OOoh! An honest chance for debate! AWESOME!

I wholeheartedly disagree and would say we should do the opposite, legalize everything and make certain that everything is properly identified and made as clean and pure as possible for consumption.

Humans are exceptionally adaptable creatures. If you deny them something they desire, they will find other ways of getting it, with increased measures of danger depending on their desire to obtain it. Thus, if a person desires a self-destructive or recreational chemical, they will go to great lengths (even to the danger of other citizens) to obtain it.

While your desired outcome is commendable, I believe the method is somewhat shortsighted. You cannot stop people from wanting, but you can make certain that when they get what they want, that they do the least amount of damage to both themselves and others. Those desiring to 'kick the habit' can voluntarily engage in rehabilitation, which would include the inability to 'purchase' (or however our economy will work) any recreational chemicals during the duration of their rehabilitation. If they self-destruct (i.e. die) due to their reliance on a given chemical, we shall mourn our loss and learn better from it.

Disclaimer: I have never done any form of recreational pharmaceutical (and will not, because I like my mind unfettered), legal or illegal. I do not smoke tobacco or drink alcohol (and will not, because it tastes awful). I believe that doing drugs in any form is foolish, unless specifically directed to by a licensed physician.

The difficulty in getting illegal drugs onto Asgardia or manufacturing there without being detected is just going to create the most expensive and dangerous black market drugs in history.

Like Phicksur said, when you ban, you lose the ability to regulate and incentivize criminal activity, which multiplies far beyond the simple crime of illicit drug use. Reducing drug use is commendable, so if we are to be sincere in the goal we should be earnest in the effort. Otherwise it's just making people's lives worse so that the rest of us can feel like we accomplished something.

It is horribly easy to make alcohol from normal food. https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/how-to-make-prison-wine-how-to-make-pruno

Drugs are easily produced from cleaning chemicals, legal medicines, and many school supplies (sniffin' glue!). (links will not be provided, but they are out there)

You cannot stop the sources of drugs or alcohol, so your best bet is to make certain that what reaches human consumption won't kill the foolish individual who decides to partake of them. As a result drugs must be cheap, clean, and heavily monitored, even for those drugs normally prescribed by a doctor.

The stigma relating to drug use would also need to be removed. Otherwise, people will not self-report when they are mentally impaired, possibly resulting in catastrophic results in a controlled, space station environment. Who wants to be the first to say that the guy in charge of oxygen control to the daycare didn't report he was high and, as a result, reduced the oxygen content down to the point he accidentally asphyxiated a bunch of toddlers?

People make stupid choices ALL THE TIME. They also make some brilliant choices... rarely. It is best to make certain that both ends are allowed, but their results mitigated if it turned out to be horrible.

Drugs are easily produced from

Biological waste... Not something I'd personally consider, but I've heard things... And it's pretty difficult to seperate someone from the waste they naturally generate.

You're not stopping it, and attempts to will only make it worse. As suggested above, removal of the stigmata and acceptence combined with both somewhere to do such things along with medical and psychological support when required and as many "better options" to select as possible should serve to minimise the requirement for recreational uses.

Ths is a great topic.

I agree with those who say drugs should be legal. After all, some substances our law calls "drugs" are used as "sacraments" in some religions.

The legalization of drugs is the smartest route when it comes to the drug debate. In the United States we've had many drugs outlawed for a great many years and the ban hasn't had the desirable effect. In fact; drugs are more readily available today then they were in any other period of our history. You can even buy illicit drugs online now, thus in my opinion it's a lost cause.

We must allow the people to decide what is best for them; let them learn from their own decisions and actions. We do people a disservice when we block their right to learn from their actions.

The solution to the drug epidemic is to increase the quality of life and to provide a safe, loving and purposeful environment. If your able to provide this then the chance of them using any kind of drug will be low.

A open and free society respects the right for every individual to choose what they wish to do with their life. We should be accepting of others regardless of their habits. If we start acting like the current governments in control of this world; what makes us any better? Why should we apply universal bans? Cant we allow the communities to make their own decisions? Let the smaller communities in the nation decide on what they want their policy about drugs to be. If you don't like their policy; you can then relocate to another community that shares your beliefs.

If we start banning things from a nation level; it will only snowball out of control. Also consider this; violent tv shows and movies may be just as detrimental as drugs, maybe even more. When we watch violents shows and movies we're doing more then just being "Entertained"; we're promoting the paradigm of war, violence and death. Should we outlaw movies then? What about negative thinking? Should we outlaw that as well?

All these things can be addressed in the local communities; this nation should empower the smallest communities. Unlike the United States where most the power resides in the Federal; I would love to see a nation where the most of the power resides in the counties and towns. It should be the people in the community/county that decide what laws should be enforced.

@Frappy 👍

In general, I don't care about drugs with the following exceptions :
1. drugs that also affect others (smoking whatever stuff in a closed enviroment is a no go)
2. drugs that makes you lose every shred of self control (controlled doses might be a solution)
3. operating anything vital under the influence

Personally, I have had bad experiences with drug users ranging from child abuse, petty theft to assault, so I'm quite biased.

What about caffeine??

I agree with those who say that the legalization of drugs is a better choice than banning them. A ban on something only makes the banned item more desirable and profitable to sell. Furthermore, many drugs have medical uses like marijuana for example. It can help with glaucoma, epilepsy which I myself have had for over two decades, and other problems I am not aware of. Also, because it is a naturally occuring substance it would be safer to use than any man made drug meant to control seizures and I should have the option of switching to it's use if I choose to. Which I am currently considering as I hate taking phenytoin and risking being affected by all the nasty side effects! Something I would not be able to do where Asgardia a reality and marijuana banned in that nation. Besides, no amount of interference from anyone can stop a user from using if he/she is not ready to. So, the choice should be left up to the individual after they have been adequately informed of the risks involved

>> 2. drugs that could make you lose self control.

Dude, there are a lot more things than drugs that can cause a person to lose self control.

Also, some people don't want to always be in control over themselves. They are normally very uptight and controlled and often look to outside stimulants or depressants to cause them to lose control, at least in part, for the sake of their own sanity.

PSL

In response to energi2er :
Coffeine is also a drug and should be taken seriously when it comes to abuse. I'm not talking about drinking mocca but popping pills on a regular basis without medical need. Though generally spoken, coffeine will likely not be a public problem as such, it could be a serious personal health risk. In contrast to other opinions, I dislike the idea to not supervise medications or drugs in a healthy way. Everyone who wants drug use to be free of legal regulation DOES THINK that they have themselves and the use under control all the time. Nobody thinks he/she/it/whatever has a problem and voice it. Nobody becomes an alcoholic because of choice. There are people who are simply not fit to decide on that. But that's more of a medical problem to me. It only gets a police problem if some persons life is in peril without need.

In response to Phicksur :
I understand 'losing control' as going whole apesh*t and causing damage, injury and what's-not in this case. Excessive loss of control, not climbing up a palm tree and throwing bananas. Though you might be held responsible to clean up your mess afterwards.

There are both good and odd points in this thread. 

Personally, I think that a limitation on what is accepted would be inevitable. I would entertain the thought of outright banning all drugs but definitely the more habit forming ones. I am prescribed mild mind altering drugs so I can't say I would be against that either. Truth be told, this pretty much the last thing I would have even thought about having a discussion on. Not because I agree or disagree, just that it wouldn't have crossed my mind to even think of. Very though provoking

All drugs should be legal and the members of society should be educated of the effects and side effects of a drug.

The main problem isn't the use of drugs but the actions involved obtaining them, in countries where a drug is illegal. Is the drug illegal, the price is relative high because of the risk of making them, plus profit. The main clientele, today, are low income individuals, for which the price is high. Therefore few consider criminal actions to obtain money in exchange for the drug. Don't get fooled by this, there are only 1-3% of the users who commit criminal actions, by which I mean hurting others and not in the sense of being criminal only for drug use, which are less in relation then corrupt politicians.

The next point is why people are using drugs is out of curiosity, having/wanting other consciousness experience and/or escaping reality. Escaping reality has something to do with the individual environment, family, friends, work and/or social acceptance. A drug makes the user feel different, good, happy, something he is missing in his life, while escaping reality. Fixing the issue of escaping reality should be a priority and that the society the individual is in should help the individual to be safe while he/she is fixing its issues and using a safe, and not contaminated, drug of its choice. 

You have a society/community that is helping instead of punishing, you'll get better results of individuals using drugs not being a problem for society, while reducing the drug users.

One point should be clear, if someone is working where others or one itself could get hurt while on drugs, that should not be accepted and the environment should regulate it. For example: a surgeon shouldn't be high with a scalpel in his hands or a kindergarten teacher working with children or a mechanic repairing a heavy machine, where a web designer wouldn't have a problem. 

It comes down to the members of a society being educated about the substances they are going to use or are using and not to be afraid of punishment while being alive and not hurting anyone.

I'm all for a middle of the road approach until I can get evidence that allowing all drug use would be beneficial. I've never tried anything beyond alchohol and cigs, so forgive my ignorance.

Drugs such as alchohol, marijuana, shrooms, etc should be allowed. Hardcore drugs such as cocaine shouldn't be. Certain vapor producing drugs should be contained in certain ways if they are smoked, at least with stuff like a vaporizer, and certain areas should be secured from people who are under the influence. I realize this would encourage risk takers to find some sort of access to harder drugs, but surely searching for alternatives like professional help, better quality of life, and promoting safer drugs that give similar effects would help.