“The problem with your argument is the implicit assumption that everyone who consumes alcohol or imbibes another substance must be causing harm to society, an assumption that is NOT true.”
Got any number to prove your comment? If not all, how many then, are indeed causing harm?
I certainly understand your perspective and I agree on the point that many behaviors are potentially injurious to others, but drving a car is not the same as driving one under the influence of any state altering substance.
I heard of a story where a boy was killed by his neighbor’s push lawn mower-he ran over a baseball and the mower threw it across the yard and hit the boy-Certainly that is not the same as if the man ran the boy over becasue he was seeing horrible insects crawling on his skin due to the heroin coursing through his veins, no?
Let’s not give into the “revenue generation” and “my personal freedom” story lines concerning legitimatizing dangerous substances, that is so beneath thinking, caring people.
Happy Resurection Day, in any case!
Producing statistics is not necessary to show the validity of my statement, since all I need to produce is one example to show that not everyone who consumes alcohol or imbibes a controlled substance must (necessarily) be causing harm to society.
I certainly understand your perspective and I agree on the point that many behaviors are potentially injurious to others, but drving a car is not the same as driving one under the influence of any state altering substance.
While I will agree with you that driving a car on a public road while under the influence, I don't think that discrete consumption in reasonable, non-excessive quantities on one's own private property poses any danger to anyone.
What constitutes "reasonable" and "non-excessive" is subjective, however.
In any regard, I can agree that yes, generally, most controlled substances now subject to prohibition are dangerous, but I don't believe that it's the Government's proper role to make decisions for individuals with regard to their consumption, just as it's not the Government's proper role to decide whether someone must purchase health insurance. It is a matter of personal responsibility and a function of a proper upbringing, none of which can be induced by mere legislation.