Let's hear it!

[Sidoh]

I'm sad the original formula for Four Loko was banned. It's brightly colored containers appealed to me, and I was planning to try it sometime in the future. Fuck the FDA.

Haha... that's impressive.  What'd they do?  Put meth in it?

Oh, last year or early this year, the FDA was getting complaints about caffeinated alcoholic beverages, and they said, "We never did say caffeine was a safe additive to alcoholic drinks." Well, earlier this week, they ruled caffeine is an unsafe additive to alcohol.

Senator Charles Schumer said:
“Let these rulings serve as a warning to anyone who tried to peddle dangerous and toxic brews to our children. Do it and we will shut you down. This ruling should be the nail in the coffin of these dangerous and toxic drinks. Parents should be able to rest a little easier knowing that soon their children won’t have access to this deadly brew.”

Yeah, thanks Chuck. If I want to put two perfectly legal substances in my body, I will.

Meth heads should use that argument... they'll just have to up two to a much larger number.

[dark_drake]

Meth heads should use that argument... they'll just have to up two to a much larger number.

Ummm... not really. Meth heads don't just drink bleach, cough medicine, ammonia, and whatever else they need to make it. They have to cook the hell out of that shit. Those chemical reactions often produce horrible byproducts that kill. And a lot of the chemicals they use were never meant for human consumption. Never mind what meth does to the person and communities. Caffeine and alcohol have been consumed safely for thousands of years. Then there's mixed drinks that provide caffeine and alcohol, and there's no ban on those. And is it even the FDA's responsibility? Don't we have the BATF for alcohol regulation?

[Towelie]

Not that I'm against alcohol, but I wouldn't say its been safely consumed for thousands of years lol

[Sidoh]

Meth heads should use that argument... they'll just have to up two to a much larger number.

Ummm... not really. Meth heads don't just drink bleach, cough medicine, ammonia, and whatever else they need to make it. They have to cook the hell out of that shit. Those chemical reactions often produce horrible byproducts that kill. And a lot of the chemicals they use were never meant for human consumption. Never mind what meth does to the person and communities. Caffeine and alcohol have been consumed safely for thousands of years. Then there's mixed drinks that provide caffeine and alcohol, and there's no ban on those. And is it even the FDA's responsibility? Don't we have the BATF for alcohol regulation?

That's not the argument I was referring to, haha.  It was simply "if I want to put the combination of n different legal substances in my body, I will!"

[Joe]

Good job FDA. Now we have to buy our Mountain Dew and Everclear separately.

[CrAz3D]

I do apple cider + everclear (and cinnamon and sugar).  It's tasty.  It's why I dont remember all of halloween (except the woman telling me to go sleep with her friend)

[iago]

Legalization of drugs is funny. The line is so arbitrary.

[Ender]

Legalization of drugs is funny. The line is so arbitrary.

Seriously speaking, all drugs should be legalized. Any intelligent person should understand that the legalization of drugs would cripple every gang, relieve all the violence in inner-city America as well as Mexico, Colombia, etc. Not only that but the government could make a fortune off of taxes. This fortune could go towards creating jobs, paying off debts or lowering all the other taxes (like, for example, income tax).

10,000 people die every year in Mexico from gang violence. All these deaths could be avoided if we only legalized drugs.

What's funny is that we have all these prescription medicines that are basically the same as illegal drugs. The only difference is that there are corporations that patent them and make a fortune. I have a friend taking the prescription equivalent to speed for his ADHD. He's absolutely addicted to it and it really f--s him up. If you've ever smoked marijuana and taken an SSRI, you'll know that they produce a very similar feeling. The problem is that society has so attached so much stigma to illegal substances.... prescription drugs are basically the same thing without the stigma.

[iago]

Legalization of drugs is funny. The line is so arbitrary.

Seriously speaking, all drugs should be legalized. Any intelligent person should understand that the legalization of drugs would cripple every gang, relieve all the violence in inner-city America as well as Mexico, Colombia, etc. Not only that but the government could make a fortune off of taxes. This fortune could go towards creating jobs, paying off debts or lowering all the other taxes (like, for example, income tax).

10,000 people die every year in Mexico from gang violence. All these deaths could be avoided if we only legalized drugs.

What's funny is that we have all these prescription medicines that are basically the same as illegal drugs. The only difference is that there are corporations that patent them and make a fortune. I have a friend taking the prescription equivalent to speed for his ADHD. He's absolutely addicted to it and it really f--s him up. If you've ever smoked marijuana and taken an SSRI, you'll know that they produce a very similar feeling. The problem is that society has so attached so much stigma to illegal substances.... prescription drugs are basically the same thing without the stigma.

I don't disagree. The additional advantage is that people wouldn't be as afraid to seek help if they have a problem.

The big disadvantage I see is that with less social stigma, and full availability, people would be more likely to try, say, meth, and become addicted to it.

While we're talking about stupid arbitrary stuff, I move that we also abolish the legal drinking age law.

[Ender]

Legalization of drugs is funny. The line is so arbitrary.

Seriously speaking, all drugs should be legalized. Any intelligent person should understand that the legalization of drugs would cripple every gang, relieve all the violence in inner-city America as well as Mexico, Colombia, etc. Not only that but the government could make a fortune off of taxes. This fortune could go towards creating jobs, paying off debts or lowering all the other taxes (like, for example, income tax).

10,000 people die every year in Mexico from gang violence. All these deaths could be avoided if we only legalized drugs.

What's funny is that we have all these prescription medicines that are basically the same as illegal drugs. The only difference is that there are corporations that patent them and make a fortune. I have a friend taking the prescription equivalent to speed for his ADHD. He's absolutely addicted to it and it really f--s him up. If you've ever smoked marijuana and taken an SSRI, you'll know that they produce a very similar feeling. The problem is that society has so attached so much stigma to illegal substances.... prescription drugs are basically the same thing without the stigma.

I don't disagree. The additional advantage is that people wouldn't be as afraid to seek help if they have a problem.

The big disadvantage I see is that with less social stigma, and full availability, people would be more likely to try, say, meth, and become addicted to it.

While we're talking about stupid arbitrary stuff, I move that we also abolish the legal drinking age law.

Well I don't think it should be abolished, but maybe it should be lowered. However, there are so many DUIs in this country that I feel like if we lower the drinking age there will only be a lot more. Of course, I have no evidence supporting this claim. If there's a study that shows that 18-21 year olds aren't especially likely to commit DUIs then I'd say sure, let's lower it.

[dark_drake]

Well I don't think it should be abolished, but maybe it should be lowered. However, there are so many DUIs in this country that I feel like if we lower the drinking age there will only be a lot more. Of course, I have no evidence supporting this claim. If there's a study that shows that 18-21 year olds aren't especially likely to commit DUIs then I'd say sure, let's lower it.

IIRC, the average age hovers around 30. Yes, some college students do drink and drive, but I found that most people are pretty good about stopping that sort of behavior in their friends. It's just not cool to drink and drive anymore. Well, it never was, but people didn't have a problem doing it. Colleges have also really made a push with programs for free rides home from the bar.

That's not the argument I was referring to, haha.  It was simply "if I want to put the combination of n different legal substances in my body, I will!"

I was referring to that too. They're not putting a combination of substances in their bodies. They're producing an entirely new substance to put into their bodies.

[Ender]

Well I don't think it should be abolished, but maybe it should be lowered. However, there are so many DUIs in this country that I feel like if we lower the drinking age there will only be a lot more. Of course, I have no evidence supporting this claim. If there's a study that shows that 18-21 year olds aren't especially likely to commit DUIs then I'd say sure, let's lower it.

IIRC, the average age hovers around 30. Yes, some college students do drink and drive, but I found that most people are pretty good about stopping that sort of behavior in their friends. It's just not cool to drink and drive anymore. Well, it never was, but people didn't have a problem doing it. Colleges have also really made a push with programs for free rides home from the bar.

Yeah that sounds right to me. Thing is, most people drink & drive because they're coming home from a bar and they had too much. If you're 18-21 you're not going to be going to many bars (some have fakes but they probably don't use them that often) so there aren't as many situations that would lead you to drink & drive.

However, if we lower the drinking age, 18 year olds WOULD be going to bars... so there's what-do-you-call-it a hidden variable. So I don't know... I think one would have to study similar urban settings where the drinking age is lower.

[iago]

The problem right now is that people under 21 who drink illegal (and, from my experience, almost everybody does it) are less likely to call somebody for a ride or take a safe way home because they're drinking illegally and are afraid of getting caught.

[CrAz3D]

Well two friend showed up around 6pm.  One drove from Cruces (7 hr drive) and picked up the other in Ruidoso on the way here.  By the time they got here they were sorta pissed at each other and buzzed (yay for drunk driving?  *facepalm*).  Anyway, they passed out by 645.  So I am outside on my laptop having a couple beers while those lame asses sleep off their lovers quarrel.  Fun night for me!  I wasn't gonna do shit, but it would've been NICE to at least go eat some where.  Oh well.

[dark_drake]

The problem right now is that people under 21 who drink illegal (and, from my experience, almost everybody does it) are less likely to call somebody for a ride or take a safe way home because they're drinking illegally and are afraid of getting caught.

Yeah, at UW there was an issue with some of the saferide drivers. They would pick up minors, give them a ride to the dorms, and upon arriving, have the police issue them a citation for minor in possession. Also, police issued citations for public intoxication when people walked home from the bars. Maybe the police in Laramie just sucked, though.