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You've got a point there...if we follow the trail back to origin, any number of things might become "tainted". That is a weak argument against illicit drug use, isn't it?

On the other hand, diamonds and SUV's aren't distorters of perception. Society (i.e. Us and the government we have elected) have found it necessary to limit or criminalize substances which can change the entire affect of a person, making him at least potentially dangerous to himself and others.

Oh, I almost forgot: Alcohol is included in there too. It is indeed a powerful substance. It is restricted by the government but not illegal. That may be hypocritical of our society. Wouldn't surprise me. Still I wouldn't want to legalize marijuana just in order to be "consistent".

Society (i.e. Us and the government we have elected) have found it necessary to limit or criminalize substances which can change the entire affect of a person, making him at least potentially dangerous to himself and others.

For more than 4 in 10 convicted murderers being held either in jail or in State prison, alcohol use is reported to have been a factor in the crime. Nearly half of those convicted of assault and sentenced to probation had been drinking when the offense occurred.

About a quarter of the women on probation nationwide had been drinking at the time of their offense compared to more than 40% of male probationers (figure 30). For those convicted of public-order crimes, nearly two-thirds of women and three-quarters of men had been drinking at the time of the offense.

On an average day in 1996, an estimated 5.3 million convicted offenders were under the supervision of criminal justice authorities. Nearly 40% of these offenders, about 2 million, had been using alcohol at the time of the offense for which they were convicted.

Explain the discrepancy.