My little debate over drugs has become a 4-way debate. A new voice entered the picture and sent me an email.
“Harry, Vic and Deb,
Great stuff, all of you but I do have one small disagreement with Harry’s reply…
“I’ve come to buy the conservative argument about gateway drugs. If we were going to legalize marijuana I’d want it regulated as strictly if not more so than liquor.”
It seems odd that no one has seen liquor as the gateway drug. I, in my life, have never known anyone who didn’t drink liquor before trying some other mind altering drug. I’ve never been part of the meth culture but I’d be willing to bet that the damages (societal and monetary) caused by alcohol still out weigh all the other drugs. Reminds me of the cartoon where a congressman is discussing drug abuse in America with a bartender and the bartender says that all drug dealers and users should be shot and the congressman says,
“I’ll drink to that”.Any way, Harry, lots of luck. I’m sure you’ve heard that middle of the road people get hit by traffic from both directions. Vic, Deb and I are kind of like motor scooters. Ya gotta watch out for the big trucks.”
To which I replied:
The gateway drug stuff is oversimplified and your point about booze is well taken. In a way every experience is a gateway experience to the next. Once you’ve been on a Ferris wheel you want to go on the Octopus then to the roller coaster. Once you’ve had tea you’d like to try coffee etc etc. Nonetheless, because people have a tendency to ratchet things up past the reasonable point the collective will ( read government) ought to intervene to make sure it keeps its citizens safe from their own over exuberance. “I just drove 80 mph and no one pulled me over. Let’s try 100 mph!” Try that on a motor scooter.Thanks, on your good wishes. I’m going to have some fun with this campaign.
