in the united states, there is a trend to try decriminalize or legalize street drugs.
advocates point to the fact that these individuals often commit crimes in order to obtain funds to purchase the drugs and, that if the drugs were legal, the costs would be more manageable.
advocates also point to the fact that many of these individuals are arrested and become criminals solely due to the possession of these substances.
with all respect to these issues, the advocates need to address the following issue: individuals, who are users, commit crimes and acts while they are intoxicated. the consequences of these crimes and acts can be serious and deadly.
this issue , however, never seems to get discussed. besides injuring others, these users may suffer serious health problems due to their drug use. this a topic, however, is for another post.
thus, legalizing and decriminalizing drugs will not make an idyllic society. it may actually make things far worse. let’s take the case of the people vs. harry potter.
before doing so, however, we must digress to discuss a drug called “bath salts”
according to an article, “psychoactive designer street drugs called “bath salts” have many potentially dangerous adverse effects, including extreme neurological and psychiatric changes, some long lasting.” “take all the bad attributes of ecstasy, pcp, lsd, cocaine, methamphetamine: lump them together, and that’s what you get with bath salts,” says mark ryan, pharmd, director of the louisiana poison center and assistant professor of clinical emergency medicine at louisiana state university health sciences center in shreveport.” jama
in law, there is a standard of culpability. while a drunk or intoxicated person may have never established criminal intent in their actions, the mere act of engaging in the intoxication is sufficient to establish intent. thus, someone knowingly getting drunk or high, may give cause to establish criminal intent. for example, someone who gets drunk and gets into a car and starts driving. if they get in an accident and kill someone, criminal intent will attach.
now, with that explanation, let’s get to that murderous wizard.
ms. nastasia snape allegedly drove a car and struck and killed federal judge who was on the sidewalk and struck and also injured a 6-year-old boy who was in crosswalk. according to the report, snape’s car veered erratically and ended up on a sidewalk.
she then continud driving for another 5 miles and then crashed the car. “according to a police report, snape told a delray beach officer that she was unhurt — but she appeared to be convulsing or having a seizure.”” ms. snape screamed and fought with paramedics, claiming she was harry potter. police found in her bag a designer drug called “t salts,” which are known to cause erratic, delirious behavior, the report said.” nydailynews
to those who advocate legalizing drugs, it is time to stand up and take a victory lap. please shout out “hooray for drugs!..aren’t they great?.. we need more of them all over the place!”
to the contrary, the consequences of someone getting a “high” can be deadly and harmful for those uninvolved. lives are ruined and destroyed all because someone had to resort a chemically induced “high.” it is time for society to place one the scales “getting high” versus “mortal harm to others.” it is time to honestly discuss this issue.
society must make efforts to wean individuals off of drugs. individuals need to achieve personal satisfaction and happiness in ways other than artificial intoxication. drugs are the cheap and fast way to attain immediate happiness. they are, however, short lived with personal health and societal consequences.
it is a challenge. our society needs to work on making non-toxic recreational activities available to individuals. our society needs to work on ways to discourage individuals from using drugs and provide healthy alternatives. instead, currently, society is working in the opposite manner.
be well!!
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