system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
I don't think Western liberal democracies should legalize addictive substances. CMV.

I want to be clear: I understand why the drug war is evil, and I don't think drug use should be *criminalized*, but we don't have to legalize something just because we don't criminalize it. We could regulate it and instead of imprisoning people, courts could mandate rehabilitation. So please don't make arguments based on the drug war because I already agree the drug war is bad and still think addictive substances should be illegal.

Anyway, here's the basis of my reasoning. Western liberal democracies require individual autonomy for active political participation. Non-autonomous individuals cannot fully participate in self-governing. Addictive substances erode individual autonomy by subordinating the full person to the desire for the substance. By definition, addicts can no longer choose against the substance they are addicted to.

The usual response I hear is that individuals should have the choice whether or not to use addictive substances as long as they know the risk that they could become addicted. In other words, they are free to choose the possibility of addiction.

The counter-argument is that addiction removes future choice; it becomes a non-nullifiable contract (i.e., voluntary slavery). Since Western liberal democracies have an interest in maintaining the autonomy of their citizens, they should not allow those citizens to enter into contracts from which they cannot renege.

CMV please.
gpt
Glucose is one of the most addictive substances. Deliciously Legal. Alcohol - legal. Cigarettes - legal. Either western democracies don't want autonomy for their citizents or making things illegal isn't always the best way to eradicate an addiction problem. It adds to the insecurity and misery of certain users who will not seek help (if there is any offered) fearing they would be jailed. Why should an alcoholic or a type 2 diabete patient be treated with compasion and understanding whereas a heroin user should be criminalized and austraciezed? In the end all of them have the same problem which is addiction.

To answer to your first point. Actually we have to legalize something if we don't want to criminalize it. If not it leads to a juridic "gap" which can lead to numerous legal problems and abuse.