tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238093301727076160.post4096289430416906667..comments2023-12-24T23:52:28.688-05:00Comments on cheerful iconoclast: Costs of Prohibitioncheerful iconoclasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09996124552679638199noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238093301727076160.post-13349908516966782142007-12-19T17:39:00.000-05:002007-12-19T17:39:00.000-05:00Libertarian discussions about drug legalizations a...Libertarian discussions about drug legalizations are polly-anna clap trap becuase, like you, they leave out a crucial fact: an individuals "choice" to use illegal and harmful drugs are not just choosing to through their own lives away -- but they are imposing costs on the rest of us. The costs of the welfare state, when they collect unemployment because they are fired, workers compensation when they are injured at work becuase they are high, social security disability insurance, medicaid/medicare, all the welfare benefits their children recieve becuase the parents are high and can't hold a job. The cost of crimes drug addicts commit because they cannot earn enough money to sustain their habit. The personal injury and property damage costs when they are in an accident or a doctor who is high cuts in the wrong places. Drug legalization is simply a dream - and a bad one - unless we first (1) reduce or eliminate welfare benefits for persons who make such bad "choices" as doing drugs, drinking alcholoh or smoking cigarettes; and (2) revoke federal and state privacy laws which prevent or limit situation where employers can conduct random drug testing (or restict me from insisting my surgeon or lawyer produce a clean drug test). Since these two things will NEVER happen...I say...GET OVER IT!! And lets talk about some real issues that we may be able to have some impact on.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com