It is a fact that drug use was higher at one time. Sigificantly higher. The laws were the same, and what brought it down was enforcement and an attitude change. You're proposing the elimination of enforcement and a relaxation of our attitude about drugs -- legalization, unlike decriminalization, sends the message that drug use isn't so bad.
Given that, my point is that with those factors removed -- the factors that were responsible for the decline -- we could easily go back to where we were in 1979. A 200% increase.
That makes my 50% estimate look reasonable. That was my point.
Now, if your point is that, with legalization, drug use will drop 99% (to where is was when drugs used to be legal), fine.
So, on the one hand, I say that with legalization, drug use could increase from 6% of the population to 9%. You say it could decrease 99%. Who's off their meds?
Zon: And meaningless correlation which is irrelevant anyhow.
It is a fact that drug use was higher at one time.
I never said nor implied otherwise. You used the correlation of high usage to low usage -- comparing one to the other. Correlation is not causation. I even mocked you for trying to pass of correlation as causation.
You've shown nothing to verify causation is enforcement. At best you've shown correlation. I think the decrease in illicit drug use from 1979 is not casue by increased law enforcement...
When Lt. Jack Cole of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition ( LEAP) gives presentations at colleges he asks the audience, "How many of you don't do drugs because they're against the law?", seldom does even one person raise their hand.
So, on the one hand, I say that with legalization, drug use could increase from 6% of the population to 9%. You say it could decrease 99%. Who's off their meds?
I told you I was mocking you -- Do you realize how completely stupid what you wrote is? Mocking you:...236 -- when I wrote the absurd 99% decrease. I used correlation to mock you. You've made a futile attempt to assert that I intended it to be causation rather than me mocking your correlation.
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Law Enforcement Against Prohibition -- LEAP. Their member ship is strictly persons that are or have careers in the justice system and fought the war on drugs. Judges, prosecutors, LEOs, DEA, etc.