[Cold Heat]

Right!

Most drug users are contributing members of society, as are most legal alcoholics.

Skid row will always be skid row and that is the stereo type most often used.

As you stated, it is a health problem and has some health remedies that have not been implemented.

As to legalization, I cannot seem to justify it as of yet. But, the legal penalties for use are ridiculous in some states.

As to the dealer, There must be a financial and loss of freedoms cost. We cannot have them selling to our kids.

I view this similarly to prostitution. it does no good to put the john in jail.

[uncbob]

We cannot have them selling to our kids.

If they were legal what makes you think they would be selling to kids anymore than people now sell alcohol to kids

I venture to say the big money is not made selling to kids or addicts but recreational users

I remember Daryl Gates saying he doesn't blame the adddicts but the occassional users.He said if all the recreational users would quit the drug lords couldn't make enough selling to addicts to make it financially profitable( I wondered why it didn't extend that to alcohol users .If all non alcoholics quit drinking the booze companies couldn't stay in business just selling to the alkis)

[Hemingway's Ghost]

As to legalization, I cannot seem to justify it as of yet. But, the legal penalties for use are ridiculous in some states.

As to the dealer, There must be a financial and loss of freedoms cost. We cannot have them selling to our kids.

A few arguments to consider:

Why not relegalization? Criminalization hasn't solved the problem. Arguably it can't. Arguably, the criminalization of drug usage and drug distribution (certain types) has led to the erosion of privacy, the expansion of government at all levels, and the amount of money spent by all levels of government, requiring higher taxes. How is supporting the erosion of rights, the expansion of government, and higher taxes a valid conservative stance? Every conservative bone in my body tells me we should be jealously safeguarding all of our rights (I know privacy isn't an enumerated one, but it's in there nonetheless), reducing the size of government at all levels, and reducing taxes.