I can understand where you are coming from. My family is touched by heroin addiction, quite close to me and it's pretty dark. I have friends who are touched by cocaine (to a much lesser extent). So, I get what you're saying when you're worried about sending the right message to kids. I'll counter by saying that the people most likely to be touched by addiction (people who are disadvantaged by their race or class or economic status) are those who are most likely not to trust the government anyway. It's already generally accepted in our cultures that substance use is dangerous; I don't think we need the government to send that message.
My second point you might find a bit tasteless: what does it matter if people do things that distort their bodies and minds? I believe that freedom means letting them hurt themselves. We should help them if they want to be helped, but not make their decisions for them. Freedom first, y'know?
Your thoughts on drug legalisation?
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I can understand where you are coming from. My family is touched by heroin addiction, quite close to me and it's pretty dark. I have friends who are touched by cocaine (to a much lesser extent). So, I get what you're saying when you're worried about sending the right message to kids. I'll counter by saying that the people most likely to be touched by addiction (people who are disadvantaged by their race or class or economic status) are those who are most likely not to trust the government anyway. It's already generally accepted in our cultures that substance use is dangerous; I don't think we need the government to send that message.
My second point you might find a bit tasteless: what does it matter if people do things that distort their bodies and minds? I believe that freedom means letting them hurt themselves. We should help them if they want to be helped, but not make their decisions for them. Freedom first, y'know?