What can I do for my 14 year old girl?

[Carson]

I think they should legalize drugs and prostitution. Hard drugs shouldn't be sold OTC for recreational use but if an addict is unresponsive to treatment than a legal maintenance place is the best option. This coming from a recovered addict that lost my mother and sister to addiction.

After a lot of thought this is what I came to as well

When you say legalize, do you mean we just stop arresting anyone manufacturing, selling, buying or possessing any type of narcotics ? Because if we do that, the cartels, distributors and dealers will remain and the violence they entail will continue.

If you suggest the government or a private company takes over the manufacture and selling of drugs, how do you think that will work out? Of course everyone can grow a couple marijuana plants in their house for their own use, just don't burn your house down with the exotic grow lights.

Many are yes and a lot of the businesses are getting robbed as the crims know where all the cash money is now. It's also brought a bunch of wastoids, halfwits, neo zoom dweebies and welfare bums into the state. Denver has always had homeless but you should see it now downtown. I have known Colorado well my whole life and I hardly recognize it anymore, even from 10 years ago.

[Carson]

That's interesting. Potheads come from all walks of life. Teens to white collar pros. I'd think those committing crimes are more than just weed smokers. Heroin and meth and to some degree pills are usually the motivation to steal to pay for a habit. Many addicts stop chasing a high and are just trying to feel normal at a certain point. Without the drug in their system the physical withdrawal is killing them. What once made them feel good now just keeps that suffering at bay and allows them to function. People go from pills to heroin because heroin is cheaper and easier to get.

I don't usually see weed users getting involved in violent crimes. It is cheap enough and they just want to chill out. (The amount of young people getting high during school, after school, before, during or after work is another story. I am not saying that people don't drink while they work, but it looks like a society of zombies on the street sometimes.)

However the number of armed robberies and shootings over the wholesale buying and selling of weed is where the violence is. And I don't see that changing with the decriminalizing or legalizing of weed. The money is just too good. A few years ago there was a multiple homicide shooting involving a 'party planner', Detroit (?) firefighter and others in Northern Liberties over a drug deal gone bad. They are not usually that high profile, but everyday someone gets shot over drugs.

Few

[brewguy]

A large part of the violence in drug dealing is because it is illegal. If these crimes were able to be reported and investigated without punishment for the victim. It would be a start.

[Mitch10mm]

I don't know how to implement a lawful drug trade using our capitalist model.
I don't know if it's true or urban legend or what but I've heard of some modern countries that allow patients with collaboration with their doctors to choose prescriptions and dosages etc.

I've given it a lot of thought. I'm not saying I'm convinced decriminalization is the way to go. The current way we deal with people and drugs seems costly in both money and lives. Especially those in LE. Is it worth it.

I'd like to see people smarter than me look at the issue. Attempt to keep preconceived thoughts, opinions and "the way it's always been" to a minimum. See if supply and demand could be satisfied and the end users better off in a controlled and regulated system.

Some of what the addicts get involved in is because they think they are pushed into a corner. There is a whole list of things that occur in the current system that is cause and effect. Or what came first the chicken or the egg.

There's a lot of money in addiction as well. That also muddys the water

[wanneroo]

I've given it a lot of thought. I'm not saying I'm convinced decriminalization is the way to go. The current way we deal with people and drugs seems costly in both money and lives. Especially those in LE. Is it worth it.

I'd like to see people smarter than me look at the issue. Attempt to keep preconceived thoughts, opinions and "the way it's always been" to a minimum. See if supply and demand could be satisfied and the end users better off in a controlled and regulated system.

Definitely the whole thing needs to be looked at to see if we can find other solutions to minimize impact on society.

As I have seen with extended relatives and plenty of other life witnessing to other people, I am convinced there are many that just want to be a drag on society with drugs, crime and other bad behavior. So we need to find an outlet for those people and reduce the impact on society somehow.

[Hokkmike]

A little off topic for your question, but getting to the root cause of the problem and using the cold meds to get high - do yourself a favor and, surreptitiously if you can, check out her friends and social influence. Kids seldom indulge in these behaviors alone. When my children were in school (and I was a teacher able to keep an eye out) the most telling measure on their character and behavior development was reflected by the students they spent time with. Talk to her peers. (be nice) Find out what they like, their dress, habits, speech, parents, siblings, and anything else you can find. Sadly, most kids engage in self destructive behaviors because of peer pressure which is enormously strong in junior high and high school. The need to fit in, conform, have friends, and be accepted is overriding. It also has a great influence of decisions we make that set a course toward our future. Most of the time, as I hope is the case with your daughter, we screw up, recognize it, and bounce back. From that point on, however, role models become more critical. God bless and good luck.

[Carson]

A large part of the violence in drug dealing is because it is illegal. If these crimes were able to be reported and investigated without punishment for the victim. It would be a start.

Legal or not, if Omar gets his stash or proceed$ stolen, do you think he is going to rely on the Police to make things right or do you think he is going to send a message?

[qmcorps]

Legal or not, if Omar gets his stash or proceed$ stolen, do you think he is going to rely on the Police to make things right or do you think he is going to send a message?

I'll take Omar kills somebody for $100, Alex.

[Mitch10mm]

Go to your friendly Walgreen's Pharmacy and pick up your doctor prescribed 15 day Rx for heroin from neighborhood pharmacist Omar!
Would such a program work? I don't think any of us can honestly say.

[widgetman101]

My two cents from someone that has the misfortune of dealing with this a long time after it happened. You're best to go now and start with a lawyer consultation and get them all documentation while things are fresh. If it's a procedural error then you can get the full expungement granted but it's going to be time consuming and cost a fair amount of money.

At least you have knowledge of the events and understand the repercussions of what this means for her down the road. I unfortunately had no knowledge of mine and only found out after trying to buy a handgun several years ago. A few years ago I decided to fight it, it took about a year and a half but I did get an order for expungment by the judge. However, it ended up getting appealed which is where I'm at now, another year of waiting and close to $20k deep down the rabbit hole.

I'm not sure how it'll work for her since she's only 14, but one of the first things a lawyer is going to want done is a psych evaluation and not a normal visit. There is something called an MMPI-2 test and other things they will probably want done, I actually had mine done in State College, if you want a recommendation PM me.