Also, the old people are going to die before we will. That's a little satisfying in and of itself, right?

Not so fast.

Only if you vote in large numbers. If you are in a large block, that's what counts.

The illegal Mexicans will be voting us out of a majority. After Congress imports 50 million more foriegners that is.

Also there is a recognised trend amongst many people that they flirt with left wing politics whilst young and move gradually to the right as they grow older. So.....they'll die off and we'll replace 'em, but we'll also turn into a bunch of reactionaries at the same time ;P

Sorry, honey, but... you are the old people.

That depends on if you reference the life we have lived or the life we have left.

You might be getting close to the end of yours right now.

lol!! Sorry....carry on... lol!!!

They've been testing drivers over here for various drugs using a similar (if not the same) machine.

I think it's a great idea because peopel should not be driving under the influence of any drugs or alcohol. In this way, it becomes a traffic offense and of course goes through the same chanels as drink driving does.

Street violence has become a big problem in some of the party areas of the city I live in. Most of the fights are because there aren't enough cabs though and drunk guys pick fights with each other. There have been a number of deaths and serious hospitalizations because of this issue. I don't think any drugs people are on are the main cause though. It's a transport issue and needs to be addressed.

I would have to disagree. Alcohol is legal and it's use and abuse kill thousands. I would agree to legalization of pot, but that is about it. We have a huge crack cocaine epidemic in the South. It is ruining lives.

Prohibition of alcohol didn't stop its abuse. It worsened it.

Crack was created as a result of drug prohibition. Prohibition encourages the development of stronger and more potent forms since they are easier to transport and transfer.

Inanimate objects don't ruin lives. People ruin lives.

I agree - anthropogenic emissions of methane through flatulence is one of the leading contributors to greenhouse gases, UT.

I completely agree. And guns don't kill people either. People kill people. Legalizing all drugs would be a huge mistake.

This seems like a non sequitur to me. To paraphrase: drugs don't ruin lives, people ruin lives. So legalizing drugs would be a mistake.
How does this follow?
Especially in the context of Undertoad's point that prohibition leads to stronger, more dangerous forms of existing drugs. This is true. Uncut heroin of reliable purity isn't likely to kill you. It may leave you glued to the couch gazing at nothing, but that's no-one else's problem. Its the petty-robbery-committing, dirty-needle-using, over-dosing-from-the-new-batch that is the problem for the rest of us, and this is caused, mostly, by prohibition.

Is this too far of thread? I'm an newbie here...

OMG, PEOPLE WHO SMOKE POT GO THERE? BURN IT TO THE GROUND!!!
So the cops decided it would be fun to go over there with their new toy and harass them and search them without probable cause? How fun!

Rk, yet again you entirely misrepresent the situation.

OOoh. people smoke pot? Yah. Except that the scanner detects more than just pot it tests for numerous illegal drugs incluing heroin.

The cops decided just for fun? I've just told you that the residents of that community more than likely have asked the police to tackle the drug-dealing which was common in that pub (dealing which brings with it violence and other types of crime). Are you suggesting that the police shouldn't listen to the residents they are there to serve?

If anyone wanted not to be tested they simply had to go to a different pub. There was no compulsion to be tested, it was merely a condition of entry to a private establishment, at the behest of the management.

Wow. You must really pity me, living as I do in a police state where people are tested positive for drugs but not arrested!

Goddamn overbearing police.

How totally unreasonable for the Police to test willing volunteers.

Rk, yet again you entirewly misrepresnt the situation.

OOoh. people smoke pot? Yah. Except that the scanner detects more than just pot it tests for numerous illegal drugs incluing heroin.

The cops decided just for fun? I've just told you that the residents of that community more than likely have asked the police to tackle the drug-dealing which was common in that pub (dealing which brings with it violence and other types of crime). Are you suggesting that the police shouldn't listen to the residents they are there to serve?

If anyone wanted not to be tested they simply had to go to a different pub. There was no compulsion to be tested, it was merely a condition of entry to a private establishment, at the behest of the management.

Wow. You must really pity me, living as I do in a police state where people are tested positive for drugs but not arrested!

Goddamn overbearing police.

How totally unreasonable for the Police to test willing volunteers.

Question: are traffic police in America allowed to test drivers for alcohol consumption?