SgtRock

It does help when we lock up drug addicts. Addicts commit crimes including murder to get cash to buy drugs. It happens all the time. If we legalize drugs should we also supply them to anyone who wants them? Otherwise some will do whatever it takes to get more drugs.

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Panther

We should legalize the purchase of drugs, but keep it illegal to use them.

That way we can tax them, keep the prices down so there are no related crimes - yet we can still discourage their use.

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Binary_Digit

That's true, but your "solution" defeats its own purpose because black market prices are notoriously inflated. That means addicts are much less likely to be able to support their habit without stealing. If you're truly concerned about addicted people stealing to afford drugs, then you should support getting rid of conditions that make it even more likely that they will.

Compared to illicit drugs, how often are crimes committed to get cash to buy alcohol?

How many violent liquor cartels do you know of?

That brings up a good point. Legalize does not mean glamorize. It does not mean passing out syringes at schools, and it does not mean allowing people to smoke crack in front of Toys R. Us. It means discouraging their use with means other than the law.

I'm all for taxing the heck out of drugs, and using the money for research, treatment, and education/prevention. Right now the taxpayers pay taxes on drugs they don't even use (indirectly via the overpopulated prison system), while thug organizations like the Gulf Cartel rake in tax-free dollars by the millions.

When a solution causes more problems than it solves, it's time for another solution.

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