Steven Ehrbar (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} stevenehrbar) wrote,@ 2009-01-15 18:58:00 |
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I get frustrated with people who say things like: It's time to legalize, or at least decriminalize, drugs.
Look, I am perfectly willing to consider legalizing drugs. Assuming the end-of-Prohibition model holds out, we'd see an uptick in use, but it would remove the entire business from the hands of criminal enterprises and mark an increase in the product safety of the drugs.
However, decriminalization? Decriminalization leaves the manufacture and distribution to the black market, which means you still have adulterated drugs sold by warring criminal gangs at inflated prices. At the same time, eliminating legal pressure on the demand side means an increase in use. You get the worst of both worlds.
Look, I am perfectly willing to consider legalizing drugs. Assuming the end-of-Prohibition model holds out, we'd see an uptick in use, but it would remove the entire business from the hands of criminal enterprises and mark an increase in the product safety of the drugs.
However, decriminalization? Decriminalization leaves the manufacture and distribution to the black market, which means you still have adulterated drugs sold by warring criminal gangs at inflated prices. At the same time, eliminating legal pressure on the demand side means an increase in use. You get the worst of both worlds.
