Legalising drugs

Discussion
1. Make a list of all the illegal drugs that you know:

2. \fhich of those are soft drugs and which are hard drugs? How dangerousare they? 3. Which of the drugs in your list are dangerous? 4. Do you know different names for the same drug? 5. Do you know what the following mean?

roll a ioint become addicted

get high ouerdose

smoke dope come off drugs

snort cocaine an addict

of drugs and drug dealing? 6. What is the law in your country regarding drugs - both possession 7.Are there any drugs in your list that you think should be made legal?\fhich ones and why?

Reading
As you read through the articlethink of the answer to this question: If you Luereon tbe panel, would you haue come to the same conclusion?

GRASS IS GOOD FOR YOU A panel of doctors.economists, there who are wanderingaround parentsand police officers in the dark streetsat night trying to buy United States has decided that marijuana for pain relief," said drugsshouldbe madelegal.Their one of the doctors on the panel. conclusions took into account "They shouldbe able to get what factors of crime, medicine and they need without entering the evenprison space. criminal underworld." "We have a prison populationof The effectiveness of marijuana on patients going through over 10 million in this country. Many of thosearein jail for drug- chemotherapy has long been relatedcrime, such as the sale or known by the medicalprofession, possession of illegal substances", but political conservativesstill said an officer of the Chicago raise opposition. One senator Police Force. Because of new, spoke out against the panel's "I can sympathise tough laws, currently 3 out of 5 conclusions. peoplein prisonaretherebecause with the patients,but the fact is, of drug-related crimes, which marijuana is addictive and means little space is left for harmful and we don't want that violent criminals, the ones the k i n d of thing in our public would really like to see communities," he said. locked away. But the panel disagreed.They But there were more reasons arguedthat. although marijuana raised for legalising drugs. was admittedly a potentially "There are cancer patientsout addictive substance, research has

proved that legal substances such as nicotine and alcohol are far more addictive and harmful. "Marijuana actually does some good.The samecannotbe said of cigarettes and alcohol." the panel On other substances, agreedthat drugs such as heroin and cocaine did not serve the community in the same way marijuanacould, but arguedthat keeping those substances illegal meant money for criminals. "We don't have people shooting each other over tequila or controlling prostituteswith Marlboros," said a teacheron the panel. "Keeping drugs illegal allows peopleto do illegal things." The panel will shortly be presenting its findings to the sovernment.

Legalising drugs

Taboosand /ssues

Discussion
What were some of the reasons for legalising drugs mentioned in the article? Tick those which were mentionedin the article: 1. Drugs can help people who are ill. 2. Drugs keep criminals in business. 3. Making drugs legal means that they can be taxed, and that means revenuefor the government. 4. Drug-trafficking is not as seriousas violent crime, according ro many people. 5. Legalisingdrugs could make the lob of law enforcementofficers much easier. 6. Alcohol and cigarettesare more addictive and more harmful and are already legal. How many of those six points do you agree with?

Language
Use the following words to complete the sentences below: immediate beneficial long-term damaging legal designer illegal addictiue

l.Cigarette smoking is more . . . to your health than smoking marijuanaor cannabis. 2. Nicotine is more . . . than marijuana. 3. Marijuana can have very . . . effectson cancerpatients, helping them through chemotherapy. 4. The ' ' . effectsof smoking dope are well-known - feeling exrremelycarefreeand relaxed. The . . . effectsare lessclear. 5' How can it be . . . for a 16-year-oldto buy and smoke cigaretteswhen at the same time it is . . . for a 2l-year-old to buy and smoke marijuana? It's crazy! 6. One of the biggestdangerstoday is the so-called. . . drugs which young people use ar discosand parties.

Discussion
Do you agreewith the following opinions? Discussthem in small groups:

I .

Gettinghigh on a joint is less dangerousthan getting drunk.

5. Soft drugs lead to hard drugs.Just don't even think of starting!

6 . More people die from alcohol-related

2. People who smoke dope change their personalityover time. They becomeirresponsible, unreliable and ruin their lives.
J.

problems or accidents than drugrelatedproblems. Stati stically, drugs are saferthan alcohol.
7

The drug laws in our country are alreadytoo relaxed.Thevshould be far stricter.Finepeople for a first offenceand then send them to prison if they re-offend.lt's the only way. just need to know when to stop.

All recreational drugsshould be made legal for adults. That would immediately stop related crime.

4. Experimentingwith drugs is OK. You

B. Somecountriesin the Far East have the right idea - executeall drug dealers.Thatwould soon stop the drugs trade.

Have you ever tried drugs? Do you know anyone who has? Which ones? Do you know where to get drugs in your town? What problems have you seen in your community caused by drugs? What would be the effect of legalising drugs? Take two minutes to think of three implications. Then tell your group what you have thought of.

Taboosand /ssues

Legalising drugs

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