motorola_phone t1_je9jlk4 wrote on March 30, 2023 at 12:20 PM

Reply to comment by Nolubrication in West Baltimore gang takedown: 33 indicted on drug, gun and attempted murder charges, police say by Dr_Midnight

as someone whose hometown has arguably the worst drug and homeless problem in the nation (and we actually did decriminalize all drugs), decriminalization here isn't as easy or simple as it is in Portugal and imo it's more of a band aid fix

Nolubrication t1_je9jyo1 wrote on March 30, 2023 at 12:24 PM

Sure it is. You take all that money being wasted on enforcement and incarceration and divert it to health services. You're telling me your "hometown" did this, and it was an abysmal failure? I find that hard to believe.

motorola_phone t1_je9k7a1 wrote on March 30, 2023 at 12:26 PM

>You take all that money being wasted on enforcement and incarceration and divert it to health services

it's reeeeeeaaaaaally not that simple lol we have some of the worst problems in the country for drug use and homelessness and part of that is because all drugs were decriminalized. it makes sense if you really think about it haha

edit: also forgive me if I'm wrong cause I don't know a lot about baltimore yet but isn't it true that mass incarceration and overpolicing is like a REALLY big complex problem here because of the systemic racism? wouldn't that have to be dismantled too?

Nolubrication t1_je9le3s wrote on March 30, 2023 at 12:36 PM

If you're referring to something like Portland, that is not the same as a national drug policy. Makes sense that doing it on that scale would turn the city into a "destination". Not a comparison to what is happening in Portugal at all.

motorola_phone t1_je9mogx wrote on March 30, 2023 at 12:47 PM

so you're telling me you think it would be "easy" to nationally dismantle the law enforcement industrial complex and institute all the societal safety nets that are required of a program like this?

Nolubrication t1_je9nfko wrote on March 30, 2023 at 12:53 PM

Nothing is easy. But prohibition simply does not work.

motorola_phone t1_je9uhbw wrote on March 30, 2023 at 1:49 PM

I'm inclined to agree with you on that one

Ok-Entrepreneur4365 t1_jedtsv2 wrote on March 31, 2023 at 8:27 AM

Them : "I lived through de facto legalization and it's a bad idea"

You: yeah but fuck your real life experience

Nolubrication t1_jeed9qm wrote on March 31, 2023 at 12:23 PM

He didn't, though. Portland is not Portugal. I'm not advocating for half-measures.