You have made a very insightful point that is often lost in this debate. Although drug legalization is often a part of a larger libertarian ideology, it would be a disaster if it were implemented on its own apart from the other components of the libertarian program.
As long as welfare and food assistance programs are in place, new addicts who divert their money and labors to their drug use will force taxpayers to pay for more of the food and housing costs for them and their children. Without first making real reforms to how we support those who refuse to work or can't support their families, drug legalization risks dramatically increasing this burden on those that do work.
Unless hospital emergency rooms are closed to the indigent and those who can't pay for medical care are left to die, the added cost of dealing with mass addiction and its consequences will be left to the taxpayers. The first debate has to be whether we want to live in a world without universal medical care before we risk increasing its cost.
If the criminal justice system is still publicly funded and criminals are housed in prisons rather than executed or exiled, taxpayers will have to cover the added burden of convicting and housing those who commit crimes in drug altered states or the crimes they commit to fund their addictions. Taxpayers will also have to deal with the extra burdens placed on law enforcement as well as the terrible consequences of the crimes themselves.
Drug legalization on its own would ultimately increase the role and scope of government in all aspects of our lives. I think that this may be why it is generally the political left that supports drug legalization as it furthers the rest of their agenda. No legislative changes which would increase the availability of addictive and mind altering drugs should happen before significant contractions of the welfare state are made.
How can it cost more money if the drug addicts supply their own drugs
If anything it will cause an explosion in agrarian culture.
You don't understand the prohibition black market at all! If the govt gets it's nose outta peoples flower gardens the problem will resolve itself shortly.
I’m through with the argument that we have to keep losing our rights and freedoms to this failed drug war because omg, it might cost more in welfare(!). First, our rights are worth more than that. Let’s say it doubles the cost. So instead of $25 billion, it’s $50 billion. Really...? That’s what we’re worried about? Never mind $1.2 TRILLION the feds go into the hole every year....we gotta make sure them potheads don’t get free munchies! Anyone who has a grip on 7th grade math and the exponential function knows this entire system is going to collapse. Not may, not possibly, it simply WILL. Period. How about we get some of our freedoms back and let the math problem reach it’s unavoidable end anyway?