Newsgroups: talk.politics.drugs
From: bright@sunnyland.unlv.edu (Paul R Conte)
Subject: Legalization DETAILS
Message-ID: <1993Jul28.031929.25385@unlv.edu>
Date: Wed, 28 Jul 93 03:19:29 GMT

Do you ever wonder about how a society with legalized drugs would
look?  Do you ever wonder, "Hey, where would I go to buy cocaine or
LSD?"  Or, how high would the tax be on marijuana?  Do you ever wonder
what kinds of restrictions might still remain on certain substances?

Lately, I have been wondering about details such as these.  And
coincidentally, I have just read an essay which chastizes the
legalization movement for lack of such focus on detail.  I wouldn't
agree that that nullifies the credibility of the legalization
movement, but it would be nice if the lot of us had more of idea of
what kinds of details are inherent in a legalization policy.
The essay was from the book _The Drug Legalization Debate_, edited by
by James A. Inciardi, and the essay was also written by Inciardi.

Mr. Inciardi lists ten specific areas which he claims legalization
advocates regularly ignore.  I would say that we concentrate more on
general issues because people must be convinced of the principal of
legalization before we proceed to specifics, but I think Inciardi has
a point.  So, I propose that we spend some time deliberating on the
ten questions he lists, and possibly we can come up with some type of
plan for legalization.  If anything, we will become more aware of some
details of legaliztion that we might not have considered before.

Here are the ten points parapharsed from Inciardi's essay entitled
_The Case *Against* Legalization_:

(1)  Which drugs should be legalized, according to what criteria, and
who should determine the criteria?

(2)  What potency levels should be permitted?  Like 80, 100, 151 proof
rum, should marijuana with 5%, 10%, and 14% THC content be permitted?
Should legalized heroin be restricted to Burmese No. 3 grade, or
should Mexican "black tar" and the mythical "China White" be added to
the ledger?

(3)  Should there be age limits?  Should it be that 16-year-olds can
buy pot and Quaaludes, but have to wait until age 18 for cocaine and
crack, and age 21 for heroin?

(4)  Should certain drugs be limited to only those already dependent
on them?  Should heroin sales be limited to heroin addicts, for
instance?  Should drug experimenters be allowed to use certain drugs?
And if these issues can be decided, *in what amounts* can users
purchase certain substances?

(5)  Where should drugs be sold?  In drug and grocery stores, vending
machines, tax-supported "drug shacks"?  Should some or all be
available only by prescription?  Should a visit to a physician be
necessary?  And how much should the prescription be made for?  How
often should it be filled?

(6)  Where should the raw material for the drugs originate?  Would
cultivation be restricted to U.S. land, or would foreign sources be
permitted?  Should trade restrictions of any type be imposed?  Would
the introduction of currently little-known drugs of abuse from foreign
countries be permitted?

(7)  Should the legal drug market be totaly free, with private
industry establishing the prices, as well as levels of purity and
potency?  What kinds of advertising would be permitted?

(8)  What types of restrictions on certain drugs, if legalized, should
be imposed?  Should transportation workers, nuclear power plant
employees, or other categories of workers be forbidden to use them at
all times, or just while on duty?

(9)  Will certain establishments be permitted to serve drugs to their
customers?  Like bars, or opium dens?

(10)  What government bureaucracy should be charged with enforcement
of any restrictions?  The FBI, DEA, ATF, FDA, state and local
agencies?  Or should some new federal bureracracy be created for that
purpose?  What kinds of penalties ought to be established for
violation of the legalization restrictions?


There are other details that I suppose would probably come up in the
course of discussing the ones above.  Some of the questions posed by
Inciardi are a bit over our heads, but let's try to answer them
anyway!  I'll keep a record of all the ideas posed, and try to put
together a comprehensive list.  Okay?  :-)

- Paul