🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <0qma2.785$961....@server1.news.adelphia.net>, 
tabmok99....@damnspaz.com says...

[snip]
> > But there are far many that cannot. Plus there are a number of situations 
> > where a first time user could die from side effects which could be 
> > foreseen and treated when prescribed for a medical condition, but I 
> > cannot see Sainsbury's and Safeway being so careful in who they "sell" it 
> > to in an open market. ;)
> 
> I could see them being careful about it.  
What in the same way that stronger or more dangerous over the counter 
drugs are sold only after the sales rep holds it up and shouts "Nurofen" 
to the pharmacist (who rarely even glances over) - really secure system 
;). Or the way limits on paracetamol sales can be easily overcome by just 
going onto the next chemist/drug store. 

> There'd be an age restriction to

Yeah cos they *always* work :P

> it, and they would card everyone who tried to purchase some.  (Of course
> with the legalization of drugs like this, it would be that much easier for
> children to get ahold of it and mess up their lives, with or without the
> age restriction.

And we would create a new "black" market in under age sales. So far 
legalisation is just kind of changing the market and has created no 
benefits. 

> One thing's for sure, this would give a whole new meaning to the term
> "drug store" ;-)

ROFL. Sure would :)

> > > ago...  To be honest completely do not understand anyone who is against the
> > > legalization of drugs.  There are so many positive sides to it - the only
> > 
> > Never heard a good reason for it. Pure and simple. 
> 
> Me neither.  I hope Alex will give us some good reason.

We shall see... :)

> > The only real argument I have ever heard for legalisation are to enable 
> > accessible medical treatment for junkies. Surely prevention is better 
> > than cure and legalisation would provide a much wider problem so I do not 
> > consider this argument even vaguely valid.
> 
> Marijuana is curing anorexia, I heard/read.  So that's kind of a good
> reason, but I don't think that warrants over the counter sale.

I agree. Plus Marijuana can probably be prescribed so legalisation would 
be of no benefit. The current prescription systems would remain the more 
useful source. 

[snip]
> > We have the rather unlikely alien invasion. The increasing common 
> > asteroid/meteor threats. Un curable disease. The third world war. 
> 
> I like these choices better than the alien invasion :P  More realistic, and 
> makes a unity actually seem possible.  If Europe can do it, we all can do it, 
> but Communism and all that needs to end first.

Communism in Europe is all but collapsed. Hence the "recent" break up of 
Eastern Europe into countries not much bigger than small towns ;)

Interestingly, I know a guy from Hungary who was forced to flee to 
Britain many years ago and Communism appears to have a great many 
benefits. Even he with all that he had been through understood how the 
nuances of true Communism benefited the public more so than Capitalism. 
As an example, he told me that as you left school the equivalent to a 
careers advisor would ask what line of work you wished to go into. The 
state would then pay for all training and guarantee you a job at the end 
of it. 

Unfortunately, European Communism went hand in hand with the intense 
secrecy, lack of freedom and the often brutal enforcement of their rules. 

I am no advocate of Communism but I think we my see the future political 
arena take on board the more useful aspects from it. If we are to become 
united as a race, removal of certain basic problems and creation of basic 
human rights is a must. I.e. food, water, homes and employment.

I think the future will see a system where work is "optional". Look at 
say, the Star Trek series, where money has no real power and all workers 
work to better themselves rather than to pay the bills. Though Star Trek 
is fictional, they base much of their programming on scientific fact and 
I imagine a similar principle was applied to possible sociological 
advances.

-- 
Mark