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Comment by cgh | Hacker News Reader

Yeah, I agree on all points (I’m a proponent of legalization and live in a country with legal pot). I’ve witnessed first-hand the effects of prolonged meth addiction and it is not pretty. Your point of making it available by prescription is the good and obvious path. But will still be available as a party drug via illegal means of production and distribution.

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It's such a difficult topic. In the very very end, the person has to decide to make an effort to come off the drug. Their pathways are either become a mess (I got nothing to live for) or OD. If that is the option, is some kind of local drug room the only solution? Get everything free here consumed on the premises and we will keep an eye on you over the X days/months/years and try to help you, sectioned upstairs for 3 months if needed?

Make it legal as a party drog in a form that makes it very hard to overdose. (Also there should be delayed and extended release version, which lowers the chance of addiction forming.)

Also there's no reason to not regulate some stuff like sportcars. Go to a speedway go fast there, not where kids play on the street.

Addicts with the "normal" meth vs "delayed" meth would still seek out the "normal" version.

Current addicts need treatment anyway. If they can't find meth they will use bath salts or whatever their dealer can get them.

The important question is about harm reduction. People trying drugs without support. The current system already produces addicts.

Can a different system lead to better results, plus as a side-quest defunds the cartels?

What addicts need and what addicts want are totally different concepts. You're looking at this like legalizing drugs will make addicts all suddenly see the light and seek treatment. That's just living in lalaland. Sure, some might, but that's not going to be a large percentage. I'm looking at this like I've been around too many addicts and know that legalization social programs will not solve addiction at all.

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