Is it though? I think it is still worse than alcohol, but I do think decriminalizing can be better for treating and caring for the addicts. Addicts aren't criminals, they are sick and need help.
this post was submitted on 06 Feb 2025
242 points (96.9% liked)
World News
40408 readers
3368 users here now
A community for discussing events around the World
Rules:
-
Rule 1: posts have the following requirements:
- Post news articles only
- Video links are NOT articles and will be removed.
- Title must match the article headline
- Not United States Internal News
- Recent (Past 30 Days)
- Screenshots/links to other social media sites (Twitter/X/Facebook/Youtube/reddit, etc.) are explicitly forbidden, as are link shorteners.
-
Rule 2: Do not copy the entire article into your post. The key points in 1-2 paragraphs is allowed (even encouraged!), but large segments of articles posted in the body will result in the post being removed. If you have to stop and think "Is this fair use?", it probably isn't. Archive links, especially the ones created on link submission, are absolutely allowed but those that avoid paywalls are not.
-
Rule 3: Opinions articles, or Articles based on misinformation/propaganda may be removed. Sources that have a Low or Very Low factual reporting rating or MBFC Credibility Rating may be removed.
-
Rule 4: Posts or comments that are homophobic, transphobic, racist, sexist, anti-religious, or ableist will be removed. “Ironic” prejudice is just prejudiced.
-
Posts and comments must abide by the lemmy.world terms of service UPDATED AS OF 10/19
-
Rule 5: Keep it civil. It's OK to say the subject of an article is behaving like a (pejorative, pejorative). It's NOT OK to say another USER is (pejorative). Strong language is fine, just not directed at other members. Engage in good-faith and with respect! This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban.
Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.
-
Rule 6: Memes, spam, other low effort posting, reposts, misinformation, advocating violence, off-topic, trolling, offensive, regarding the moderators or meta in content may be removed at any time.
-
Rule 7: We didn't USED to need a rule about how many posts one could make in a day, then someone posted NINETEEN articles in a single day. Not comments, FULL ARTICLES. If you're posting more than say, 10 or so, consider going outside and touching grass. We reserve the right to limit over-posting so a single user does not dominate the front page.
We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.
All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.
Lemmy World Partners
News !news@lemmy.world
Politics !politics@lemmy.world
World Politics !globalpolitics@lemmy.world
Recommendations
For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/
- Consider including the article’s mediabiasfactcheck.com/ link
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
99% of my drug problems are law related.
99% of my law problems are drug related
Lol yeah exactly.
if someone gets reeeally drunk, they’ll probably sleep… maybe do some sloppy fighting or very risky driving….
if someone does a whole lot of cocaine, they do some crazy shit.
Worked as an EMT. Dealt with plenty of angry drunks.
Not supporting the cocaine thing, just saying there's been plenty of "I'm gonna kick your ass" and the sloppy fighting is negated by the pain not registering as badly drunks.
But it's why I'm mad at weed being illegal. I've never once had a stoner try to kick my ass. It's usually a lot of "Yes yes I know everything is wonderful will you get on the damn cot?"
I am against drugs. I think no one should be using drugs. I think drugs like Alcohol, Meth and Cocaine are a making of the devil. Ideally drugs would only be used as medicine.
None of the problems related to drug use are solved by criminalization. None of the societal and personal problems leading to drug use are solved by criminalization. Instead they are made worse. The most reliable way to reduce drug use in society is by removing economic hardship and lack of opportunities from people and providing better support to people in difficult emotional situations. The most reliable way to help existing drug users to stop using, is by reducing harms associated with drug use, while working on improving their life situation.
Really ? the devil ? We agree on the fact that legalization would go a long way in encouraging safe use. However you seem to be under the impression that drugs are solely used as a getaway from hardships of life. Let me know if I got that wrong. In any case, plenty of users find drugs to be entertaining, eye-opening, tranquilizing, or otherwise interesting or helpful in a variety of other ways. I think it's important to remember that many drugs are just part of nature; plants, mushrooms. They're god's creation.
load more comments
(1 replies)
Just wanted to point out, of the three you mentioned, cocaine is still used in medicine, especially in dentistry. You may in fact even have used an analog yourself that's pretty common: Lidocaine
Cocaine, like, regular chemical cocaine, is also used as a vasopressor (think Epinephrine) in Europe.
Alcohol - meaning Ethanol - is also used in medicine due its antimicrobial properties though. I believe the medical-grade mouthwash I used after my wisdom teeth were removed contained some ethanol, though I'm unsure because I didn't memorize the ingredients.
You sure it wasn't a chlorhexidine mouthwash?
I think that was the main ingredient (some ring at least) but there was definitely an -ol in it as well because I read the back.
Using Cocaine as a local anesthetic is very different from use aimed at psychoactive stimulation. E.g. having a small dosage injected in your gums vs. snorthing/smoking/IV use. I wonder though, how often it has to be used instead of lidocaine in practice.
We have the same issue with opiates, where the medical use is crucial, but the problems of abuse are also very strong. However while the physical addiction is extremely strong with opiates, it seems that many of the associated problems are particularly strong due to criminalization. E.g. people with chronic pains who receive opiates permanently can life a somewhat normal life, despite a physical dependence having developed. Programs that provide clean heroin to addicts have been very successful in mitigating a lot of the harm.
People who are high on Cocaine, Meth or Alcohol constantly will cause problems to themselves and others. The Ego-boost and inhibition reduction destroy peoples character. You also have regular reports from heroine users, that their local drug scene got much more problematic, when there was a wave of crack coming in.
Possibly true, but also a lot of the reports for issues caused by cocaine use lump cocaine with all of its derivatives, including things like crack cocaine. Rarely is pure cocaine affordably sold in the black market.
It would be as fair as combining statistics for oxycodone and tramadol.
I don't think cocaine is as dangerous as it's usually thought of from what I've read. Still dangerous enough to be age restricted and regulated for sure, but also in the right doses about as harmful as cigarettes (except cigarettes also harm those nearby)
Crack isn't a derivative of Cocaine. powdered Cocaine is typically the HCl salt. Crack is the free base, which makes it soluble for IV injection or smokeable. Because of the "direct" connection to the bloodstream it works much quicker and harder with a shorter duration. But it is the same active chemical compound.
As for recreational Cocaine use, i have witnessed many people falling into addiction w.o. realizing it. Typically it would go like this: Only at Festivals -> only in the club -> yeah birthday home party -> We are all very drunk at the bar, what if we call a dealer to extend the evening? -> i brought some to the bar already, so we don't have to find a dealer this time -> i'm bored at home...
Cocaine is especially dangerous in this regards because it is "smoother", the effects don't last as long as for other stimulants and in lower dosages it can go below the radar of people unfamiliar with drug use, whereas people on amphetamine are more easy to spot already from their physical appearance under the influence.
The US threatened to pull out of the WHO at the time since the findings didn’t match US drug policy. Instead of losing the US, the WHO quietly shelved the study.
Time to release it then.
With the legalization of drugs, you can also tax it to finance addiction care and prevention, and by offering legal ways for dealers and producers to go legal, you can probably reduce violence. I see it as a double win.
I read some time ago that drug producers often don't want it to be legal. They make a lot more money when it's illegal.
But yes, I believe it would help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4L20t8Dvlg
"Prison Song"
They're tryna' build a prison
They're tryna' build a prison
Oh
Following the rights movements, you clamped down with your iron fists
Drugs became conveniently available for all the kids
Following the rights movements, you clamped down with your iron fists
Drugs became conveniently available for all the kids
I buy my crack, I smack my bitch
Right here in Hollywood
Nearly two million Americans are incarcerated
In the prison system, prison system of the U.S.
They're tryna' build a prison
They're tryna' build a prison
They're tryna' build a prison
They're tryna' build a prison
For you and me to live in
Another prison system
Another prison system
Another prison system
For you and me
Minor drug offenders fill your prisons, you don't even flinch
All our taxes paying for your wars against the new non-rich
Minor drug offenders fill your prisons, you don't even flinch
All our taxes paying for your wars against the new non-rich
[Chorus]
Oh, oh
All research and successful drug policy
Shows that treatment should be increased
Oh
And law enforcement decreased
While abolishing mandatory minimum sentences
Oh
All research and successful drug policy
Shows that treatment should be increased
Oh
And law enforcement decreased
While abolishing mandatory minimum sentences
Utilizing drugs to pay for secret wars around the world
Drugs are now your global policy, now you police the globe
...
Even Milton "Shock Doctrine" Friedman was against the drug war.
Friedman: I see America with half the number of prisons, half the number of prisoners, ten thousand fewer homicides a year, inner cities in which there’s a chance for these poor people to live without being afraid for their lives, citizens who might be respectable who are now addicts not being subject to becoming criminals in order to get their drug, being able to get drugs for which they’re sure of the quality. You know, the same thing happened under prohibition of alcohol as is happening now.
Under prohibition of alcohol, deaths from alcohol poisoning, from poisoning by things that were mixed in with the bootleg alcohol, went up sharply. Similarly, under drug prohibition, deaths from overdose, from adulterations, from adulterated substances have gone up.
load more comments
(3 replies)
Trump Monkey Paw USA: Bans Whiskey again
Whoa whoa whoa. Cocaine is way better than whiskey.
Found Sterling Archer’s fediverse account
load more comments
(2 replies)
Fuck it. Might as well at this point.
Alcohol is one of the worst substances to get addicted to. All the people I've known who did cocaine on occasion were incredibly productive & successful. But the alcohol, it ruined so many marriages & lives.
You are making a false equivalence when you compare alcoholics to casual cocaine users. You should compare alcoholics and cocaine addicts.
So I should compare to alcohol which is about 10x more addictive in studies? There is no comparison.
No you should compare addicts to addicts because otherwise you are making a worthless statement.
Cocaine has also ruined many lives. Both are horrible and some people cannot control their consumption.
Both can be horrible.
load more comments
(3 replies)
view more: next ›