"Indeed, if legalization were to occur, I'd be the first on the bandwagon to take those supreme rights to do what I saw fit and force all of my employees and government fund recipients to take a drug test. Failure would mean no job, and no benefits. If I were an insurance company I would demand drug testing of all covered people and refuse to cover drug users. Same applies to loan applicants"
Thanks! Common sense would still exists after all! And you are not alone...So why would drug use spike up?
Did I say it would spike up? No. But I think its reasonable to say it would increase. Just as lowering the legal age for alcohol to 13 would increase drinking by teenagers. But whether it would increase or not isn't really what we have been discussing.
I'm stating that I don't think that legalization will be the panacea that you think it will. Users of destructive drugs will still be marginalized, will still cause problems for society, will most likely increase in number, and the current tort atmosphere won't even allow it to operate, even if its technically legal. Again I use the lawn dart analogy. Some people would love to purchase some old fashioned lawn darts, but there are no companies willing to manufacture them.
Advertising, marketing, ready availability, ability to buy and use without penalty; eventually without stigma, guaranteed quality, no dealer ripoffs, mainstreaming, liquor store and supermarket POS displays, radio spots, TV commercials, celebrity endorsements.