Does the harm only ensue on account of the drug being illegal? — Janus
Is it taking drugs that is the problem or is it that these drugs are illegal that is the problem? — Michael
I'm not trying to be argumentative with anyone, I'm on psychotropic or psychoactive drugs too. I have to try extra hard not to be argumentative. — Daniel Cox
Bad drugs make people sick and can and does make them behave badly, unacceptably sometimes criminally badly. But the issue is harm to community. Anyone challenge that? — tim wood
So could you clarify which drugs you’re talking about? Alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, meth, codeine, morphine? Which are immoral to take? — Michael
What if addiction isn't about your chemical hooks? What if addiction is about your cage, what if addiction is an adaptation to your environment? - Johann Hari.
I've longed maintained, "If the people in my community would take the meds they need to then I wouldn't be on them." Is that a challenge? — Daniel Cox
So could you clarify which drugs you’re talking about? Alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, meth, codeine, morphine? Which are immoral to take? — Michael
But the issue is harm to community. Anyone challenge that? — tim wood
A few friends sitting by a campfire in the woods or in their own home, minding their own business and having a good time, is not in itself a harm to the community, — S
Agreed, even a good thing. But you have omitted what they're doing. That matters, yes? — tim wood
Btw, is the "e" in your "judgement" and your "judgemental" a British thing? On this side it's judgment, judgmental. Thought you'd like to know. — tim wood
I have to channel S. here and say I cannot help what you think. I've either justified it it or I haven't. Harm is harm. There may be big harm and little harm, short- and long-term, major/minor, you name the continuum, But harm is harm. Argue against the harm, not your perception of the degree (which I infer you argue is harmless for recreational drugs). And what, exactly, are "recreational" drugs?I think that you haven’t justified your assertion that it is immoral to cause harm, where harm is defined in the broad sense that you’ve defined it. If you narrowed it down to things like murder and assault then I’d agree, but then it wouldn’t cover recreational drugs. — Michael
Harm is harm. There may be big harm and little harm, short- and long-term, major/minor, you name the continuum, But harm is harm. — tim wood
No, not necessarily. That's your burden, not mine. — S
without respect of what they're doing!A few friends sitting by a campfire in the woods or in their own home, minding their own business and having a good time, is not in itself a harm to the community, — S
Or another way: your thirteen-year-old sister starts taking illegal drugs. Do you say, "You go girl! You're going to have a great time! Let me know if you need any money...". Is that what you say? — tim wood
Sketch for me a scenario where the taking of illegal drugs does no harm to any person or community — tim wood
I’m not saying that harm isn’t harm. I’m saying that you haven’t justified your assertion that any and all harm is immoral.
Saying that if something causes harm (of any degree) then it is immoral is a non sequitur.
All harm is harm but not all harm is necessarily immoral. — Michael
...that of S and his stoner friends camping in the woods. — Michael
Sketch for me a scenario where the taking of illegal drugs does no harm to any person or community - keeping in mind that no particular harm needs necessarily be realized.
Or another way: your thirteen-year-old sister starts taking illegal drugs. Do you say, "You go girl! You're going to have a great time! Let me know if you need any money...". Is that what you say? — tim wood
And what, exactly, are "recreational" drugs? — tim wood
I was a meth addict for 17 years, it had its toll on everyone in my family not least of which were my Dad, the Admiral and my Son, born on All Hallows Eve '89. — Daniel Cox
How did they get the illegal drugs, and where from? — tim wood
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