Comments | lhynard: Still More on Libertarianism: Drugs

lhynard

Still More on Libertarianism: Drugs

Jan 07, 2005 23:56

I might as well go on to the topic for which libertarians may well be most famous -- legalization of drugs. Most libertarians are for the legalization of drugs, whatever they are, as long as they do not harm anyone else. The view is that, if it does not harm anyone else, people in a free society should have the right to do whatever they want. This ( Read more... )

medicine, steroids, politics, libertarianism

Comments 2

shadewright January 10 2005, 11:38:01 UTC

Can you think of a controlled substance that is _not_addictive?

Or a controlled substance that does not affect the mind?

Also, I would be interested in a scenario in which an addictive, mind-altering substance could be used in such a way that no one besides the user was harmed. I think that very few people live lives that are isolated enough for that to happen, despite what I perceive as the self-centered philosophy that typifies libertarians.

I think that I agree with your philosophy, but, practically speaking, it would result in very few changes to current laws. --Except that perhaps alchol would be more regulated because it always affects personality if taken in sufficient quantity.

lhynard January 10 2005, 13:10:35 UTC

Can you think of a controlled substance that is _not_addictive?

certain steroids
certain hard drugs

(Although, any non-chemically-addictive drug could very easily become addictive for other reasons not directly associated with the drug, just like one can become addicted to video games or such.)

Or a controlled substance that does not affect the mind?

steroids

I would be interested in a scenario in which an addictive, mind-altering substance could be used in such a way that no one besides the user was harmed.I am speaking of direct harm, here. And in that case, I can only think of cigarettes. The Libertarians and myself hold the view that people are responsible for their own actions and choices. Alcohol is not to blame for car accidents -- it is the idiots who drive when drunk who are responsible for car accidents. So they would propose stricter punishments and revoking of licenses to both drive and purchase alcohol to those who drive drunk. Alcohol is also different from, say, pot, in that pot does not make it more difficult to ( ... )