OK, lets turn entire inner city blocks where society's most vulnerable people live into opium dens. Hiding away disaffected people to be ignored in the name of choice is not the way civilized people solve problems. Those zones would not stay hidden away long but spread into your neighborhood bringing drug addled people and their crime with them. And besides, who is going to pay for these people to lie around fucked up all day? You? Me? Yes.
Why must the two be mutually exclusive?
Not sure how I am shilling for big pharma, but to the point, a humanitarian solution to a problem is noble, however, human nature being what it is, we all know that nothing motivates people more than pocketbook issues. And to answer another anon, I have been smoking weed since before most of you were born. My argument is that there is a vast difference between opium and THC. I will agree that mj should be legalized nationwide, but "hard drugs" whether plant base or not…no.
You are (and I understand why, my bad) assuming that I am arguing "for" something. My argument was against making opium derived drugs legal. I acknowledge the crisis and how it started. I am just an anon with an opinion and no solution to our current problem. Legalization is not the solution, IMO.