Agreed - but criminalizing those substances has failed to achieve that end, and has enriched violent criminals.
By what standard?
Are alcohol and other drugs being used? Is there any evidence for a significant difference in use when legal as compared to when illegal?
“Are alcohol and other drugs being used? Is there any evidence for a significant difference in use when legal as compared to when illegal?”
Yes, one can look at violent crime, murder rate during prohibition and compare to recent times...and, would legalizing encourage usage or diminish it? Usage is what causes most of the violence, abuse, etc.