Ya....it didn't end murder so maybe under your logic we should decrimilize murder since it still happens with all the laws.
People who used drugs back then suffered the consequences and died. There was no welfare system that allows people to do drugs all day and ignor their children and responsibilities. Unproductive, lazy, irresponsible people usually suffered from natural consequences that were great examples to children (rather than the media's glorification of all that makes one irresponsible.)
Great point, and impossible to argue either the facts or the logic.
The unintended consequence of our social programs is that they empower the prolonged use of debilitating drugs and alcohol. If people are too strung out to get a job, they'd normally just starve or freeze to death - essentially, we'd have Mr. Darwin working his magic.
But, with welfare, tax credits and food stamps, the "users and abusers" now just have to make it to the first of each month - a much lower threshold for existence than what was in place in 1850.