Repeal Drug Prohibition? Yes? No? Why? Why not?

The U.S. has --for the better part of a century-- attempted to regulate the use and distribution of psychoactive plants and chemical compounds by way of legal and penal systems. Courts are inundated with cases and the government can't build prisons fast enough.

If the government was REALLY concerned about public health, shouldn't alcohol, tobacco, trans-fats, etc. be criminalized as well?

Answers:
Yes, because:

1) It violates nearly every principle upon which th US was founded
2) It is a waste of money, police manpower, court and correctional resources, etc.
3) It was founded in racism and maintains that objective under color of law
4) It would deprive terrorists, organized crime syndicates, cartels, gangs, etc. of their major economic base
5) Addicts would know the strength of their drugs every time and would be less likely to overdose
6) Patients suffering from pain would be allowed all the medicine they need to cope with living
7) No pollutants unleashed on the environment by drug crop-eradication programs

Jeeze--I could go on and on...
Its not so easy. You can make a good case that legalizing or decriminalizing these substances and viewing drug addiction as a social/medical problem rather than a criminal one makes sense. You could make a very strong case. But you would need to find a politician or group of them who will back you up, attempt to convince the people, have a plan rather than just going at it haphazardly, then take the hits if it doesn't go as expected.

Frankly only a very altruistic type would be willing to do something like that. I.e., someone not involved in politics, and thus who has no control over what laws are made. No one is going to sacrifice their career on such a gamble regardless of what good it might do. They would be quick to be attacked by their opponents and the public is so fickle, the whole idea would be very likely to backfire.
I agree..also idling cars, smoking in cars and homes with children, gambling, I mean if you are going to regulate some evils, do it with all.

The plain fact of the matter is that the courts are too overworked to deal with petty drug possession charges (and I mean pot or something not meth or heroin). De-criminalizing pot would allow for more police and legal time and money to deal with the greater drug issues. If it were government regulated it could be taxed and the money used for drug treatment and prevention campaigns. There would no longer be any stigma of supporting organized crime if the pot were bought by the government.

Also, to be honest, I've seen a million surly drunks who fight, crash cars and the like, but I have never seen an angry pot head. The worst you will do is eat till you fall asleep whislt talking about politics or something.

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