Decriminalize or Legalize?

The Decriminalization of Drugs gets Society off the hook it hung itself on, a hook which forces it to pay for the long-term incarceration of people convicted of minor drug offenses.

Once this has been accomplished, the social costs of drug addiction yet remain as a cost to society, and the treatment of any addictions will be usually handled by government agencies of one sort or another.

The Legalization of Drugs, however, creates a situation wherein there can be legislation establishing and regulating the economic activity of such drugs, and the proper assignment of social costs connected to drug use can be made; that is, the companies which wish to provide drugs will pay for drug treatment programs.

This will reduce their profits in the exact same way that Clean Air laws reduce the profits of coal burning energy companies.

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