Hey, Rep. Paul. It has been tried, up until a bit over a century ago narcotics and cocaine were legal and readily available. If you want to go there again you should not only discuss the problems resulting from drug criminalization, but also the problems that led to their criminalization. Maybe you can still win your case, maybe not, but pretending their is just one side to the case doesn’t help your arguments. Promoting freedom of choice is fine, but when the substances under consideration interfere with your free will regarding that choice the issues, even in adults, become more complicated.
Actually a lot less than a century ago. Most drugs were legal in most states until well into the 60s. We won WWII with drugs legal, they can’t be that bad.