7 hours ago, chang1 said:

They kept that secret well

I think you'll find its common knowledge - only you don't know.

1 hour ago, Thunglom said:

I think you'll find its common knowledge - only you don't know.

Thanks, just done some research and Portugal seems to have a good approach -

 

.https://transformdrugs.org/blog/drug-decriminalisation-in-portugal-setting-the-record-straight

 

As suggested in one of my previous posts they are not prosecuting users as much and instead treating drugs as a health problem. Although this is a much better way forward it still has not ended their war on drugs but keeping people out of prison who are only there for popping a few pills or injecting stuff in their own arms has to be good. However there still needs to be a "stick" available to dissuade the dealers which I presume is why Portugal still has many people in prison for drug related offences. 

Drugs are still illegal there just people are not being convicted for them the same as before. 

It would be interesting to find out how this approach works with different cultures and the differing availability of education resources. Scotland needs to try something different as their drug death rate is one of, if not the worst in Europe. Unfortunately I can't see Thailand trying anything like that under the present regime.

55 minutes ago, chang1 said:

Thanks, just done some research and Portugal seems to have a good approach -

 

.https://transformdrugs.org/blog/drug-decriminalisation-in-portugal-setting-the-record-straight

 

As suggested in one of my previous posts they are not prosecuting users as much and instead treating drugs as a health problem. Although this is a much better way forward it still has not ended their war on drugs but keeping people out of prison who are only there for popping a few pills or injecting stuff in their own arms has to be good. However there still needs to be a "stick" available to dissuade the dealers which I presume is why Portugal still has many people in prison for drug related offences. 

Drugs are still illegal there just people are not being convicted for them the same as before. 

It would be interesting to find out how this approach works with different cultures and the differing availability of education resources. Scotland needs to try something different as their drug death rate is one of, if not the worst in Europe. Unfortunately I can't see Thailand trying anything like that under the present regime.

I think you'll find I stated that drug use is a health problem a few days back,

There are various approaches, but DECRIMINALISATION is the main stream. 

It is fairly clear from the posts on this thread that most people's attuned to drug bust is back in the neanderthal age - and I'll bet anything they are all abusers of alcohol, one of the worst drugs you can take,

the reality is that most people argue from a position of assumption and ignorance.

The "war against drugs" was initiated in the days of Ronald Reagan, and by any standards it's a total failure.

the USA has been coincidentally involved in the kind of drugs too.

Vietnam saw the import of heroin and cannabis. Afghanistan saw opium/heroin and the wars in South and Central America saw the importation of cocaine rise. The Poindexter and North affair clearly demonstrated the US military's involvement in transporting the stuff they were claiming to fight against.

the hypocrisy needs to stop and all drugs (including those currently "legal") need to be seen as a public health issue - it puts dealers out of business, re=stabilises countries and reasserts democracy

46 minutes ago, Thunglom said:

I think you'll find I stated that drug use is a health problem a few days back,

There are various approaches, but DECRIMINALISATION is the main stream. 

It is fairly clear from the posts on this thread that most people's attuned to drug bust is back in the neanderthal age - and I'll bet anything they are all abusers of alcohol, one of the worst drugs you can take,

the reality is that most people argue from a position of assumption and ignorance.

The "war against drugs" was initiated in the days of Ronald Reagan, and by any standards it's a total failure.

the USA has been coincidentally involved in the kind of drugs too.

Vietnam saw the import of heroin and cannabis. Afghanistan saw opium/heroin and the wars in South and Central America saw the importation of cocaine rise. The Poindexter and North affair clearly demonstrated the US military's involvement in transporting the stuff they were claiming to fight against.

the hypocrisy needs to stop and all drugs (including those currently "legal") need to be seen as a public health issue - it puts dealers out of business, re=stabilises countries and reasserts democracy

Totally agree with everything you are saying. 

Another big problem, often overlooked, is the harm to children caused by locking up their fathers. This deprives them of a father figure and often pushes the family into poverty. 

Unfortunately politicians need to see results well before the next election and relaxing drug laws will make things worse not better. It may take 10 years before the general public sees that it is working - long after the person who brought it in has gone and their party stained with bad publicity from when drug issues had peaked.

Portugal has shown it can be done so a reasonable and proven case can be made - would the public go for it?

21 minutes ago, chang1 said:

Another big problem, often overlooked, is the harm to children caused by locking up their fathers. This deprives them of a father figure and often pushes the family into poverty. 

All forms of imprisonment impacts on families - and it is so often th "breadwinner" is lost the family suffers.