Do you support the war on drugs?

[Tom1559]

Obviously a very touchy subject. Read most of the posts on here and respect everyones rights to make decisions for themself. However having said that I cannot reconcile in my own mind why anyone would want to voluntarily take substances that, apart from being illegal, are health risks. By this I also include tobacco and alcohol. I was brought up on the basis that most things were okay in moderation and I still believe that but the problem with drugs is they become addictive and there move from being taken in moderation to being taken to as a necessity.

[WillburForce]

Obviously a very touchy subject. Read most of the posts on here and respect everyones rights to make decisions for themself. However having said that I cannot reconcile in my own mind why anyone would want to voluntarily take substances that, apart from being illegal, are health risks. By this I also include tobacco and alcohol. I was brought up on the basis that most things were okay in moderation and I still believe that but the problem with drugs is they become addictive and there move from being taken in moderation to being taken to as a necessity.

I have lots of friends (and myself, though very, very rarely now days) who do coke, e's, speed etc (not heroin or crack) on a semi reg basis (some of them every weekend, some say once a month). Non of them are addicts or likely to become addicts. They for the most have good jobs, gf's, houses, cars etc etc

This notion that you do drugs and become and addict is what fuelled the ridiculous war or drugs.

[MadMojoMonkey]

I cannot reconcile in my own mind why anyone would want to voluntarily take substances that, apart from being illegal, are health risks. [...] the problem with drugs is they become addictive and there move from being taken in moderation to being taken to as a necessity.

1st part:
What you are able to reconcile in your mind has no rational connection to how other people live their lives. Your argument implies that anything you do not fully understand should be a criminal offense.
Saying that drugs should be illegal (or at least warred against) because they are illegal is circular thinking.
Any health risks posed by drug use are to the user. Is it not every human's right to choose what risks they take in life... provided they do not put others at risk?
EVERYTHING has risk. Or should it be illegal to live near the ocean, as hurricanes pose a danger to public health? Should it be illegal to drive a car since car accidents are potentially fatal?

2nd part:
Alcoholism is a disease. Not everyone gets addicted to alcohol, even though it is an addictive substance.
Just because something can be addictive doesn't mean every person who does it will become addicted.
The notion that someone who is addicted to something can never be a productive member of society is just fallacious logic.