I’ve long wanted to see a middle ground where doctors would be charged with the responsibility to choose what medications are appropriate for people, so long as it is not blatantly intended for harm. That would go for things not blessed by the FDA, as well as medicinal uses of things that are street drugs.
But this is details. What is needed in general is a gospel enlightenment.
I don’t think any true Christian would argue with the need for the Good News to reach people everywhere.
Francis, though, is addressing a particular social problem — drug abuse, addiction.
I, too, think that criminalization hasn’t worked. I saw a piece on the news in the last 24 hours about a kid who had some pot and some pot brownies, and he’s up for life imprisonment...no violence, no drug running, no cartels.
The middle ground is controlled access....things like heroin and crack only through a prescription. Things like pot, only from a state liquor store with all the same restrictions that we have on alcohol, age of purchase, dui penalties, etc.