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Tessa Jowell speaks the truth - sort of.
BillieTheBot
Posts: 8,721 Bot
Tessa Jowell MP Labour & Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport
..." we can prohibit, regulate or leave it to the market. Prohibition does not work - it drives the activity underground..."
"Only ideological extremists favour a free-for-all where only the laws of the market hold sway. So the third option is regulation - and regulation with as much emphasis on the quality of the debate as the policy outcome. 'Better regulation' has to mean government engaging people in the decisions that affect their lives and doing so in new and better ways".
But this only applies to gambling - not drugs.
..." we can prohibit, regulate or leave it to the market. Prohibition does not work - it drives the activity underground..."
"Only ideological extremists favour a free-for-all where only the laws of the market hold sway. So the third option is regulation - and regulation with as much emphasis on the quality of the debate as the policy outcome. 'Better regulation' has to mean government engaging people in the decisions that affect their lives and doing so in new and better ways".
But this only applies to gambling - not drugs.
Beep boop. I'm a bot.
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Comments
Can anyone tell me why it's drugs that get us so hot under the collar?
Of course dealers are crooked, they are illegal and have no reason to be nice or legit.
There's a whole hoast of reasons, a large reason for banning certain drugs has been race related, now its a good way for people in politics to sound tough.
In the 1920's, Alcohol became illegal in the USA. Previously unregulated, alcohol caused problems with labor, family and lifestyles. Common drugs (being Opium and derivitives, Marijuana, and Cocaine) became illegal during this time too. Opium and Cocaine were causing similair problems as alcohol was. Marijuana I'm not to sure about. I think they used the psychoactive effects to outlaw it but it was really because the hemp industry was too strong. Of course, people fought for the re-legalization of alcohol, and won.
Unregulated use of drugs: Didn't work, became illegal.
Illegalization of drugs: Didn't work, caused revolts.
Today, we see alcohol and prescription drugs as "controlled substances". You must be 21 years of age to purchase and consume alcohol and must have sufficient medical needs to obtain a prescription. But look how many people use and abuse these substances: underage kids, druggies and even older people. Deaths occur from alcohol poisoning, drunk drivers and overdoses.
Regulation of drugs: Doesn't work.
It seems hard to find something that works. I'm all for legalization, but I don't find it plausible. I do not think our world is ready for the responcibility and privilege to use drugs freely.
The problem with regulation is actually creating a system that would work!
So governments seem to just throw the "illegal" tag on drugs and leave it at that.
It doesnt work because its not regulated properly, especially prescription drugs in the US, in the UK it is an issue but no where near as bad as there.
But that isnt really the point, regulation wouldnt be a cure all, no one is saying it would be but surely it has to be better than what we have, otherwise why arent we banning alcohol?
Its not, and thats what we have now with the illegal drug markets, next to no real control by State and a total free for all market.
If we were in a totalitarian governmental system, I'm sure alcohol would be banned along with any mind altering substances. It was banned though, and it came back because the entire USA was against it.
Alcohol is sold in government owned off licences in Canada (at least parts of) and large parts of Scandinavia why not use that model?
Pharmacies in both the US and UK are owned by companies but regulated by the State, they check the ID of the person and control the drugs, why not use at least parts of this model?
We legally supply controlled drugs in one form or another all the time, why not do it for currently illegal ones?