I think we need to make a distinction between decriminalizing the use of drugs vs. legalizing the use of drugs.
Decriminalizing drug use allows drug addicts to receive medical treatment and rehabilitation and stops punishing them with prison time. However, the manufacture, sale or distribution of drugs is still prosecuted.
Legalizing drugs would remove the restrictions on drug availability and could reasonably be expected to cause an increase in drug use. There is already data indicating that drug use in Portugal has risen as a result of decriminalization.
What you say about decriminalizing drugs is true. I also will not dispute what you say about drug legalization. It is my belief that everyone against drug legalization should have full disclosure as to the consequences the drug war produces. I do not think that the public in general understands what consequences come with drug prohibition/the drug war. And with decriminalization there are certain consequences that are removed upon small time users (I’m not sure what quantities are allowed to be carried, but I recall in Mexico it is often only a 1 days supply of drugs that can be carried, that is way too small of an ammt).
With decriminalizing and not legalizing the sales and manufacturing and transporting of drugs in anything but very small ammt’s subject those individuals to significant jail time if caught by law enforcement. Particularly with drug transportation the ‘mules’ are poor people who don’t even use drugs but are in desperate financial situations, such as someone having a daughter who has cancer and needs money for her medical care. Or just some very poor family where the parents struggle to put food on the table and clothe the family. These people, likely honest and hard working and not criminals are made into criminals for the time they are transporting drugs. And they face 10 years or so in prison when caught. This destroys their families.
And since illegal, the murdering will continue. No one can call law enforcement when a dispute arises so disputes are settled with guns and people are murdered, sometimes innocent bystanders. Also, since they can not call the police, this makes them high value targets for professional armed robbers (much better to rob a drug or drug money stash house than a bank as with the bank you get the FBI investigating you, people who live for chasing bad guys and specilize in that. With drug distributors, etc there is no investigation really. The robbers just need to get the drop on them and have their faces covered and get out of their sight. Sometimes during drug rrobberies the people are murdered as the idiots won’t cover their faces and choose to murder the drug holders as a way to keep their identity private.
With drugs being illegal the costs are significantly higher (importing coffee doesn’t land you in prison for 25 years to life) as people are risking their lives so a high premium is placed on the cost. Legalize and drugs become so cheap that everyone can afford them. You don’t see homeless alcholics robbing for a pint of booze or pack of cigarettes after all.
And since illegal the drugs can’t be insured which means all involved are hypervigilant, guns a ready. People get shot, people die. Legalize and it’s just like a pharmacy getting robbed…with the exception of the ‘street value’ of the drugs being a lot less than the street value of controlled substances at present, making robbing pharmacies less attractive.
There are others as well. I am sick of seeing gov’t grow, debt increase, 2 trillion spent on a war with the only noticible results being hundreds or thousands or tens of thousands of people murdered and some select drug kingpins who are comfortable ordering murders routinely getting rich. Law Enforcement being corrupted…
God Bless,
Bill
