Walker said:
Ok, I'll retract the "poisonous" comment then... just for the sake of not arguing.
However, I am really interested in your thoughts about what would happen if prohibition was re-instated. Since that would make alcohol an illegal drug, would you stop consuming it?
-walker
To answer this last question, would I still drink beer if it became illegal? I would have to answer that with a maybe. I'm not someone who has an addictive nature about them. I do enjoy beer but I don't have to have it to be happy.
I brew for the same reason I cook, I fish, I hunt, I harvest... There's just something about creating something special that you can share with others.
Needless to say, I would not be happy about prohibition should it ever come around again. Would I risk brewing my own? It really depends on the cost of getting caught. Kind of like speeding. Yes, I break the law occasionally. I do simply because the law is selectively enforced and the penalty is not severe enough to prevent me from doing it.
Now, let's address this issue of current illegal drugs that you think should be legal and readily available.
First I have a question for you. Is there anyone in your family who is addicted to an illegal substance? Have you seen the devastation, the physical degrading, the loss of will, the loss of dreams, the loss conscience, the loss of morality, and the move to other criminal acts like theft and burglary, and prostitution.....?
I do and know that no one wants to or needs to ever go there. I also know from your stance that you have no idea what I'm talking about.
I do know that the drugs are readily available and that the law is only a minor deterrent to some. Still, the deterrent is there, weak as it may be.
A society of addicts would not be productive, would not compete in the world market and would fail itself, eventually ceasing to exist.
Now lets talk about alcohol being a poison.
I'll concede that it can be classified as a toxic substance (poison) just as many useful substances we all use daily can also be classified as such, aspirin for example.
I will argue that controlled intake of these substances can be beneficial to our general physical and mental health.
http://www.brewersofeurope.org/uk/publications_doc/moderate_2002.pdf
Need I continue in order to make this point.