The 25% Law
A perpetual debate involves alcohol/cigarettes vs illegal drugs. Why are some harmful drugs legal and others not? Why is ecstasy illegal (minimal harm) while cigarettes are legal (high rate of cancer)?
Maybe it is time to use math for such decisions? Try this:
If the drug causes long-term, detrimental impairment to more than 25% of typical users – it should be banned.
Typical means that standard deviation should be invoked.
Long-term means more than 2 days from a single use, and more than 1 week when long-term users quit.
Detrimental impairment means ill health, involuntary movement, paranoia, violence, disorientation etc – but not don’t give a fuck or radical ideas
I can see a 25% rule outlawing ice/P/meth, cigarettes and heroin, but not ecstasy, marijuana or alcohol.
IT’S ABOUT TIME our governments made gave such rulings a logical basis, rather than being swayed by public opinion and taxes.