From: Mermaid . (britannica@hotmail.com)
Date: Wed Jul 17 2002 - 04:12:37 MDT
[Mermaid]Hello Walpurgis. I hope you wont mind if I butt in and share a few
thoughts on this subject.(which I suspect is the most popular topic for
recurring discussions)
[Walpurgis]What are the limits to the right to inform oneself, choose for
oneself, damage oneself, believe what you want?
[Mermaid]none, none, none and none.
[Walpurgis]At what point can you, I or the state step in and say "no/wrong"?
[Mermaid]When one's drug/alcohol/"any other individual choice of behaviour"
use/abuse/dependency begins to affect/endanger/threaten another's
life/property/peace of mind or have an adverse impact on the
social/economic/material/emotional spheres of their daily lives.
[Mermaid]Substance abuse cannot be avoided, but legalisation must atleast
include provisions to ensure certain things..like
a.Noone is physically harmed by accidents that occur under the influence. In
such a situation, said accident should be considered as manslaughter. any
other violent behaviour, disruptive behaviour must be suitably punished
discounting all excuses of being 'under the influence'.
b.age limit for the purchase of tobacco/alcohol/drugs.
c.statutory warnings wrt general and expected health risks and other side
effects on the label.
d.when the tax payer is not burdened with the cost of treatement programs
for substance abusers. same applies with insurance companies that takes the
money out of the average joe's pockets and pays for the addict to swagger on
his road to recovery. Treatment programs should not be subsidised. If one
wants to die, one can spend one's own money.
e.relief from stringent employment laws that will eventually allow
suspension of abuser in the event of low productivity/absenteeism etc.
etc etc..One word. Responsibility. individual and personal responsibility
for actions that one may permit to occur while under the influence of
drugs/alcohol...
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