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Drug use is down among youth

http://www.nida.nih.gov/infofacts/HSYouthtrends.html

I find the whole drug war debate annoying. One of the most popular myths is that prohibition did not work. The incidence of alcoholism and alcohol related disease was much reduced during prohibition. Consumption was also reduced.

Presumably, muslim countries have rampant alcoholism-- but they don't. I am not suggesting that we return to these policies but libertarians keep foisting this idea that by legalizing all things life will get better. Russia's biggest problem is alcoholism. I don't think it is because they prohibit it.

I guess I'll go out on a limb here and say I would not mind if every car in the US had a breathalyzer. I don't think people should be able to operate vehicles under the influence.

Most of the people I know who want to legalize marijuana don't want to do so for fiscal or reduction reasons. They want to legalize it so they can get it easier. Libertarianism is in my experience a dodge for having serious values-- let the market decides because I never will.

I am not as aggressive with government as libertarian stereotypes suggest but things like public smoking bans do actually appeal to me. The religion issue is interesting to me because I don't see people saying, "make religion illegal in public and you will make it more popular."

Well, the gov may have succeeded in making farmers rich, but doubt the program achieved its aim of alleviating a 'food shortage'. Ultimately, I'd bet even farmers were hurt, if not financially, morally.

And ya, the drug debate is often characterized as a black and white issue, when cultural differences also play a large roll. Also, in muslim countries they have raised the threshold of punishment (death in some cases) so high as to make risking bootlegging etc.. unnacceptable. It is a complex issue, but I still think legalization is the answer.

Do you have any info/link on how drinking rates went down during prohbition? Never heard that one, or even knew it was measured. The 'failure' of prohibition mentioned in the article was referring to the rise of organized crime and public corruption resulting from prohbitionist attempts.

The incidence of alcoholism and alcohol related disease was much reduced during prohibition. Consumption was also reduced.

Not true. Reductions were measured during the first year of prohibition. As organized crime grew to supply the demand so did consumption, alcoholism and alcohol deaths. Teenagers dying from alcohol overdose became epidemic. That's why Pauline Sabin led the Mothers of America march on Washington to repeal prohibition. They did it "for the children".
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