Crime and punishment: July 2009 Archives
I agree with Earl that the prohibition experience shows why it's pointless to ban certain substances. I often favor a society in which government allows people to do any thing, while culture encourages people to do the right thing.
I don't "get" pot and I never liked pot. But I've also seen, based on my Muslim teetotalling background, how counterproductive it is to ban a popular substance, since a) it pushes it underground, turning ordinary people into criminals, and b) it adds to its popularity by giving it a compellingly rogue quality.
It's the same reason I side with the Amethyst Initiative folks in seeking to lower the drinking age: Making something off limits often guarantees it'll be inordinately coveted by those who aren't given permission to have it. Hmm, maybe marriage falls in that category too....
Recent Comments
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