Arguments for the prohibition of drugs

[Chas]

That with the alternatives I can agree on, yet this does not make it a reasonable step to legalise meth.

On heroin: Yes, in most cases the first shot causes an adiction. Many underestimate how enormously addictive substances made out of opium are.

"With regular heroin use, tolerance develops. This means the abuser must use more heroin to achieve the same intensity or effect. As higher doses are used over time, physical dependence and addiction develop. "

So, no, first use does not cause addiction.

[Something completely different]

"tolerance" - this mainly means that the dopamin rezeptors within the brain get damaged continuously, on of the notorious sideeffects of opium use is known to be inactivity.
This does not mean that the subject aquires the addiction via upping the dose to to the tolerance, the addiction is most likely already there.

Quick search shows that 1-2 weeks of consuming lead to a 100% certain addiction, and 1-2 weeks is a far to short time to reach a level of "tolerance" let alone to reach the known long term effect of damaging the receptors in the brain.

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abh%C3%A4ng...spotential

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin#Abh.C3.A4ngigkeit

[Angrboda]

When I was in the hospital after freezing my fingers off, they had me chock full of opiates for several weeks. Never developed any kind of dependence on them. I think I'm weird when it comes to addiction. Alcohol is my drug of choice, and it's like there's this relay in my brain which triggers if I'm exhibiting excessive addictive behaviors, and the desires just completely shut off.

(I know. Different drug and personal anecdote and all. I'm not trying to make an argument, just commenting on some personal weirdness.)

(ETA: Nicotine was similar. A lot of people in the support groups talk of cravings long after quitting. After a certain time, I just had no cravings at all; it was like total amnesia for that desire.)

[paulpablo]

Its such a complex topic because its as complex as peoples different reactions to drugs, i took painkillers for my wisdom teeth and got addicted to them, but I've never stayed addicted to anything for very long in my life.

It isn't even just the legality of them it's the punishment people who take drugs receive and whether or not they should even receive punishment or rehabilitation.
Also it would probably be bad for 1 place to legalize a drug, say if the city of Manchester in England near where i live legalized heroin I imagine it would become much more of a hell hole.

Weed is such a mundane drug i don't see the big deal about it, legalize it, don't legalize it, i don't see why people are fighting so hard for their right to get red eyed dopey and dozy and i don't see why people on the other side are fighting so hard to prevent people taking a drug where the biggest risk is to it is a bit of paranoia and the munchies, although as I said people have different reactions and i do think people get very very paranoid and disturbed by smoking it sometimes.

[Something completely different]

I understand perfectly well why one should fight the legalisation of a drug which has effects so damaging to a human being that it could actualy be considered to be poison.
Let`s face it, alcohol is more dangerous than pot, extecy, cocain and speed. Yet heroin, meth, gbl, and others simply are to damaging to an individual to be legalised.

I think there is a lot of money to be made in pot and my first reason why I advocate the legalisation of pot, ex, cocain and speed is economical.
Yet the health risks, as weird as it may sound, should be considered. Pot, Speed and cocain are not as damaging as say - alcohol, but heroin and meth simply would ruin you.

[paulpablo]

I disagree about speed and cocaine. Not only do they make normal office workers behave like they think they're scarface or the godfather while nightclubbing which increases fights, but they're also bad for the heart.
I've personally known people addicted to speed who just went totally paranoid and aggressive on a day to day basis because of it.
Also there's already enough dangerous diet pills which are basically the same as speed out there.

[Aractus]

I dont think I have to explain why meth shouldnt be legal.

Meth is a legal drug Germans, where Heroin and cocaine are not. Eg. Desoxyn (used for ADD like Ritalin is). Try getting your head around that...

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I dont know about any longterm medical studies, but the fact that it is made of battery acid, drain cleaner, petrol and antifreeze chemicals says it all.

The fact that you, knowing this, used the drug says it all...

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On heroin: Yes, in most cases the first shot causes an adiction. Many underestimate how enormously addictive substances made out of opium are.

You mean like this claim here:

Cocaine on the other hand can be a chemical dependence from the first time you use it.

[festive1]

Meth is a legal drug Germans, where Heroin and cocaine are not. Eg. Desoxyn (used for ADD like Ritalin is). Try getting your head around that...

I'm not aware of any difference between morphine and heroin, except for dosage (heroin being of a stronger concentration). Morphine is perfectly legal, with a doctor's prescription.
Cocaine may not be legal, however, many of it's derivatives, including novocaine are.

[Rev. Rye]

All right, I've just looked things up and it seems like the only difference between morphine and heroin is that heroin has an acetyl molecule attached to it.

The only significant difference between them is that the acetyl molecule allows heroin to cross the blood-brain barrier more quickly than ordinary morphine. The result is that, in terms of dosage, heroin is about three times stronger. That is, one grain of heroin equals about three grains of morphine. Otherwise, they are identical and there is no significant difference that would justify heroin being completely illegal (Schedule I) while morphine is used routinely in medicine. (Schedule II) They can be used interchangeably as long as medical personnel follow standard practices of medical care.

[festive1]

As I said, they're essentially the same, just different concentrations. According to what Rev. posted, in cases of medical emergencies, heroin might be the better drug due to being faster acting.