[Esteban]

These are not my ideas, but the ideas of the great Timothy Leary. I'm just simplifying what he wrote. The following can be found in his book The Politics of Ecstasy which includes an interview with Playboy in which Leary describes a logical and in my opinion working solution to drug reform.

Leary believed that there should be laws about the manufacture of LSD. The LSD user is not a criminal or a junkie, and therefor should not be classified as a criminal. While more and more laws are restricting use of drugs, more and more people are engaging in these activities. LSD is being manufactured in small labs and in people's homes. Leary believed that this should not be allowed to continue. LSD is an incredibly powerful drug and there should be laws on the manufacturing of it.

LSD is not a narcotic, nor does it cure any illnessess (it's not medicinal in other words). Leary called it a new form of energy. Just as a new form of legislation had to be developed for radioactive isotopes, so will thhere need to be something comparable for LSD. Leary believed special licensing procedures should be set up to deal with this new class of drugs.
He believed that you can't legalize and control manufacture until you've worked out a constructive way of licensing or authorizing possession. There are many individuals who should be provided with a legitamate access to chemicals that expand their minds. If we don't do this, we'll have a free market or a black market.

During Prohibition, when alcohol was prohibited, it was surpressed; then you had bathtub gin and bootleg poisons of all sorts. The government recieved no taxes and the consumer had no guarantee that what he was buying was safe and effective. But if marijuana and LSD were put under some form of licensing where responsible, serious-minded people could purchase these chemicals, then the manufacture could be supervised and the sales could be both regulated and taxed. A healthy and profitable situation would result for all involved.

Leary then goes on to describe how one would obtain a license. The criteria for licensing the use of mild psychedelics like marijuana and LSD should be similar to those for the automobile license. The applicant would demonstrate his seriousness by studying manuals, passing written tests and getting a doctor's certificate of psychological and physical soundsness.
The licensing for use of powerful psychedelic drugs like LSD should be along the lines of the airplane pilot's license: intensive study and preparation, plus very stringent testing for fitness and competence.

I think that anyone who wants to have a psychedelic experience and is willing to prepare for it and examine his own hang-ups and neurotic tendencies should be allowed to have a crack at it.

[Goranhammer]

I don't think this guy realizes the potential danger of these drugs, even with the topmost filtering and purification processes. It almost sounds like DENNIS Leary wrote this and should be under satire.

Leary believed that there should be laws about the manufacture of LSD. The LSD user is not a criminal or a junkie, and therefor should not be classified as a criminal.

Due to the nature of this drug, even if it were somewhat legalized and controlled, would be dangerous. Users of this drug will always be criminals as it will never be legal, nor should it be. This is a drug that has endless confirmed reports where at times a user has used the drug JUST ONCE and died. Not repeated, habitual use. One time. Even with all the steps, it's still not fit for consumption on any level. At least marijuana can be argued for having medicinal properties.

Leary called it a new form of energy

From that perspective, I could take about 4 dozen caffiene pills at one time and say it's a "new form of energy". Is it safe?

I think that anyone who wants to have a psychedelic experience and is willing to prepare for it and examine his own hang-ups and neurotic tendencies should be allowed to have a crack at it.

If this happens, then suicide should be made legal, because in essence that's what this is, except the fact that it's a more gradual process instead of a single-time thing, like slitting your wrists until you bleed out a half hour later, or doing a cannonball off a skyscraper. There is absolutely no purpose to take these items.

I won't comment on alcohol seeing as it's St. Patrick's Day and I'm 25% Irish, not to mention the fact that I'm still quite buzzed (but not nearly as drunk as I was earlier).

[Noumenon]

The solution to the drug problem is simple: make it all legal.

Due to the nature of this drug, even if it were somewhat legalized and controlled, would be dangerous. Users of this drug will always be criminals as it will never be legal, nor should it be. This is a drug that has endless confirmed reports where at times a user has used the drug JUST ONCE and died. Not repeated, habitual use. One time. Even with all the steps, it's still not fit for consumption on any level. At least marijuana can be argued for having medicinal properties.

Drinking rat poison is also dangerous. I see no difference between the idiot who commits suicide by drinking rat poison and the idiot who commits suicide by using LSD. But they are idiots, not criminals. They know that LSD is dangerous, yet they stupidly choose to use it. Its not the government's job to protect idiots from their own stupidity. I don't want the government to waste my tax money trying to save the lives of dumbasses.

[Esteban]

Show me a statistic on the deaths caused by LSD, Goranhammer. Timothy Leary tripped over 311 times, and if it's as dangerous as you say it is, wouldn't it have killed him in those 311+ times?