
Ask HN: What if drugs were legal? - sidyapa
I have always wondered what the world would be like if all drugs were legal and licensed like alcohol with minimal but strict protectionism. Do you guys have any data or thoughts about it?
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ziddoap
Portugal decriminalized all drugs in 2001. Although not quite the same as
legalizing completely (drug dealing and manufacturing is still illegal). This
is somewhat parallel to alcohol, in the sense that brewing and subsequently
distributing your own alcohol is illegal (in most areas, Im not an expert) as
well as possession under certain circumstances is an administrative offense.

[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_policy_of_Portugal](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_policy_of_Portugal)

[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/portugal-
dec...](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/portugal-
decriminalised-drugs-14-years-ago-and-now-hardly-anyone-dies-from-
overdosing-10301780.html)

[https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/dec/05/portugals-
radic...](https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/dec/05/portugals-radical-
drugs-policy-is-working-why-hasnt-the-world-copied-it)

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cabraca
Just take a look at portugal: [https://time.com/longform/portugal-drug-use-
decriminalizatio...](https://time.com/longform/portugal-drug-use-
decriminalization/)

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bjourne
Drugs were legal in the 19th century. It didn't work out so well. Read f.e the
history of the Opium Wars in which Britain sold opium to the Chinese. It
devastated their country which the European powers then exploited.

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zzo38computer
Illegal drugs seems to be an important part of the economy, but I don't really
know for sure. But I think it should be legal to use or to produce (as long as
the method you use is not overly damaging to the environment), but illegal to
buy and sell it.

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digianarchist
The BBC made a docu-drama with the same title:

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvIhnYGeSN4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvIhnYGeSN4)

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whb07
Take the reverse what if coffee was suddenly made illegal? What players would
rise and how would they behave given a bag $12 bag of coffee would be $1000?

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0xd171
This isn't relevant at all.

