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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbatt!cwruecmp!rynes
From: rynes@cwruecmp.UUCP (Edward M. Rynes  Esq.)
Newsgroups: net.followup
Subject: Re: A new call for ignorance
Message-ID: <1576@cwruecmp.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 24-Sep-86 14:05:04 EDT
Article-I.D.: cwruecmp.1576
Posted: Wed Sep 24 14:05:04 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 29-Sep-86 03:23:57 EDT
References: <5360@decwrl.DEC.COM> <424@hsi.UUCP>
Reply-To: rynes@cwruecmp.UUCP (Edward M. Rynes  Esq.)
Organization: CWRU Dept. Comp. Eng., Cleveland OH
Lines: 65

In article <424@hsi.UUCP> licsak@hsi.UUCP (Don Licsak) writes:
>Loss of productivity is far from minimal. An estimated 4-5 BILLION 
>dollars is lost to business and industry each year due to illegal
>drug use. That's a figure that's hard to believe, but even if the
>true figure is half that amount, it's easy to see how our economy is
>hurt by it.

How was this figure derived?  Did the study also state the loss of
productivity due to lack of sleep, poor diet, fights with your girlfriend?
Or was all loss of productivity blamed on drugs?

>I felt for some time as you did, that legalizing drug use would solve
>much of the problem. I realize now it wouldn't do much good. At what
>age would it be legal to buy and use drugs? Twenty-one? What about
>the twelve year old who wants to experiment? The pusher in the school
>yard couldn't care less if the kid is underage. 

If drugs were legal there would be no pusher!  Under the current laws,
it is much easier for a twelve year old to buy marijuana than a bear.

>Legalization would mean strict production standards, but it won't
>mean an end to illegal use. As long as there is an addict around there
>will be a pusher. Addiction is the point, not illegal use. Without
>addicts who would the pushers sell to? Addiction leads to illegal use.

Again if drugs were legal there would be no pushers!  There are millions
of people addicted to alcohol today, but bootleggers are not the number
one priority on the FBI's list of things to do.  Besides, the government
is making milions of dolors a year off those poor `addicts'.

>
>         Don Licsak                      ihnp4!hsi!licsak
>         Health Systems International
>         New Haven, CT  06511
>
>


  I don't think that all drugs should be legal, but the current laws
are not based on reality.  When the two most dangerous drugs around
are advertised and promoted (alcohol and nicotine) and one of the safer
drugs (marijuana) is condemned as a killer, something is wrong.

  The fight against drug abuse should start with better education about
the TRUE dangers of drugs.  Telling a group of pre-teens that smoking
a joint will make you a drug addict within five years does more harm
than good.  (yes that was actualy what they told me)  If you lie about
one drug then they will assume you are lying about all of them.


Drug use is not the problem.  Drug misuse is!

< I don't even use drugs so why am I arguing this? >
<  I guess this belongs in net.philosophy  8-)  >


______________________________________________________________________________

Edward Rynes	Facilities Manager	|	    "The next time, I dedicate
Dept. of Computer Eng. and Science	| My life's work to the friends I make.
Case Western Reserve University		|   I give them what they want to hear.
Cleveland, Ohio   44106			| They think I'm up to something weird.
...!decvax!cwruecmp!rynes		| And up rears the head of fear in me."
rynes@case.csnet	(216) 368-6471	|			Kate Bush
______________________________________________________________________________