Tuesday, August 26, 2008

An addendum to the decriminalization of drugs post

Although I agree with the main thrust of the post, I would encourage the adoption of the following amendments:
1. Employers must be allowed to "discriminate" based on drug use, as it impacts workplace productivity.
2. Incredibly high excise taxes, so prices don't fall upon legalization due to increased availability and socially-adjusted prices don't fall due to less of a stigma on drug use, and such that the revenue from the tax is approximately equivalent to the cost of lost productivity, increased police force needed due to decreased inhibitions, and increased medical costs of addiction.
3. DUIs should be expanded to include not only a BAC over a certain level, but a "Blood-Drug Content". Also, there should be lower BAC limits in the presence of a non-zero BDC, and lower BDC limits in the presence of a non-zero BAC (mixing your drugs and driving is bad).
4. Drug companies should not be allowed to advertise to to children, on TV, or in public places (billboards, etc). All restrictions imposed on tobacco companies must be applied to drug companies.

The above being said, some other benefits of decriminalization involve:
5. Less crowded jails (USA has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world).
6. More equal opportunity among races (the criminal justice system along with its juries has been shown to be racist, imprisoning a black man for something a white man would be fined over; less gang violence).
7. No more wars started or lengthened over drugs -- the United States military could stop paying attention to the opium growers in Afghanistan, concentrating on the terrorists instead, while giving people more jobs and hope, stealing from the terror recruiters. Also, certain countries in Latin America could be less threatened by their bullying northern neighbor.

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