Update: This post needs a lot more explanation than I initially provided. Basically, our “War on Drugs” has been a colossal failure. People die daily of drug overdoses. Drug crime has infested and corrupted every corner of our nation. The U.S. illegal drug market finances murder and mayhem throughout the rest of the world. Our grant and aid programs within the U.S. and throughout the world have corrupted every level of government. I could go on but you already know all of this and more. Doubling down on a losing streak is not a winning strategy.
For mood-altering substances, I suggest allowing licensed sellers to supply them to adults, but require a doctor’s prescription to supply them to children. Instead of proposing a detailed program to deal with all the related externalities, I refer you to economist Paul Heyne’s essay linked below. Heyne clearly explains the issues involved and suggests a program to deal with them.
Paul Heyne, An Economic Perspective on Illegal Drugs
Published 2022/08/13