Who fought in the first Opium war?

It's much better for people than these much stronger prescription opiates. Yes, it's still addictive but at least when smoking opium, people are far less likely to OD I think as a society, we need to get away from criminalizing drugs, which only drives up prices keeping it profitable for the cartels. We need to accept that prohibition doesn't work and focus on reducing the harm they cause instead.

Thank God for opium. Without these opium based drugs my wife would be facing a life of pain and suffering. It’s a shame she us make to feel like a criminal or addict because of her need for these.

So I hear you saying that ALL illicit drugs should be legalized? So you would not mind our law enforcement using heroin, smack, crack, crank, even LSD and then going on patrol? How about our military? You are naive at best to think this is a good idea, and completely out of your mind at worst. Have you ever seen a person high or on a bad trip? Out of control, unpredictable, all senses super exaggerated, and capable of doing just about anything. Do you really want people with weapons being like this? I know I don't!

nodoffz, Go to Coastline Kratom. I was on morphine for almost 10 years and wearing a 100 mcg fentanyl patch during that time for severe pain. I started taking Kratom 1/2 a teaspoon with 1/2 a teaspoon of turmeric ( it increases the strength of the Kratom and helps inflammation) in warm milk twice a day. I’m in less pain now than I’ve ever been and Kratom is a natural product. It isn’t addictive and NO ONE has ever died taking it. It’s been nothing but a blessing for me and I’ll never take another opiate ever again. Research it, thousands upon thousands of people has gotten off of opiates with Kratom. I use red vein Bali but there are many different kinds. Call them and explain your wife’s situation. They may recommend what would work best for her. Blessings to you both.

Heartland Old Guy, don’t be silly. It would be just the same as alcohol now. Anyone going to work drunk or smelling of ale is usually sacked!

Heartland Old Guy, well they are not allowed to go on patrol drunk either, and that's legal. So...I think you can come up with a more solid argument than that. Besides, decriminalizing a substance isn't going to mandate that people use it. Most of the people who want to use heroin or cocaine, for example, are already using it.

Heartland Old Guy, Of course it wouldn't be acceptable, just the same as it is unacceptable under the influence of alcohol. Let's not inflate the discussion with nonsensical alarmist attitudes eh!

Heartland Old Guy, same goes for alcohol and drunks...should alcohol still be legal?

Good old British Empire defending the drugs trade. No doubt there was some lord with their finger in the pie.

Eccles, if they decriminalised drugs you wouldn't have dealers.

CatPowers57, opium is also a natural product actually, comes from the white poppy

Player #4230791, opium comes from the white poppy the remembrance poppy is red and used to commemorate all who have lost their lives in conflict around the world including those from China(they did fight for the allied forces during ww2).

italianice507, and your point?

Heartland Old Guy, how many people are killed by drivers each year and by the tobacco industry, yet you believe that we would have wholesale slaughter from the people who used drugs? You do realise that people use them illegally already and that we cannot control the strength or purity or even tax the drugs which are still being consumed.

Montana Lady, good point well made. I was just watching a Smithsonian documentary about what the eighteenth amendment to the constitution of the United States led to- lawlessness anarchy and mobsters rule. Everyone broke the law. Even the mayor of NY openly flouted it. leading to a degradation in respect for law and authority. There are so many arguments for getting away from criminalizing drugs. eighteenth amendment was prohibition btw.

Heartland Old Guy, Portugal has legalized all drugs and thier usage and crime rate has plummeted. it's almost like it stops over-policing users, cuts out dealers and treats addicts as a health issue.. But we must be out of our minds continuing the failed policy that is the war on drugs. Maybe in another forty years we might get it right....

Hoolie, It would be prohibited in their Terms and Conditions of Employment , and tested for . As has been pointed out by many players , same as for alcohol

Heartland Old Guy, why do regular people need weapons? Why do police need weapons?

Hoolie, yup!

Montana Lady, We already have far too many problems with alcohol abuse, and now we’ve pretty much de-criminalized marijuana....Accepting that we’re losing to the drug cartels is a real cope out, because you don’t directly see the damage that they’ve caused. Take a trip out of rural Montana and visit a large major city, and I don’t mean Helena, and see for yourself the human wreckage walking around......

Drugs, the Human Fascination. It's like Smoking,Humans just can't get enough.

Heartland Old Guy, yeah let them just stay drunk

nodoffz, people should really check the facts and research data, rather than rely on anecdotal evidence. Very few people become addicts because of properly prescribed opiates. It's a false narrative, and unfortunately people like your wife end up suffering.

And the British won the war ...

Dianna Bella74, 'natural'....like in the multi-billion $, TOTALLY UNREGULATED 'dietary supplement' industry?

Montana Lady, have you lost your mind!!??

Heartland Old Guy, yeah cause they are all drunk out of their minds all the time when on duty.. seriously it's called professionalism and I think they may be a little insulted by your insinuation that of something is legal that they're all gonna be off their faces 24/7..

Pchblsom, you are spot on. I do wish all others would remember this about western medicine verses natural. Even the GPs suggest on the side to actually use natural. The good GPs that aren't in it with the big pharma.

CatPowers57, great advice.

Heartland Old Guy, decriminalizing and legalizing are two totally different things

Player #3620946, nothing wrong with Kratom. What you are reading is the crap that the FDA is putting out there. They can’t make any money off of it so of course they are going to bad mouth it. And Kratom is NOT a drug. If it were a drug you better be sure the Big Pharma company’s would have their greedy paws in the mix!

CatPowers57, my daughter takes Kratom for her fibromyalgia. She also takes CBD.

Heartland Old Guy, heroin is smack! Ovs that wouldn’t be acceptable. It would help the addicts without putting dirty money into drug dealers pockets- win win really!!

i smoked opium once

Heartland Old Guy, well said.

Montana Lady, are you on crack?!?!? Oh, wait, obviously you are.