As long as it is not harmful to the person or his surroundings. This is the most important fact - I beleive people have the right to hurt themselves as much as they want - go at it - knock yourself out and take all the drugs you want. However, All, not some, take others with them. It is never a victimless crime. When a father spends his time and money drinking rather than spending time with his family, he is causing undue pain on others not only himself. Especially in times of economic hardship. When anyone spends money on any drug rather then using that money to benefit spouse or children than there certainly is an adverse effect on others. I believe all people have the right to do whatever they want, AS LONG AS THEY DO NOT HARM OTHERS. Unless, a drug user is an only child, with deceased parents and no living relatives, then that person can take all the drugs they want. But anyone with a family (spouse + kids) is definitely hurting his immediate family. I dont see myself as a good father when I am buying drugs for myself yet neglect my son and deny buying him food, medicine, books, etc.

Yes, those who substitute illegal addictions with legal addictions are no longer drug addicts but can you honestly say that they have been rehabilitated and free of addicition? The answer is clearly NO!

When you see a loud mouth drunk yelling and fighting we call him an alcoholic but when you see an obese person you dont call him a food addict. The fact is that person does have an addiction. For those who disagree, then you are not educated on the real meaning of an addiction.

I suggest that if we can't come up with something a bit more original then we all drop it -

You can drop it any time. No one is forcing you to reply. Do not put words in my mouth because I never said addicts are Aholes. Those are your words. I just stated that rehabilitation is NOT as easy as many people here make it sound as it is a much more complicated issue. I offered many examples of what rehabilitation is NOT.

So what puts a nail on my coffin? What evidence is so overwhelming for you to come to this conclusion? The fact that 2 other people put their opinions which happen to agree with yours?

So let me tell you about rehabilitation. First understand what it means to be an addict and what it means to be in remission and what it means to be in recovery. So a cocaine addict stops using drugs but his smoking and pot use increases. He claims he is rehabilitated from cocaine. Next you must understand what it means to have multiple addictions and other undiagnosed addictions. Like a cocaine addict with a sex or food addiction or is also an alcoholic. He claims he is rehabilitated because he stopped using cocaine. Sorry!

Then we have the term Dry Drunk, this is a person who stopped drinking - we call it white knuckling it. He no longer drinks but he is still or even meaner then he was before when he was drinking.

Next we have the addicts who substitute an illegal addiction for a legal addiction. The cocaine addict no longer uses cocaine but he is now a 12 step addict. Everywhere he goes he must get his 12 step fix or he falls off the wagon in an instant. Or the one who becomes a bibble thumping Jesus Freak. He longer uses drugs but you can not get him to shut up about Jesus and how he saved his life and only Jesus is the answer. Same for those who become runners and now get a natural high. They still ignore their wife and kids and he must run a 10K every day, like a mailman, neither rain, nor sleet nor hail will stop him from running his daily 10K.

Just so you know, there are 12 step programs for any addiction. AA, NA, SLA and the list goes on.

So before you make a claim about rehabilitation you better take a look at the case file before you make such a sweeping comment.

I just believe, that no one has the right to decide who should live and who should be put to death. Especially supporting it by saying everyone should serve a purpose.

The right, the ability, the people who control us and do whatever they want with the people of the world, they kill whoever they want and they never ask you or I for permission. This happens every day all over the world, regardless of what country you come from or what people they kill.

Perhaps you are as frustrated and feel helpless as I do about this issue. Perhaps you are empowered in some way by directing your comments to me.

People are dieing all around the world in real life yet you voice this problem to me as though I am the one doing this. Just to let you know, I am a nobody. I am not the president of any country or the UN. I have no guns or weapons of mass destruction in my back pocket, and I have no means or desire to kill anyone.

I do not have veto power to decide who should live or who should die. I am not on a panel to make decisions about who lives or who dies. This is a public forum. Perhaps you should write a letter to the US president, or UN president, or the leaders of the EU in Brussels. As a matter of fact, the headquaters of NATO is also in Brussels. Govts, NATO, the coalition of the willing, the CIA and MI5 and 6 are resposnsible for most of the murders that take place all over the world. These people have given themselves the right to decide who lives and who dies. They decide who is useful and serves a purpose and who does now, NOT me!

I am happy that you are passionate about this issue but I hope you can realize now how ridiculous you seem when you direct this comment to me. This is a public forum. People say many things here. Some people will even debate for hours about how McDonalds is better then Burger King.

Just to let you know, I have never tried, experimented or used any illegal drug in my life. I dont smoke cigaretts or cigars and I think Canabis is a very special medicine that can save lives. Unfortunately, the potheads have a bigger mouth and msirepresent the people who see cannabis as a medicine rather than a way to get high.

I want you to realize that when any person makes any comment about any issue on a public forum, the ones who reply have a vested interest in why they reply. So perhaps you are offended or hurt because you are or were a drug user and you feel persecuted by comment or think I am roaming the streets waiting to catch you so I can execute you. Or perhaps you are offended or hurt by people who are killed by others. I am neither of these so come back to reality.

A friendly suggestion. The most ridiculous person is NOT the one who makes stupid comments on a public forum, but the other person who takes it seriously and responds as though it was real, truth or reality. Sometimes - it is better to be thought a fool rather than open your mouth and prove it.

I love how stupid people make a big deal over an idiotic comment on a ridiculous forum. Yet with all that talk Kate, you say nothing about what is happening in real life all over the world. No idea where you are from but all the crap you talk about coming from a country without the death penalty. Well where the hell is that place you come from. The garbage that comes from your mouth makes me sick. Wake up and smell the coffee. See the condition of the world and go join an NGO so you can bark at someone else.