Re: drug abuse among the homeless

Pete nospam Zakel wrote:
> Brother Nate writes:
> > And the answer to question 1) is still that the legal
> > drugs are the ones that are our biggest problems
> > among minors.

> Is that because they are legal?  Or are the legal because they are the most
> popular drugs?

Personally I doubt that question can be definitively
answered one way or the other.  We know that legal drugs
face less societal disapproval than illegal ones - we
also know that kids see their parents and older peers
using these drugs.  The tail wags the dog.

> > children with drugs, the fact of the matter is that
> > it's the legal ones that pose the biggest problems.

> And the illegal drugs are bigger problems than they should be partly because
> they are illegal.

Practically all of the problems they pose can be cured
simply by reforming the punishment system - replacing
counter-productive vindictiveness with stern compassion.

> > Throwing them in jail need not be our first response,
> > but legalization should clearly be our last.

> Actually, I would argue that legalization should clearly be our first
> response

Of course you would.  That IS your proposed cure for just
about everything from low self-esteem to terminal lung
cancer.

--
Brother Nate               Electron Juggler
[EMAIL PROTECTED]     http://php.indiana.edu/~nengle
"Some Assembly Required"