Yes. Most of the crime, thuggery, and murder is directly tied to the drug trade, as is forced prostitution (rape). I'm not at all impressed with "casual users" who simply finance the criminal organizations.
Again, my point is that if you want to legalize drug use, argue for it on its own merits. I'm not an advocate, so I'd be happy to accomodate you.
Abuse in search and seizure is a separate issue. It shouldn't be used as a red herring for legalizing drugs.
Obviously, this is because drugs are illegal.
Then, in your eyes, around a fourth of the US population must be guilty of genocide.
Most of the crime, thuggery, and murder is directly tied to the drug trade, as is forced prostitution (rape). I'm not at all impressed with "casual users" who simply finance the criminal organizations.
That's what happens when high-demand products are driven into the black market. Take my native Russia as an example. Their transition to capitalism has admittedly been far from smooth, but now that western clothing and music are no longer banned, no one gets beaten or killed over a pair of jeans or a Beatles record.
Again, my point is that if you want to legalize drug use, argue for it on its own merits.
Gladly! The WOD has been immoral from the very beginning - racist and fraudulent in its origins, even more disastrous than the alcohol prohibition out of which it grew, and continues to be an inexcusable assault on freedom to this very day. I could go on for pages, but 1) I type slow, and 2) the burden of proof is not on ME to argue why drug users don't belong in cages, but rather on the WODies to argue why they do. The practical (less abuse of search & seizure, less violent crime, etc.) is inseparable from the moral, and will logically follow.