If drugs remain illegal - this is what you get (WARNING: Extremely graphic pic)

[riderinthestorm]

91. There's a difference between decriminalizing, and legalizing.

There's another thread going right now about Portugal... where decriminalization (NOT LEGALIZATION) has cut drug use and addiction by half in less than 10 years.

Here's an excerpt from a most excellent OP: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g9C6x99EnFVdFuXw_B8pvDRzLqcA?docId=CNG.e740b6d0077ba8c28f6d1dd931c6f679.5e1

"A law that became active on July 1, 2001 did not legalise drug use, but forced users caught with banned substances to appear in front of special addiction panels rather than in a criminal court.

The panels composed of psychologists, judges and social workers recommended action based on the specifics of each case.

Since then, government panels have recommended a response based largely on whether the individual is an occasional drug user or an addict.

Of the nearly 40,000 people currently being treated, "the vast majority of problematic users are today supported by a system that does not treat them as delinquents but as sick people," Goulao said."