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Wow... an intelligent argument. Thank you.

I have engaged in debates with Greens and Libertarians on the issue of the WOD and often they will cite the fact that Denmark legalized marijuana and now they have no marijuana problem.

I did some research though and found out that since Denmark legalized marijuana, use by teens has increased pretty dramatically (to around 25%) but even worse, the use of hard drugs (coke, heroin, meth) has increased by 5X.

Could you cite your sources?

Also, I didn't know Denmark had adopted such a policy. Are you sure you don't mean the Netherlands?

Marijuana is not legal in Denmark. According to their government statistics 9% of all youths 16 to 20 reported past month cannabis use on their last government survey. http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/?nnodeid=435 (click on the 2004 Denmark pdf link and click "Drug Use in the Population" on the Table of Contents) We don't have numbers set out for 16 to 20 year olds, but it is obvious from our numbers that use among our youth in the same age range is much higher. On our 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health 13.6% of 16 and 17 year olds reported past month use, and 18.9% of 18 to 20 year olds reported past month marijuana use.

http://oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/2k5NSDUH/tabs/Sect1peTabs1to66.htm#Tab1.7B

http://oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/2k5NSDUH/tabs/Sect1peTabs1to66.htm#Tab1.8B

Clearly marijuana use is higher among young people in this country than in Denmark. The report I read did not talk about hard drugs much. the only numbers I saw were for how many had ever tried a particular drug and those numbers appear to be lower than corresponding numbers in the U.S. as well. I'm not sure where you got your data and your information on Denmark's marijuana laws, but it appears to be wrong.

If you want to see an interesting graph that shows marijuana use numbers for "young adults" 15 to 34 in the U.S. compared to European countries I found one here:

http://ar2005.emcdda.europa.eu/en/page004-en.html

Marijuana use is a hair higher in the Czech Republic than it is here, but a greater percentage of Americans smoke marijuana than all other Europeans, including the notorious Dutch with their coffeeshops that sell marijuana and hashish right from the menu. Numbers for the Brits and the French are close to ours though for young adults. Numbers for the Danes and the Dutch are below the European average.

I did some research though and found out that since Denmark legalized marijuana, use by teens has increased pretty dramatically (to around 25%) but even worse, the use of hard drugs (coke, heroin, meth) has increased by 5X

Marijuana is not legal in Denmark. It was decriminalized in 2004. Small amounts get you a fine...for first offense.

The statistics you refer to were for 1994 and 2000. 1994 Teens reporting marijuana lifetime use...25%. Teens reporting use last thirty days...8%. The official Danish stats do not show an increase since the change in 2004.
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