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Comment by 0xDEAFBEAD | Hacker News Reader

How about criminalizing public drug use only?

Just for the sake of argument here, supposing someone is addicted to drugs in private, and legalization is at a stage where they can get quality product that they're not going to overdose on easily. Is that actually a problem for society? Like, if you prefer to live a lifestyle where you sleep under a bridge and spend the money you would've used for housing on drugs, maybe that's just a personal choice that's yours to make? The only problem I see here is -- how is it that these drug addicts are funding their habit? I'm thinking through criminal activity in many cases?

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> How about criminalizing public drug use only?

I'd be concerned about that falling extra-heavily on homeless people in some way. If someone were already stuck sleeping on a park bench, it'd be kind of unfair to ding them again for not being tipsy or high "back in their own home."

Maybe there could be a few parks in the city where public drug use is legal, and have it be illegal everywhere else?

In practice, cops could just arrest for the sort of public drug use that causes problems

Reminds me of Hamsterdam in the third season of The Wire. The purpose of Hamsterdam was to serve as an open air drug market where drugs could be purchased and consumed. It of course devolved into terrible conditions, but it was all concentrated in a single area that could be monitored and policed. Drug use outside of the area was not tolerated at all.

The idea stills holds merit in my mind. Yes, it condones drug use and illegal activities, but it also cleans up the surrounding areas. I think it would also serve as a deterrent for the casual trying of a substance that could result in lifelong addiction. Who in their right mind would want to go to such a disgusting place to try something new?

It turns a problem that is currently diffuse to a problem that is concentrated. Like the difference between coal power plants spewing CO2 into the air versus nuclear power plants that leave radioactive waste that can be contained in barrels. Not the greatest analogy, but the point stands.

That would literally be the point. It is not acceptable to be strung out on a park bench. That bench is not "their home", it belongs to the public.

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