Milton Friedman - Why Drugs Should Be Legalized

[DigitalBuddha]

Milton Friedman - Why Drugs Should Be Legalized

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLsCC0LZxkY

[BrotherShamus]

Very logical/ethical argument here. Really the first time I've seen someone be able to properly argue for legalization of all drugs, not just weed.

[meekon5]

A bit too wrapped up in his own view of economics (which now is not seen as a dominant theory of economics, compare Reagan/Thatcher economic policies to current), but I do like the argument about comparing drug abuse to over eating.

Still very interesting point of view.

[jgiffin]

How's that dominant (i.e., Keynesian or New Keynesian) view of economics working out? Friedman and the Chicago School got most of the answers correct in a practical sense but, when employed, their theoretical underpinnings proved more vulnerable to abuse  than the Austrian School would have. Enter Greenspan and that whole debacle.

[BikerDude]

Milton Friedman was clearly doing some serious drugs what with the "invisible hand" and all.
It takes some serious drugs to believe that. But believe we did.
Still waiting for the trickle down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvjK9InGAa8

[Masked Dude]

I haven't watched the video yet, but what concerns and/or tickles me is this whole business of outlawing many drugs. As a non-toker I wholeheartedly support the legalization of weed, and probably the rest of them. Why? We'll outlaw them, but we'll push drugs that help one condition but cause fucked up side effects like nausea, anemia, permanent muscle twitching, stroke, and sudden death.

A guy I knew used to smoke a J every day and said he quit because (in his words) longterm use can cause some neurons to "stretch" and eventually not go back to normal working conditions. I don't know if he read a good study or if it was modern Reefer Madness stuff. But we're going to ban cannabis but allow booze and some of those prescription drugs that might kill you?

Makes no sense, dudes.

[Yeti]

I haven't watched the video yet, but what concerns and/or tickles me is this whole business of outlawing many drugs. As a non-toker I wholeheartedly support the legalization of weed, and probably the rest of them. Why? We'll outlaw them, but we'll push drugs that help one condition but cause fucked up side effects like nausea, anemia, permanent muscle twitching, stroke, and sudden death.

A guy I knew used to smoke a J every day and said he quit because (in his words) longterm use can cause some neurons to "stretch" and eventually not go back to normal working conditions. I don't know if he read a good study or if it was modern Reefer Madness stuff. But we're going to ban cannabis but allow booze and some of those prescription drugs that might kill you?

Makes no sense, dudes.

"Illegal" drugs are outlawed, for the most part, because there are two behemoths sucking at the federal and state tit - law enforcement and the for-profit prison corporations. Look behind the curtain at many of these conservative "tough on crime" politicians and you'll find groups with a financial interest in keeping the populace subjugated and imprisoned pulling the strings.

Of course alcohol and dangerous prescription drugs will never be outlawed in the same way - too much money is being made by giant corporate brewers, distillers, and pharmaceutical companies. I don't believe alcohol should be banned, I just laugh at the hypocrisy of it all.

If politicians truly gave a shit about our safety, they would be spending just as much time and money wasted on the "war on drugs" on fixing the mental health system in this country and providing good treatment programs for addicts. Conservatives should be clamoring for this because most of our welfare dollars go to country folk hooked on pain pills and meth. Of course, with Nancy chanting "Just Say No!" and Ronnie dumping the mentally ill onto the streets back in the 80s, it's not difficult to figure out where and when the problems really started and who was responsible.

[BikerDude]

I haven't watched the video yet, but what concerns and/or tickles me is this whole business of outlawing many drugs. As a non-toker I wholeheartedly support the legalization of weed, and probably the rest of them. Why? We'll outlaw them, but we'll push drugs that help one condition but cause fucked up side effects like nausea, anemia, permanent muscle twitching, stroke, and sudden death.

A guy I knew used to smoke a J every day and said he quit because (in his words) longterm use can cause some neurons to "stretch" and eventually not go back to normal working conditions. I don't know if he read a good study or if it was modern Reefer Madness stuff. But we're going to ban cannabis but allow booze and some of those prescription drugs that might kill you?

Makes no sense, dudes.

"Illegal" drugs are outlawed, for the most part, because there are two behemoths sucking at the federal and state tit - law enforcement and the for-profit prison corporations. Look behind the curtain at many of these conservative "tough on crime" politicians and you'll find groups with a financial interest in keeping the populace subjugated and imprisoned pulling the strings.

Of course alcohol and dangerous prescription drugs will never be outlawed in the same way - too much money is being made by giant corporate brewers, distillers, and pharmaceutical companies. I don't believe alcohol should be banned, I just laugh at the hypocrisy of it all.

If politicians truly gave a shit about our safety, they would be spending just as much time and money wasted on the "war on drugs" on fixing the mental health system in this country and providing good treatment programs for addicts. Conservatives should be clamoring for this because most of our welfare dollars go to country folk hooked on pain pills and meth. Of course, with Nancy chanting "Just Say No!" and Ronnie dumping the mentally ill onto the streets back in the 80s, it's not difficult to figure out where and when the problems really started and who was responsible.

Yeah I always saw the "Just say no" thing as so disrespectful and ignorant.
It was the trivialization of something that is clearly a very difficult problem., Substance abuse has been a problem for thousands of years. But some people view he world in such simple terms that it might as well just be a movie.
The first step to understanding is always humility. If you think these sort of problems are simple have the humility to realize you just don't know. Till you walk a mile Dudes.