IMO it has never worked and has always created violence as people chase the money it brings. Policing it usually ends up with coppers on the take, and is a complete waste of taxpayers money anyway because whenever they catch someone, ten others are ready to step in their place. Then there's the tax money, so much tax money being lost, you could tax most at 80% and it would still be cheaper, and far cleaner. The insurance companies would probably pay for junkies to get free heroin as it would save them a fortune.
If you're just talking about drugs and prostitution, then I agree. Decriminalise, tax, and regulate. I'm not sure how you're defining a non-victim crime, though. Anything else?
I'm just trying to clarify the sort of thing that you mean. You seemed to disagree with my example, so I was hoping for another one.
Generally I'm against victimless crimes being crimes. I don't think it's as simple a matter of just going full libertarian and saying there should be ANY victimless crimes... My feeling is more from the standpoint, that frequently there is a victim, it's just not always obvious. Take prostitution. No victim right... Well actually, often times women can feel forced into the profession. I'm against unregulated prostitution because you do get unintended victims. Regulated by a watchdog body and regular checks for prostitutes well fare... That I'm ok with. Marijuana. Sure. Silly it's illegal. Obviously don't allow driving whilst stoned and don't let kids have it. For harder drugs, I think you have to take it drug by drug. If the drug is non addictive, or non habit forming, or has minor consequences then it should be allowed. If you're talking about something like meth, that is highly addictive and devastating that's different. Sure, it's usually a person's choice to take it or not, but I don't think it's the kind of thing you let yourself get hooked on intentionally. If you do, you're probably not in the right frame of mind. Addictive drugs can easily lead a person to crimes on which there most certainly is a victim (and one could say the family of the user is often a victim too). Even if taking the drug itself is all on you, breaking into someone's house to feed a drug habit has a victim. I don't think law enforcement should really go after users strongly though. It's those that push things like meth that are creating the victims and drug dependant people. As, I said though. Take it drug by drug. Meth should be banned, but... MJ... No. Psychobilin? No... No harm and completely non addictive. There are definitely drugs that are banned that I don't think should be. Think there just needs to be common sense.
No such thing, unfortunately. I'm increasingly convinced that this is merely a phrase that means, "Things that are obvious to me". You can probably find some basic things that everyone would agree on, but most stuff's not as clear cut. Marijuana use, for example. I do agree with most of your post, though.
The US outlawed alcohol in 1926, and provided organised crime with a money making opportunity beyond their wildest dreams. By the time booze was legalised again, the mob had built a power base that kept the FBI busy for the next 70 years. In Britain in the 1960's, drug addiction was treated largely as a medical rather than criminal problem. The most dangerous career criminals were mostly armed robbers. Now here we are with drug abuse criminalised, while the blaggers and gangsters are getting rich off the drug trade. It seems we never learn.
Mandatory health checks for prostitutes. Always wear a condom, etc. Sure, some diseases can still be passed. Public obviously needs to be educated of potential risks, but for the most part no reason they shouldn't be minimal. HPV can pass even with a condom. There are vaccines now that target the most aggressive strains. (Not sure current numbers but recall reading when I was younger 2/3rds of sexually active adults had HPV... Goes unnoticed in most people). There's also crabs, but that's mostly cured nowadays with it being fashionable to shave or closely trim the pubic region.
Read a story in the independent I think the other day about prostitution as is legalised in Holland Belgium and Germany. They have proper workers rights. The same as anyone. Pay tax and are looked after. Those same countries have less hate crimes and sex attacks.
Human Papillomavirus. Sexually transmitted disease, can lead to Cancer. People who take it up the bum are at risk.
A disease that gives you cancer?? **** off. I'm reasonably well read and I've never heard of this.. absolute bollox
As mentioned on HIAG's wum **** up thread. As far as drugs are concerned then decriminalisation is the way forward for all drugs as the 'war on drugs' simply doesn't work and causes more harm than good. Drugs like Cannabis need to be licenced and regulated, drugs like Heroin need to be taken out of the criminal sphere and instead treatment programmes need to be offered for users.
Not that well read obviously http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/abo...ncer/infections-hpv-and-cancer/hpv-and-cancer
