Harm reduction should include quality control. In the Netherlands, for example, publicly funded harm reduction clinics will test any drug sample for free and anonymously as a public health measure. However, hard drugs are still illegal.

Absolutely. No argument here. Lack of quality control is even part of the current opioid crisis because one issue is that people are dying from fentanyl overdoses even when they weren't trying to buy fentanyl.

> The problem is also damaging your brain and body with drugs, developing bad habits and/or drug addiction, your supply being contaminated/poisoned, making irresponsible decisions while intoxicated, etc.

We can make the same exact argument about sugar and HFCS. Either of those substances can make people feel extremely hungry even with a full stomach, thus make terrible decisions and damage their bodies.

Alcohol's much worse. Yet we tried banning that. Remind me how that went again? Oh thats right, we had federal agents poisoning alcohol to intentionally kill drinkers. Wonderful times.

> For example cannabis can be mostly safe for adults, but children or teens who use too much of it can develop neurological defects like short-term memory impairment, depending on the frequency and duration of use.

Again, most drugs aren't that bad, regardless what DARE propagandized you into believing. Id advise anyone actually wanting to understand what a drug is like, to go to https://www.erowid.org/ and read up about experiences.

I've been on damn near every painkiller up to fentanyl. My fav is morphine. Feels like a glowing warmth and "home". I could easily see me doing a small amount on a friday evening after work's done. Id keep it down enough that I wouldn't get a tolerance, and I'd be "sobered" up by next morning.

Ive also been on amphetamines, and threw' em away. Made me feel TERRIBLE.

The 3 biggest scourge drugs we have are alcohol, tobacco, and sugar. And, when did bans actually accomplish the ban goal?

> Again, most drugs aren't that bad, regardless what DARE propagandized you into believing.

I haven't been propagandized into believing anything by DARE. My sources of information are PsychonautWiki and NIH research papers, as well as harm reduction communities like Bluelight.

I do actually know someone who has permanent short-term memory impairment due to heavy marijuana use at a young age. There is absolutely nothing propagandized about that because it literally happened. It is something that can happen. But it's merely an example. I'm just using it to illustrate how reckless usage of drugs is one of the big issues right now.

> I've been on damn near every painkiller up to fentanyl. My fav is morphine. Feels like a glowing warmth and "home". I could easily see me doing a small amount on a friday evening after work's done. Id keep it down enough that I wouldn't get a tolerance, and I'd be "sobered" up by next morning.

Nothing wrong with that. Just because abuse is an issue doesn't mean you can't use drugs responsibly.

I used to have a lorazepam prescription for panic attacks, but had to stop getting it because I couldn't use it responsibly. It mostly worked, but I would use too much and risk depleting my natural GABA reserves, which could kill me.

I don't see anything wrong with benzos though. Or opioids. It's all in how you use them.

> Ive also been on amphetamines, and threw' em away. Made me feel TERRIBLE.

I have ADHD and adderall made me feel so terrible that my executive dysfunction got worse and I couldn't leave bed at all. I had to sleep it off. Meanwhile, dexedrine (pure dextroamph without levo) makes me feel calmer and more focused.

They work differently for everybody!

> The 3 biggest scourge drugs we have are alcohol, tobacco, and sugar.

I'd add nicotine (even outside of tobacco) and caffeine to that list!