998 at 18:26:17:
I think the majority of the problem the "so-called authorities" have with general consumption of mind-altering substances centers around the fact that there is so much more trouble that we, as advanced creatures, can get ourselves into. As a civilized society, we created laws which serve to govern the population, but mostly to protect the general populus from the undesirable members of our race. Deranged serial killers and child molesters are not incarcerated for our protection, so much as to encourage their dismissal from our minds. We, as a society, like to erase what is unpleasant to us, rather than educate and learn from the example. Drugs, especially marijuana because it such an easily accessible narcotic, represent what is uncontrollable and unknown, therefore what is undesirable.
Perhaps these are gross generalizations. Even I can admit that one or two may, in fact, be just that. But how gross is a generalization when we have a virtual "black market" in marijuana going on everyday in high schools and colleges, involving every race, religion, and economic rank? Perhaps, instead of wondering why the sudden resurgence in the use of mind-altering drugs, we should look at why our government is so quick to put a stop to the use of such substances. I would postulate that the sheer impossibility of our government's abilities to tax the narcotic, so as to make it contribute towards our gross national product, is the main reason why mind-altering drugs are still illegal. If you give drugs a positive slant, such as helping to deeper understand human nature and our place in this world, they no longer exist as a scapegoat for the reasons why things in our society are going badly.
Just a thought...
Lori
Below are some links to some sites debating the pros and cons of the legalization, including a page from the California Narcotic Officers' Association.