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Comment by DannyB2 | Hacker News Reader

Just a counterpoint. I have taken prescription hydrocodone, for occasional use, for over ten years. I have been careful not to develop a tolerance. (because I want it to work when I need it.) It improves my quality of life. It's just a tool. A useful tool, like JSON, and unlike XML. Use it when needed, and don't use it when not needed. There are times I would have gone home from work, but sometimes even 1/2 tablet can make a huge difference.

Maybe this is related and maybe not: I also do not drink alcohol and have never seen any reason why it would be appealing.

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Good for you. Also, the opioid epidemic is a real thing. I'm not sure what the point of this counterpoint is supposed to be.

Some people can benefit from the drug. But the opioid epidemic may make it difficult or impossible to obtain. That's the point.

The possible point should be that we just mature as a society and accept that drugs are a part of human life - and that altering brain chemistry can be very useful.

Then we might develop drugs which are safe to use and non-addictive, and provide real productivity gains.

Brave New World as an example.

If all drugs are developed or sold under a veil of criminality, that will never happen. We need to expose them to market forces, litigation, consumer testing and regulation.

Wait, are you using Brave New World as a positive example?

Many of those same people can benefit from marijuana. Yet, it is still illegal nationally (in the States). Studies have shown opioid abuse has gone down in states that legalized recreational marijuana use. The opioid epidemic isn't making opioids more difficult or impossible to obtain. It is the backwards thinking war on drugs that wants to punish those who self medicate. Then they keep punishing people for arbitrary reasons. Recidivism rate in this country is far too high due to the prison/jail system's goal. It isn't to improve behavior, it is to make money. Who benefits from locking up a non-violent offender? The public foots the bill. Police officers have increased paperwork/workload which takes them away from far serious crimes. The offender doesn't receive help and has to jump through arbitrary hoops and walk a very fine line (compared to non-offenders) just to avoid re-incarceration.

We don't actively work to improve people who are struggling. The jail system in the US primarily keeps people down.

Can you point me to some studies showing that opiod abuse has gone down in states that legalized recreational marijuana use? My doctor has tried to convince me otherwise and I’d love to prove him wrong. Thanks in advance.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/articl...

Just a counterpoint. I currently have a home and have lived in a home for years and years. I don't understand the homelessness crisis, it doesn't seem like an appealing lifestyle.

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