I often wonder if legalizing all drugs would benefit society. Why?
1.) Some control (like with alcohol and gambling) is lot, lot better than no control. No control of drugs is today’s status quo, despite decades of law enforcement priority and efforts. Is there more underage drinking with alcohol being legal? Is there still more illegal alcohol, i.e., “moonshine?” Does legal alcohol result in more alcoholism? I don’t know but doubt it.
2.) Might reduce crime. The money (obscene profits) in the illicit drug trade would be greatly reduced. Users would likely pay less, reducing the incentive for users to commit crimes to get $$. Dealers would have less incentive to be in the business.
3.) Might fund more social progress. Additional tax revenue (like with alcohol and gambling taxes) could be used for social progress.
4.) I didn’t know it but Oregon and Washington de-criminalized possession of all drugs in 2021. There has been no increase in fatal overdoses and no increase in arrests for violent crimes.
Do you see it differently? Why?
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There may be some data associated with legalizing cannabis that could be instructive. That said, I think the most devastating drug problem, that of highly addictive opioids, exploded the way it did due to over-prescriptions through controlled channels.
Hi Charlie, Thx for using my blog and for your thinking. Agree on devastation from opioids. A total breakdown by the prescription drug regulators, to say nothing of the the medical community’s and pharma industry’s failure to police itself. At least the former can be learned from and fixed.