There is no "moral value" in legalizing alcohol, presuming we can define what is "moral" or "immoral" about using mood-altering substances -- I suppose you could argue there is no "moral value" in legalizing chocolate, or coffee.
There is certainly economic value in legalizing drugs, in the same sense there would be economic value in legalizing drinking. You can make money selling drugs, and selling alchohol. But the use of both also costs society time and money, and it's an open debate whether the economic gain trumps the economic losses. I'd argue that's not a question for government to decide.
No analogy is perfect, and it depends what part of the argument you are dealing with which analogy is useful. The driving analogy is useful when looking at the question of "increased risk of harm to others" from an activity, and my point was that we accept increased risk of harm to others based on how much "value" we put on the activity; As you note, you put no value on drug use, so you would probably have a very low tolerance for "increased risk", while you probably put a high value on driving, so you would have a higher tolerance for "increased risk".
“As you note, you put no value on drug use, so you would probably have a very low tolerance for ‘increased risk’, while you probably put a high value on driving, so you would have a higher tolerance for ‘increased risk’.”
Your argument is spot on! As a society, we must decide what “increased risk” for any activity is acceptable, but most push their points from “moral” points of view.
The environ-nazis say that driving a water-fueled car is the only “moral” thing to do. Yet, those that work in the oil industry belief that the “moral” thing to do is to let them make a living to support their families! Each has a point of view based on their “morals” and their risk factors.
We must find a happy medium, but it should be a fair discussion, not - drugs are bad, so let’s not allow people to have them. You can die from too much water in-take, should we regulate how much each person is allowed to purchase?
Where do we draw the line? I say, at my front door. Again, what I do in my home is my business! If I make perfect $100 forgeries, and then put them in a picture frame to be hung on my wall, I can still be arrested, even though my prefect forgeries were never intentioned for illegal purposes! To me, this makes absolutely NO since! Of course, if I was making those forgeries with the intent of distributing them into the economy, then I am in fact causing harm OUTSIDE my home! My property is my domain, I rule over ALL on that property - unless my actions hurt or are intended to hurt others!