Opium Imported To China Destroyed China’s Economy, Self-reliance, & Productivity. Why Legalize Hard Drugs?
Posted by China Sourcing CommentatorSep 14
The chinese rebeled agianst the imports of opium and lost. Under the treaty opium trade continued and china’s will broken. If opium can hinder and do damage to a nation’s economy, self-reliance, and productivity, why are there talks of legalizing hardened drugs such as cocaine & heroin.
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The simplest reason is that the government has no business making them illegal in the first place. Nothing in the Constitution gives them that right. It took an amendment to criminalize alcohol after all.
Google the phrase, “Harm reduction.” The war on drugs damages our nation and society far more than the drugs themselves ever did. Just as prohibition damaged both far more than alcohol ever did.
Unlike most high school students in the United States, Chinese in the late 19th century probably were not taught about the adictive and harmful nature of opium: they probably did not understand the consequences of using opium until they got hooked on it. I am pretty sure the average American is better educated in this regard and will make smarter choices. Also, we have really strong laws against false advertising. I am sure the British did not sell opium with a surgeon general warning. Even worse, the British may have had their own, 19th century version of Joe Camel that they used to sell Opium to kids. That said, I don’t think it is a good idea to legalize hard drugs.