We should listen to this

[Rev. Rye]

Do it like my country did

Economic advise from portugal?

Well, I'll just let RationalWiki explain:

Portugal has taken the war on drugs to a new level - by decriminalising all personal use. Although the law was passed by the socialist government in 2001, the conservatives kept the law when they gained power the following year, and transferred the country's drug and addiction institute from the justice ministry to the health ministry.[3]

The effect of the law has been a reduction in teenage use of the drugs, and a reduction in HIV cases caused by sharing needles.[4] The country has also saved money - originally part of the law's intention - as treatment of drug takers costs less than imprisonment.

Simply put, decriminalising drugs has worked in Portugal; drug use is down, money has been saved by the government, and I'll just let Bill Hicks talk some more:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DX9T6A4lsk

[Rhizomorph13]

Those "market forces" you mention Adrian are running the drug cartels, now. They are perfect little capitalists aren't they? They take all the risks. They make all the money. They bribe whoever needs bribing.


Supply and demand run amok!

Supply and demand working as intended. It should come as no surprise that when you cut the supply side then you simply increase the price of a much demanded product. Market forces don't "run" anything, they simply influence the price that commodities are worth. Your first four sentences(except the idea that market forces "run" anything) are very rational and exactly as I see the problem. What are you saying exactly? Should we keep them illegal?

If the government made puppies illegal then you better believe that the price of puppies would go through the roof. Hopefully they wouldn't cut them with rat poison.

Capitalism is just a model used to make predictions about markets. It isn't perfect but it certainly takes into account the biological imperative of all humans to seek out and satiate their needs and wants. Supply and demand never runs amok, it simply reacts to market forces. Government regulation is such a force.

[Jaysyn]

I'm actually quite surprised why religion isn't on the bandwagon of legalising of drugs... Would of thought they would be like 'these substances are the creation of god, and we cannot prevent each other from experiencing and using them!'

God created those substances to tempt people and test their faith, not to get high with.

And Genesis 1:29 & 9:3 says they don't read their own Bible.