Legalise all drugs now

Libertarian position against drug prohibition

Sean Gabb
Libertarian Alliance UK

18 February 2002

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While the Government's proposed decriminalisation of cannabis is a step in the right direction, full legalisation of all drugs must remain the final objective. So claims the Libertarian Alliance, Britain's most radical free market and civil liberties think tank.

Libertarian Alliance spokesman, Dr Sean Gabb, said:

We want a situation where any adult can go into a pharmacy and - without showing any permit or identification - buy as many drugs as he or she may want and use them for any self-regarding purpose. This means legalisation for recreational use and for self-medication.

He added that nearly all the evils blamed on drugs can really be blamed on drug prohibition. For example:

Drug prohibition makes drugs dangerous, because they are sold by dealers who have no concern for product safety;
Drug prohibition makes drugs expensive, because the law requires them to be supplied by roundabout and uncompetitive means;
Drug prohibition breeds petty crime, because of the high price of drugs and the need to associate with criminals to get them;
Drug prohibition breeds organised crime, because of the large profits to be made from drugs once legitimate suppliers are driven from the market;
Drug prohibition breeds public corruption, as police and revenue officers, intelligence agencies, and politicians take bribes from organised crime to look the other way;
Drug prohibition leads to a war on freedom, because the only way of even trying to make prohibition work is to remove rights to privacy and due process - see, for example, the money laundering laws, and the 1997 bugging and burgling law, and the creeping in of asset forfeiture laws;
Drug prohibition brings the law into general contempt, because it criminalises private acts that in themselves cause no actionable harm to others, because it breeds corruption, and because it is actually unenforceable.

Of course, Dr Gabb added, as a libertarian, he believes that adults have an absolute right to do with themselves as they please, and this is independent of the utilitarian reasons given above.

The only answer, said Dr Gabb, is a return to "Victorian Values" - the situation that existed in this country before the Dangerous Drugs Act 1920, when adults were free to decide for themselves what drugs to take and for what reason.

Dr Sean Gabb sits on the Executive Committee of the Libertarian Alliance and edits its journal "Free Life". His latest book, "Dispatches from a Dying Country: Reflections on Modern England", is available from Politico's.

More articles on this issues can be found at the UK Libertarian website

Last 25 Visitor Comments

Name Email Subject Date

sid fid25_at_yahoo.co.in General Comment 7/4/2007
That would be nice doc, one should have rights to do anything (without causing harm to others) and should choose what to do.... this is our fucking body, it should be our concern what to do with it,,, this world would have been different place had they listenend to people like you and me.
Steven stpike2001_at_yahoo.com Paying for rehab 5/2/2006
Although I do believe adults should be free to do with themselves as they see fit, one should consider the cost of providing services for those adults that are truly children in mind. I believe taxing the drugs would finance the humanitarian approach to helping those that can not help themselves.
john king_of_chowtime_at_yahoo.com comment 1/16/2006
I found the page very interesting!!! It is so useful to me as a student. But still... I won't take drugs...hehehe...
Warren pseudo_at_webmail Would love to think 7/25/2005
I'd like to think that adults out there are able of making responsible well informed decisions for themselves in this regard, alas I think at this point ion our history it would more than likely be self-induced survival of the fittest as the dumb one overdosed on a daily bases until only the sensible remained
Christopher res1tc3k_at_verizon.net www.waronjunk.com 3/21/2005
I know you've broken the law, and I'm going to TURN YOU IN!!! HAHAHAHAHA! www.waronjunk.com
Jay Anonymous Sadly 2/24/2005
sadly some of the reactions i have read just go to show that a lot of adults arent ready for this. it could destroy whole communities and cities. cannabis should be legal, not heroin or coke.
Simon Moore simon.moore_at_dsl.pipex.com Drugs 3/12/2004
An extremely intelligent and well written piece. Which sadly means that most people will not even bother to read it properly and will make jokes like "yeah cool man! loads of drugs for me please!!" DOH! too late....
Pat irishpat49@earthlink.nett kelly 12/6/2003
Write soon.VERY EXCITING!! On a more serious note, you have a very interesting site. This was my first visit, I will be back. Keep up the good job you're doing.
Danielle Anonymous wow 10/6/2003
yeah guys are very immature about this extreamly serious situation....i mean come on and grow up a bit!!!
Sarah squidge_69_420@yahoo.com Kelly is a stoner 5/13/2003
all of my friends are crazy lil crackwhores!!!! help them! legalize drugz now nigga!
Kelly i_luv_anthony4eva@yahoo.com Do it 5/13/2003
Just do it now lick it good suck this pussy just like you should right now do it good lick this pussy just like you should my neck my back lick my pussy and my crack!! WHOO HOO LEGALIZE DRUGS~!!!!!

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Last 25 Visitor Comments
Name	Email	Subject	Date
sid	fid25_at_yahoo.co.in	General Comment	7/4/2007
That would be nice doc, one should have rights to do anything (without causing harm to others) and should choose what to do.... this is our fucking body, it should be our concern what to do with it,,, this world would have been different place had they listenend to people like you and me.
Steven	stpike2001_at_yahoo.com	Paying for rehab	5/2/2006
Although I do believe adults should be free to do with themselves as they see fit, one should consider the cost of providing services for those adults that are truly children in mind. I believe taxing the drugs would finance the humanitarian approach to helping those that can not help themselves.
john	king_of_chowtime_at_yahoo.com	comment	1/16/2006
I found the page very interesting!!! It is so useful to me as a student. But still... I won't take drugs...hehehe...
Warren	pseudo_at_webmail	Would love to think	7/25/2005
I'd like to think that adults out there are able of making responsible well informed decisions for themselves in this regard, alas I think at this point ion our history it would more than likely be self-induced survival of the fittest as the dumb one overdosed on a daily bases until only the sensible remained
Christopher	res1tc3k_at_verizon.net	www.waronjunk.com	3/21/2005
I know you've broken the law, and I'm going to TURN YOU IN!!! HAHAHAHAHA! www.waronjunk.com
Jay	Anonymous	Sadly	2/24/2005
sadly some of the reactions i have read just go to show that a lot of adults arent ready for this. it could destroy whole communities and cities. cannabis should be legal, not heroin or coke.
Simon Moore	simon.moore_at_dsl.pipex.com	Drugs	3/12/2004
An extremely intelligent and well written piece. Which sadly means that most people will not even bother to read it properly and will make jokes like "yeah cool man! loads of drugs for me please!!" DOH! too late....
Pat	irishpat49@earthlink.nett	kelly	12/6/2003
Write soon.VERY EXCITING!! On a more serious note, you have a very interesting site. This was my first visit, I will be back. Keep up the good job you're doing.
Danielle	Anonymous	wow	10/6/2003
yeah guys are very immature about this extreamly serious situation....i mean come on and grow up a bit!!!
Sarah	squidge_69_420@yahoo.com	Kelly is a stoner	5/13/2003
all of my friends are crazy lil crackwhores!!!! help them! legalize drugz now nigga!
Kelly	i_luv_anthony4eva@yahoo.com	Do it	5/13/2003
Just do it now lick it good suck this pussy just like you should right now do it good lick this pussy just like you should my neck my back lick my pussy and my crack!! WHOO HOO LEGALIZE DRUGS~!!!!!

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Next Article	Prohibition the root of all evil


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