From: lewis@aera8700.mitre.org (Keith Lewis)
Subject: Re: A distinction between Soft and Hard drugs
Organization: The MITRE Corporation
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 19:47:43 GMT

In article <tmiller.713795608@camms1.caos.kun.nl>, tmiller@camms2.caos.kun.nl (Todd M. Miller) writes:
>I have no quarrel with individuals who feel the way you do, but we must
>examine the facts.  I don't know how much you realize it but there is 
>a possibility that if LSD were legal someone could put some in your
>drink without you knowing it.  

Are you saying that LSD is a "hard drug" because it is odorless and almost
tasteless?  I disagree with that definition, but let's forget about that and
continue talking about LSD.

>In fact this has happened to me twice in
>my lifetime that I'm aware of (after the fact of course) while it has been
>illegal.  True, someone can poison you too, but LSD has quite a different
>result.  You must see that the controlled substances acts are there to 
>protect you from other people, and not necessarily to protect you from
>yourself.  

An analogous argument would be "I have been raped twice, so I think sex
should be banned."  Pushing something underground does not cause people to
treat it responsibly.  What happened to you is proof.

As for the Controlled Substance Act, I believe the primary political issues
were addiction and intoxication, not involuntary dosing.  (It's still a
valid issue, though.)

>And not only that alone, they are also there to protect other
>people from you.  You might think a little acid trip is no big deal but
>others might (and apparently do) think that it is quite a big deal.

Talking about it openly will convince the young that it is not something to
be trifled with.

>How would you remedy such an occurance (someone drugging someone else without
>their knowledge or approval) if all drugs were legal?

Me?  I've got two solutions.  The first is to dispense LSD only through
licensed administrators, who make sure *you* immediately ingest all of what
you purchase.  Optionally, the law could require you to stay in their
facility (concert hall or whatever) until you came down.  Many on t.p.d. and
a.d have criticized this plan for being too restrictive.

The less restrictive alternative is to require manufacturers to mix LSD with
something that has a distinctive taste.  

>At the same time I agree with you your opinion in that we as human
>beings have natural rights, not bestowed on us by the government, to
>the wonders of nature.  But in a practical sense aren't the current laws
>the best way leave that decision in the hands of each individual by
>requiring a substantial body of knowledge be accumulated in order to
>acquire these substances?  

Whaaat?  WIth current laws as they are, anybody capable of pronouncing the
word "doses" can buy LSD if they go to the right place.  No ID check or
knowledge test or anything.  If it were legal, at least it could be
distributed with manufacturers'/government warnings.

>Why should anyone be able to purchase all
>the drugs they want without going through a reasonable amount of study
>concerning the substance in question?  Do you deny that "hard" drugs
>do require some sort of preparation before injestion or do you suggest
>that someone just drop those tabs of acid and see what happens?

I think anybody using any drug should know about it first.  Guns, cars, and
power tools too.

>I'm all for legalizing things but I would like to see the plan and the
>expected behavior patterns explained first.  Perhaps if you had just come
>off of a three day acid trip which you never expected to take you would feel 
>differently.  It is hardly the same as smelling marijuana in the air, thus
>the distinction between Hard and Soft drugs.

Sorry to hear about your bad experiences, but I don't think legalizing LSD
would make them happen more.  I hope you dealt with the (ir)responsible
individuals severely.  I agree that this type of thing must be prevented,
which is why I proposed my two alternative solutions to the problem. 
Prohibition is not the answer.

Keith Lewis             klewis@mitre.org          "Mr. Cheap"
I don't dance to music; music dances to me.  Email me for my PGP key.
The above may not (yet) represent the opinions of my employer.
Newsgroups: talk.politics.drugs,alt.activism,talk.politics.misc,alt.drugs