So should we treat alcohol and tobacco like the other drugs? Or treat the other drugs like alcohol and tobacco?
Tobacco, specifically nicotine, is highly addictive. Since 1990 tobacco use has dropped 50% How was that accomplished? Education. The alcohol prohibition turf wars demonstrated that alcohol prohibition was a dismal failure. Politicians and bureaucrats chose to repeat history. The consequences to come from their choice was know yet they still made the choice. End drug prohibition and it ends the violent crime problem it facilitated. Then, and only then can the drug problem be addressed rationally, honestly.
Excellent post Zon, and it sums up my arguments for legalizing these drugs.