--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The choice is not between drugs and no…" description: "\"The choice is not between drugs and no drugs, but between illegal drugs and legal drugs. Until the 1920s drugs were legal, why not now? Lots of people ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d94/david-hockney-1395_choices_the-choice-is-not-between-drugs-and-no-d_1633142.png" --- # The choice is not between drugs and no drugs, but between… ![“The choice is not between drugs and no drugs, but between illegal drugs and legal drugs. Until the 1920s drugs were legal, why not now? Lots of people are on drugs anyway - it is called medication.” quote by David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d94/david-hockney-1395_choices_the-choice-is-not-between-drugs-and-no-d_1633142.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d94/david-hockney-1395_choices_the-choice-is-not-between-drugs-and-no-d_1633142.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d94/david-hockney-1395_choices_the-choice-is-not-between-drugs-and-no-d_1633142.png) > “The choice is not between drugs and no drugs, but between illegal drugs and legal drugs. Until the 1920s drugs were legal, why not now? Lots of people are on drugs anyway - it is called medication.” [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts illegal and legal drug use, questioning why legal drugs are prohibited despite historical legality and common usage. **In simple terms:** Legal vs illegal drug debate Key Takeaway Consider drug policy reforms Themes policy ethics healthcare Mood controversial thought‑provoking Type philosophical political When to use this quote - public health policy - legislation debates - medical prescribing - criminal justice reform - public opinion Key Concepts Legalization harm reduction historical context Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance personal freedom with societal safety? - What criteria should determine drug legality? A Different Perspective Legal drugs can still cause harm and addiction; regulation is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Drug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drug/) [Drugs Called](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drugs-called-501583/) [Drugs Illegal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drugs-illegal-471197/) [Drugs Legal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drugs-legal-501581/) [Illegal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illegal/) [Illegal drugs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illegal-drugs/) [Legal Drugs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legal-drugs-501582/) [Medication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medication/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Why not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/why-not/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) ## Related quotes > [Annual drug deaths: tobacco: 395,000, alcohol: 125,000, 'legal' drugs: 38,000, illegal drug overdoses: 5,200, marijuana: 0. Considering government subsidies of tobacco, just what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/annual-drug-deaths-tobacco-395-000-alcohol-125-000-legal-drugs-38-000/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [I have always been very interested in the issue of drugs, because as much as illegal drugs are prosecuted, if you think of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro-reyes/i-have-always-been-very-interested-in-the-issue-of-drugs-because-as/) [Pedro Reyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro-reyes/) > [I believe that the most dangerous drugs that there are right now are the drugs that are legal - Over-the-counter medication. I think the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slaine/i-believe-that-the-most-dangerous-drugs-that-there-are-right-now-are/) [Slaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slaine/) > [“New Rule: Stop pretending your drugs are morally superior to my drugs because you get yours at a store. This week, they released the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-stop-pretending-your-drugs-are-morally-superior-to-my-drugs/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Yes, cannabis is dangerous, but no more than other perfectly legal drugs. It's time for a rethink, and the Tory party - the funkiest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-johnson/yes-cannabis-is-dangerous-but-no-more-than-other-perfectly-legal/) [Boris Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-johnson/) > [It's a joke. Greed and the desire to take drugs are two separate things. If you want to separate the two, the thing you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/it-s-a-joke-greed-and-the-desire-to-take-drugs-are-two-separate/) [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) > [People use drugs, legal and illegal, because their lives are intolerably painful or dull. They hate their work and find no rest in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/people-use-drugs-legal-and-illegal-because-their-lives-are/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [We've got thousands and thousands of people in jail on minor drug violations and they really don't need to be in jail. They're people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-barger/we-ve-got-thousands-and-thousands-of-people-in-jail-on-minor-drug/) [Sonny Barger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-barger/) > [Alcohol, tobacco, and pharmaceutical drugs are legal, but they can hurt a lot of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziggy-marley/alcohol-tobacco-and-pharmaceutical-drugs-are-legal-but-they-can-hurt/) [Ziggy Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziggy-marley/) > […All drugs should be legal. War is wrong. The rich get richer. The poor get poorer. Thank you. I'll be here all week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/all-drugs-should-be-legal-war-is-wrong-the-rich-get-richer-the-poor/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [I think Cosmo's campaign is great, and that the possession and distribution of any of these 'rape drugs' should be illegal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-schwimmer/i-think-cosmo-s-campaign-is-great-and-that-the-possession-and/) [David Schwimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-schwimmer/) > [ I think everybody should have the choice \[with drugs\] the same as helmets. You should be able to say whether you want to wear… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-barger/i-think-everybody-should-have-the-choice-with-drugs-the-same-as/) [Sonny Barger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-barger/) > [There needs to be more pressure on the Mexican government to stop the drugs and illegal immigrants on their side of the border instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-murphy/there-needs-to-be-more-pressure-on-the-mexican-government-to-stop-the/) [Timothy Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-murphy/) > [I don't feel drugs should be illegal. I don't think people should take drugs every day, but I don't see any difference with people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-barger/i-don-t-feel-drugs-should-be-illegal-i-don-t-think-people-should-take/) [Sonny Barger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-barger/) > [I'm in favor of legalizing drugs. According to my values system, if people want to kill themselves, they have every right to do so.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-m-in-favor-of-legalizing-drugs-according-to-my-values-system-if/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) ## More by David Hockney > [ You can't believe any picture nowadays, if it's digital. You can't really believe. If you see me shaking hands with Mr. \[Barack\] Obama, it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/you-can-t-believe-any-picture-nowadays-if-it-s-digital-you-can-t/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [I had always planned to make a large painting of the early spring, when the first leaves are at the bottom of the trees,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/i-had-always-planned-to-make-a-large-painting-of-the-early-spring/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [I've always said that the only thing a photograph is good at capturing faithfully is another flat surface.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/i-ve-always-said-that-the-only-thing-a-photograph-is-good-at/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [I'm rather shocked by what I thought was simple mindedness actually. 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Someone watching me would be concentrating on the exact moment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/until-i-saw-my-drawings-replayed-on-the-ipad-i-d-never-seen-myself/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [You always need a bit of low-tech.You always need a pair of scissors, it seems to me. You can do better things… The high-tech,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/you-always-need-a-bit-of-low-tech-you-always-need-a-pair-of-scissors/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [When you are older, you realise that everything else is just nothing compared to painting and drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/when-you-are-older-you-realise-that-everything-else-is-just-nothing/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [The photograph isn't good enough. It's not real enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/the-photograph-isn-t-good-enough-it-s-not-real-enough/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [In fact, I'm a bit of a slob, but I've always said my excuse, I have a higher sense of order, I can see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/in-fact-i-m-a-bit-of-a-slob-but-i-ve-always-said-my-excuse-i-have-a/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [Spring is very energising to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/spring-is-very-energising-to-me/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [No theoretician, no writer on art, however interesting he or she might be, could be as interesting as Picasso. A good writer on art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/no-theoretician-no-writer-on-art-however-interesting-he-or-she-might/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [How difficult it is to learn not to see like cameras, which has had such an effect on us. The camera sees everything at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/how-difficult-it-is-to-learn-not-to-see-like-cameras-which-has-had/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [With chemical film, it was possible to alter photographs, but you had to be an expert. That's not true any more. The LA Times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/with-chemical-film-it-was-possible-to-alter-photographs-but-you-had/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) [Explore all 247 David Hockney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) [Alison James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-james/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The choice is not between drugs and no drugs, but between illegal drugs and legal drugs. 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