Random Musings on Life, Love and Everything

E-mail Subscription

Receive an e-mail notification of new posts on this site:

Spotlight Posts

Like.... totally! Whatever! hehe

The Greatest Train Ride Ever

[ more ]

Random Musings on Life, Love and Everything - by Someone

Random Musings on Life, Love and Everything

The Hangover: Worth Selling a Kidney For.

June 22nd 2009 00:01

This is not a review, oh no. This is an order.

If you haven't seen The Hangover, go and watch it. If you've already seen it, go and watch it again.

I kid you not, this movie is pure awesome. I saw I Love You Man a few weeks ago, and I thought that would probably be the best comedy I would see for at least half a year or so... but no!

This movie had me in stitches. It is ridiculously funny, and even though I had high expectations, they were all fulfilled and more.

Why are you still reading this? You should be off to the cinema by now!

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Someone - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

Q: Why is Year One Going to Suck?

June 19th 2009 23:46

A: Because they have shown the commercial on tv every second ad for the last few weeks. Good movies don't need that kind of exposure, they generate their own buzz. The last movie I saw with advertising overdone this much was Push, and that was just terrible.

A: Because I am a funnier writer than their writers. Let me give you an example.

Cera: When do you get off?
Girl: Ah, never? I'm a slave?
Cera: Oh yeah, of course.

Lame, right? Let me tell you how I'd do it.

Cera: So... when do you get off?
Girl: Uh...Never? I'm a virgin priestess.

I mean, come on. I am obviously funnier.

A: Because they didn't release it at our cinema on it's release date.

I know, right? How dare they! This post is TOTALLY NOT simply an angry backlash because I didn't get to see the movie, oh no!

Ok, maybe it is, just a little bit.

On a serious note, I will watch basically anything with Jack Black in it (i'm a sucker for that retarded little monkey-man), and Michael Cera is actually quite a talented comic actor... but still, it will probably suck.

Vote

Comments (2)

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Someone - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

A Look at Drug Policy in Australia

May 21st 2009 15:21

Before I start, a quick note: My graphs from Word don't translate into Orble, so I have cut them (and all references to them) out. Therefore I require a little bit of trust... so if I say prices fall or quantity rises, I do have charts to back my assertions up, they just won't show here. For anyone interested, I would be more than happy to forward a full copy of the essay, charts included. Now, on with the show...

Introduction: Drug Use in Australia

The issue of drug restriction and prohibition is one that has become increasingly important in today’s society. After the (failed) war on drugs conducted by the United States, nations have been looking at alternative methods of combating the drug epidemic. This essay will seek to examine why current drug policies have failed, and explore some of the possible alternative methods that could be implemented to regulate drug markets, particularly in Australia.

The following graph shows the number of drug arrests in Australia from 1996 – 2007. Ceteris paribus, the growth or decline in drug-related arrests should be indicative of shifts in the total population of drug users. However, certain external factors must be taken into account, such as the reduction of possession of small quantities of marijuana from a criminal to a civil offence in the late 90’s.

graph courtesy of the Australia Institute of Criminology

As shown on this graph, the majority of drug arrests are related to cannabis, which according to the AIC between 1995 – 2005 fell from 80% to 71% of total drug arrests. The actual number of drug related arrests over this 10 year period fell by 22%. However, in all likelihood this is due to the changes in law regarding cannabis as mentioned above, given that cannabis-related arrests make up such a large part of total drug-related arrests.

Current Drug Regulation in Australia

Currently in Australia, the main illegal narcotics are Marijuana, Amphetamines (including Methamphetamines), Opiates (mainly Heroin), and Ecstasy (included in ‘other’ on the graph above). Presently, the Australian government uses both supply and demand side methods in order to control drug use in Australia.

In terms of demand-side policy, the Australian government has several initiatives in place. These initiatives include periodic advertisement campaigns, designed to inform/scare the public about the dangers associated with drug use, as well as government support for rehabilitation centers, etc.

Making participation in the drug market illegal greatly reduces the supply, resulting in a supply shift. As a result, quantity consumed fall, and price rises.

In theory, the combination of both the demand and supply side policies should result in a marginally lower price and a greatly reduced quantity consumed, which is the government’s aim. However, evidence has mounted up which calls into question the effectiveness of these policies.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, based on a 2003 UN report, Australia was the number 1 ecstasy consumer in the world, and number 2 in methamphetamine use . Based on evidence such as this, it is apparent that the government’s prohibitionist tactics are not controlling the drug problem, and so should look at other alternative methods of control.

Alternatives to Complete Prohibition

The first important distinction to make is between the currently illegal drugs that should be legalized, and those that should remain illegal. The most apparent (and most often cited) reason for this illegality is the effect that it has on other people, such as the increased likelihood of committing a crime to fuel a drug habit. Research conducted in 2004 by the Australian Institute of Criminology found that 37% of detainees attributed at least some of their criminal actions to drugs, rising to 45% for those who had used in the last 12 months . However, research has also shown that drug-induced crimes are almost always the result of highly addictive hardcore drugs, such as heroin or methamphetamines, rather than ‘softer’ drugs like cannabis or ecstasy.

There are no positive externalities for goods like heroin, so the demand curve (or private benefit) is also equal to the social benefit. The private cost curve (supply) shifts to the social cost curve when the effects of negative externalities are accounted for. In a purely private market, the price will be lower and quantity consumed higher than is socially optimal.
However, the case for making those drugs with negative externalities illegal is not a logical one. The socially optimal amount is not 0, but simply less than would be found in an unregulated market. The role of governments in this instance should not be to ban these markets, but to ensure that the equilibrium reached is the social equilibrium rather than the private one.

Perhaps the best argument for illegality is that some drugs are highly addictive. Economic analysis relies on people behaving rationally, which allows markets to function. However, the sheer degree of addictiveness associated with some of these drugs means that users stop behaving rationally, and are driven by addiction, not reason. In economic terms, the effect that these drugs have is to dramatically increase the perception of private benefit to users. As a result, the addicts continue to use indefinitely, where any rational person would stop. Furthermore, markets rely on the price mechanism to influence the quantity demanded. However, the nature of addiction means that, to an addict, the product is completely inelastic. Furthermore, higher prices could result in higher instances of crime to pay for more expensive habits, and so manipulation of the price mechanism is not the best way to influence this market. Although markets are generally the most efficient way to deal with situations like these, an extra-economical solution is needed to deal with these highly addictive drugs, as a purely market-driven solution would not function.

In terms of ‘softer’ drugs like ecstasy and cannabis, which lack the addictive side effects of harder drugs, prohibition is the wrong answer. These goods, unlike their harder brethren, do not come with the same negative externalities. On the contrary, the feelings of calmness, serenity and euphoria commonly associated with these drugs means that they may in fact have positive externalities (such as reduced instances of bar-fights, for example). These drugs have health effects similar to cigarettes or alcohol, and so the best method of dealing with them is as these other 2 legal drugs are managed: through taxation.

The increase in price through taxation results in price rising, and the quantity consumed falling. At the new equilibrium, the price the supplier is receiving is reduced, with the government receiving taxation revenue.

When it comes to soft drugs that lack high negative externalities and addictive properties, the benefits of tax over prohibition are numerous.
Firstly, the government would be provided with an additional revenue stream, which is increasingly important in today’s climate of falling taxation revenues. This money should (ideally) be spent on combating the negative effects associated with the good being taxed (i.e. taxing smokers to pay for smoking-induced illnesses), but does not necessarily have to be.
Secondly, legalizing the market will allow the government to properly regulate it, including setting standards for quality. This should eliminate the deaths caused by impure ecstasy pills, which only occur because the market is unregulated. Strict government control of a legalized market would eliminate these quality hazards, and increase the safety of those consuming.
Thirdly, the government is currently seeking to disband bikie gangs in Australia. One major blow that the government could deal these gangs is to legalize at least some of the drugs that they trade in. Drug trafficking provides a large part of the funding for these gangs, and the recent trend of gang violence is mostly related to fights over drug trafficking . By legalizing these drugs, the government takes control of these markets, removing a large part of these gangs’ revenue.
Finally, by legalizing at least the softer drugs available, police in Australia will be free to concentrate on eliminating harder drugs and other forms of crime. According to the AIC, cannabis still accounts for well over 50% of all drug arrests, and so legalizing it would free up valuable resources for where they are more sorely needed.

Conclusion

Overall, prohibition has proven not to be the one answer when it comes to drug regulation. Although some drugs are too addictive and destructive to be dealt with purely through market mechanisms, a strong argument exists for allowing the market to control at least the less destructive drugs. Despite these shortcomings in supply-side policy, the government has also made use of demand-side policy as well.

Bibliography

The Australian Institute of Criminology Website
Available at www.aic.gov.au

Coulthart, R., 2009, ‘Bikie Wars Fuelled By Drugs and Crime’, The Australian, 28/3/2009.
Available at Really Long Link

Pollard, R., 2003, ‘Australia tops use of ecstasy: UN’ Sydney Morning Herald, 25/09/03. Available at Really Long Link

New South Wales Government Druginfo website
Available at Really Long Link

University of NSW Drug Policy Modelling Program – Australian Drug Data
Available at Really Long Link Drug Data

Vote

Comments (1)

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Someone - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

Haha... Silly Christians

May 6th 2009 02:22

I got given a free bible the other day at my university. It was being given out by a member of the Gideons, an association that puts bibles in hotels, at hospitals, and in the hands of secondary students (and uni students, apparently).

In the front of the bible is a short prayer, translated into 17 of the world's most popular languages. One of these is Indonesian

[ Click here to read more ]

Vote

Comments (8)

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Someone - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

Residents are being advised to stock up on canned food

May 2nd 2009 15:03

Yes, that was a news headline a few days back in response to the spread of swine flu.

Personally, I cannot decide whether this is a public service being offered to the Australian people, or just panic mongering

[ Click here to read more ]

Vote

Comments (4)

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Someone - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

The Latest Australian Stimulus Package

April 16th 2009 00:18

Kevin, Kevin, Kevin. I didn't vote for you, but I had such high hopes... namely that you weren't so clueless as to turn our economy into a 'shitstorm' (as you would put it). But alas, I my hopes were dashed.

Where to start with the problems with directly paying people money

[ Click here to read more ]

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Someone - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

Regrets

April 14th 2009 07:37

My computer is (finally) fixed, and at long last, I'm back.

So, a friend said to me the other day that he could not understand why anyone would live with regrets. He hadn't spoken to a girl that he thought he should have spoken to, and he couldn't figure out why he hadn't. In his opinion, the only reason people live with regrets is because of fear, because at the time they don't have the courage to act as they should and regret not doing so

[ Click here to read more ]

Vote

Comments (2)

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Someone - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

The Return of the King

March 25th 2009 01:21

Hello again Orble.

I have gone on what seems to be becoming my annual year-end hiatus, but when I get internet on my computer, I will begin filling your lives with meaning again

[ Click here to read more ]

Vote

Comments (1)

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Someone - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

Judgement Day: November 8th, 2008

November 6th 2008 11:26

To recap: Check the last post.

Damo: "I am giving you two days to get together and think it through

[ Click here to read more ]

Vote

Comments (12)

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Someone - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

I am so confused...

November 4th 2008 09:22

... but not in a sexual way.

I am having a blast watching all the arguing going on, the posts, the counterposts, the sledging.... its all very fun to watch

[ Click here to read more ]

166

Vote

Comments (237)

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Someone - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

June 2009

2 Posts

May 2009

3 Posts