Answering the Libertarian argument for drug legalization

[MathGeek]

Originally Posted by AceArcher

Are we discussing actual facts on cannabis use & whether it should be legalized, Or is this actually a discussion about Mescaline and LSD?
Which is what the study you linked to discusses.

I mean because obviously frying an egg in a pan and naming the egg "your brain" is a logical and scientific method.

So again, are we having a conversation based on logic & science. Or is it to be Emotion and Extremism?

The original post was intended to discuss the Libertarian position, which includes legalizing all drugs, not only marijuana as the gateway drug to broader legalization. In this thread, contributors explicitly have advocated legalizing not only cannabis, but also mushrooms and other soft drugs. Advocates have held out Portugal, which has legalized every imaginable model, as a positive example. Many contributors have specifically lauded the libertarian position, which is much broader than cannabis alone.

There is plenty of good science to show that cannabis and many other drugs have a negative impact on brain function. To be sure, the commercial, "This is your brain on drugs" is a bit oversimplified and was targeted at an adolescent audience. But the message has solid scientific support. See:

Cannabinoids derived from herbal cannabis interact with endogenous cannabinoid systems in the body. Actions on specific brain receptors cause dose-related impairments of psychomotor performance with implications for car and train driving, aeroplane piloting and academic performance. - Pharmacology and effects of cannabis: a brief review