No need to speculate. Portugal decriminalized drugs and pretty much every statistic improved. Drug use down. Deaths from drugs down. Drug users seeking help up. Enforcement money is spent on rehabilitation instead, so people end up getting off drugs instead of in the prison system turning into harder criminals.
I see many posters in this thread got it wrong. I understand, brainwashing is hard to overcome.
The war on drugs is a complete failure, unless you happen to be a drug dealer or cop, then it's big money for you. Regular people are less safe thanks to this war on personal freedom.
Trying to determine policy is always a simple exercise. Choose freedom every time if you actually want things to improve.
Thank you for bringing sanity back to the topic. You are 100% right. Furthermore you can add example like Colorado or other US states and the Netherlands... Trust between the cops and the people improves... Simply it's only brainwashed and dumb people or those who profits from it who support the criminalization of a victimless full consent activity.
What ever the risks associated with psychoactive (using the word drug is already a form of conditioning) there are 1000's other activities that are dangerous, like going to the bathroom or the kitchen (2 of the most statistically dangerous places for death in a household).
Then it's important to note that it would free law enforcements resources for non consensual victims full crimes like rapes, killings, thefts, slavery, terrorism etc. it could generate tax revenues and in some cases improves the lives of sick persons.
Another aspect is to cut the financing of those organizations that use the profits from the illegal psychoactive black market to finance other criminal activities and distribution network (forced prostitution, slavery, arms, terror). In certain European countries like France, the England, Germany or Spain I think it's the only solution to win the no go zone back before it's too late...
Then from a religious perspective, the genocide of plants created by God is in itself something very disturbing...
But what ever the political and or society decide the immutable law of business will always prevail: risk = rewards.
One aspect that is missing is the opinions of the Cartels... Most of those organizations will have to lay off a lot of people in the case of liberalization... But from the professionalization efficiency gains, improved quality and cost could still lead to profitable business... The problem is that those going to be layed off are the most efficient to operate on a black market settings... Not easy to fire.
