If you knew for a fact that gambling was a significant net negative to society (ie, even when you take into account illicit gambling etc), would you support its ban?
- Seat belt laws
- Prescription requirements for drugs (whether that be Oxytocin or blood pressure medication)
- Building codes
- Minimum wage
I’m in favor of building codes for commercial and public buildings but not for detached private residences (or not at the current level anyway).
I’m opposed to minimum wage laws.
For oxytocin, I think people derive pleasure and overall significantly benefit from it and naturally encourage people to seek it out, despite it having a positive feedback loop in its mode of action.
Used under a doctor’s care and oversight, for patients where a prescription is indicated, benefits are well in excess of side effects. Maintaining the requirement for a prescription is fine.
Medicines for blood pressure management are likewise overwhelmingly beneficial, and so I want them to also be highly available to anyone for whom they’re indicated, though I think having a doctor in the loop to monitor is appropriate and needing a prescription is therefore fine.
Yet, I do not support a ban on alcohol and I suspect that an outright ban on tobacco would be worse than simply having high taxes on it.
Sports betting is probably closest to alcohol in this regard: lots of people get moderate enjoyment from it from time to time and some people have their lives significantly harmed or even ended, meaning the overall net is negative, even though many people experience a small positive.
I wouldn’t ban sports betting for the same reason I wouldn’t take away your glass of red wine with dinner.
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