It is not a repressive regime. The millions of Americans in jail for drug offenses is repression. If the government would just stop the dealers permanently there would be vastly fewer people in prison.
The drug world loves to start them young. They hook them and destroy their lives before they can even get started. All the inner city violence stems from this very drug trade. Dead dealers don’t deal any more!
Dealers don't card - only in a legal regulated market can age restrictions be enforced.