cmhbob,
I would like the opportunity to respectfully address the concerns you have brought up without completely redirecting the OP's thread.
My comparison with alcohol prohibition was that we still 80-odd years later have problems with alcohol: drunk drivers; underage usage; binge drinking; addicts. Those aren't going to go away if we legalize drugs. In fact, I suspect it will get much worse than we have now, for several years.
Yes, I agree that we have problems with alcohol and we still have a black market (moonshiners). However, that market and violence has been greatly reduced and some of those moonshiners do become legal producers and operate within the law because it is more lucrative and legal.
Drunk drivers are DEFINITELY a problem and for that I believe education has taken some very big steps to help in the prevention and we should continue to invest in that.
On your next two points I begin to disagree. I was lucky enough to attend to a decent college (by taking college loans) where I was given the freedom to make decisions and sometimes learn the hard way. My parents gave me some pretty strong morals but let me go my own way. Let me tell you I drank when I was "underage" in college. I could have been drafted to fight for our country but I could not have a beer or 12 (haha). I drank a lot and I learned what a hangover really felt like and what throwing up felt like and what falling down steps felt like. But I was learning for myself. I did not cause a problem for anyone else because I did not want to disappoint my PARENTS and what they had instilled. I learned that binge drinking did not feel good when, as an adult, I had responsibilities that I had to attend to and could not do them drunk or hungover.
As far as addicts are concerned, my opinion, is there there will always be addiction. I am addicted to this app on my phone. My opinion is that, it is a matter of directing that energy towards something useful. Parenting is the first line of defense followed by lifetime of education because legalizing alcohol didn't make alcoholics.
Other thoughts regarding legalization: where's the roadside test (and lab-tested accepted intoxication level) for marijuana, or heroin, or coke? What are the international cartels going to do when there's no black market any more? Are they going to suddenly straighten up and start obeying import laws? What about all the anti-drug task forces? What are those cops going to do when their raison d'etre goes away? It's going to be hard to turn them off.
The roadside test to me is not a valid concern because there has not always been a hand held breath test. A free market will develop a product to meet the need when the time comes, until then we will have to depend on solid police work to detect the people driving under the influence of drugs. Which is already a crime just to be under the influence and operating a vehicle.
My question is, does there have to be an "accepted level"? Personally I think the accepted level should be - using drugs = no driving - and if you do you are treated just like a DUI. Just my thought on a way forward.
For the international cartels all I can say is that they will have to find another market to supply with their products. Once drugs can be legally produced, bought, sold and taxed within our borders the demand for their services will disappear and with it so will they.
The US is one pretty hefty consumer of illegal drugs and if we disappear from that market it will be a significant blow to the drug business.
Lastly, comes the drug task forces. Yes, they can go away and get a job in the newly legal drug business. The money the taxpayers save can be put into the education systems for our children to help them make the right decisions. Maybe the government will give it back to us... (sarcasm)
In my opinion, the "answer" is not control of the populace by a government entity but control of the government by the people. My suggestion is that we begin by parenting and educating our children, instilling a moral compass, and then letting them experience the world and make their own mistakes.
I apologize if this takes the thread way off course but I think cmhbob had some good discussion points and I would like to hear what others think.
