Even if there was enough of an increase in health care costs to cancel out the decrease in police/court/prison costs, we'd still be seeing a pretty considerable decrease in the amount of needless suffering that goes on as a result of our drug policies. Every year, a huge number of people go to jail for recreational drug use; in addition to the fact that jail itself isn't much fun, even once these people get out they are stuck with that criminal record for the rest of their life, which makes it incredibly hard to get a good job, get a bank loan, and so forth--and that, in turn, is more likely to drive them to commit real crimes. We're ruining these people's lives because they want to put a recreational chemical into their own bodies. I don't think it's right. Not to mention the fact that the illegality of drugs in the US plays a large causal role in the cartel violence that's turning the Mexican border into a warzone.
Also, it's worth pointing out that the main reason people use meth is because it's a much cheaper alternative to stimulants like cocaine. If things like cocaine were legal, they'd be cheaper and there would be much less incentive for people to use drugs like meth. Plus, I doubt the use of hard drugs like that would be non-stigmatized even if it were legal. Alcoholism is legal but there's definitely a stigma attached; I think the same would be true of meth addiction, heroin addiction, and so on.
Right... to repeat what I said, some states/localities are moving to relax their laws, but many others aren't, so I don't think we can make a general statement that "pot is slowly becoming more legal". I think it's great that Michigan is one of the states that is relaxing it's marijuana laws, but that doesn't change my point. Aside from Michigan, California, and maybe a few others, most of the 50 states aren't doing anything like this, and neither is the federal government.
Yeah, he probably would. He doesn't make the laws, though. His willingness to let pot slide will only matter if and when Congress decides to repeal the legislation that criminalizes marijuana possession, and sends the bill to him for a signature. And that doesn't look like it's going to happen anytime soon. So, again, my point stands.Originally Posted by Bowzer
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