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My own view is that people(adults) fundamentally have the right to harm themselves if they wish
It is undisputed that cigarettes kill millions of people, directly. No govt would face banning them because it would cost too much lost revenue and be too unpopular.
In terms of social damage, over consumption of alcohol causes more violence and problems than any illegal drug I am aware of. But its the same story.
If someone wants to take heroin, weed, E, whatever - I dont see that it is the state's role to prevent it.
The legalisation of all drugs in my opinion would save billions in crime, policing, ruined lives. Would more people die of the toxic effects? I think its hard to say. I dont think any adult that wants to buy a certain drug today finds it especially hard. I guess if I wanted to buy something exotic like Mescalin I wouldnt know where to go, but I have smoked weed about twice in my life (when at university) so I am hardly a regular drug user, but I am 100% sure I wanted to buy speed, cocaine, heroin, ketamine,ectasy or marjuana I could have some in my pocket by tonight.
If drugs were cheaper, had some form of control over there content (so the worst cases of toxicity could be removed) and were readily available I am not sure at all that more people would take them. But if they did, ultimately I believe it is there choice. The state has a role to educate people of the risks of certain activities. Playing rugby is dangerous and a lot of people get killed or badly (and I expect baseball or hockey is the same in the US)... people who take part know this and accept it.
I really dont see any moral argument that can apply to criminalising say speed, that doesnt apply to criminalising cigarettes and alcohol.
Force the people who sell these things into the light and treat them the same as the currently legal crugs people use in my view:
* Force the sellers to include health warnings
* Force some control of the "dosage" at least insofar as information and the prohibition of "cutting" the drugs with simple poison or varying strengths. (because a lot of ODs come from people taking something stronger than they expect)
* Take out the gangs, the hooligans and the criminals from the whole trade and tax it instead
* Regulate sale so it is only to adults (yes, thats hard to enforce, but its hard to enforce now too)
And if an extra 50,000 people choose to kill themselves by abusing these substances (and I dont believe that they would) is not that, ultimately and as harsh as this may sound, their own choice? What right to I have to say that another man shouldnt take 20 years of his life by taking too much cocaine? About as much right as I have to say he shouldnt take 20 years off his life by smoking cigarettes...
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"Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate,
for all things are plain in the sight of Heaven. For nothing
hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain
without being uncovered."
The Gospel of Thomas
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