Answers to Prohibitionist Questions
  Questions are from the Drug Enforcement Adminstration
The answers are mine - also, see DRCNet's Responses
Some of my answers were inspired by DRCNet's

Q: Should all drugs be legalized?
A: It depends on who you ask. Many anti-prohibitionists are focused specifically on marijuana. Others want to stop imprisoning people and provide more treatment instead. There are many views. What most have in common is the view that locking people up does no good.
 

Q: Who will determine which segments of the population will have access to legalized drugs?
A: Criminals make that decision now. Again, anti-prohibitionists vary in their views, but none of them suggest that distribution be controlled by criminals.
 

Q: Will they be limited only to people over eighteen?
A: There is a very strong consensus among Repeal advocates that it would be illegal to give or sell drugs to minors. The current distribution system makes no distinction, except perhaps to target the young as they are more vulnerable. Prohibition diverts law enforcement resources away from protecting children.
 

Q: Will cocaine, heroin, LSD and PCP be made available if people request them?
A: Under the current system all of these drugs are widely available, with no quality control.
 

Q:   Who will sell drugs? The government? Private companies?
A: Criminals sell them now. Some Repeal advocates favor government control of the market. Others favor a wide-open free market. There are many views.
 

Q:   And who is liable for damages caused by drug use and the activities of those taking drugs?
A: No one is liable now. Current liability laws pertaining to alcohol would extend easily to drugs, providing greater protection to the populace.

Q:   Who will collect the revenues generated by the drug sales?
A: Currently they are collected by criminals, who use them to buy guns and to corrupt politicians, police, etc. Repeal views vary, ranging from government to the private sector.
 

Q:   How will a black market for cheaper drugs be controlled?
A: We have an uncontrolled black market now. Legalization would eliminate the black market.
 

Q:   Who will bear the costs to society of increased drug use?
Q:   How will society care for and pay for the attendant social costs of increased drug use, including family disintegration and child neglect?
A: The same as now. However, we would not have to bear the cost of supporting 500,000 inmates 100,000+ prohibition enforcers. While drug use might well increase, it would also shift to less harmful drugs. Alcohol prohibition shifted consumption from beer to liquor. Repeal shifted consumption back (see Thornton ). Repeal of prohibition would probably increase marijuana use significantly, but would at the same time reduce use of harder drugs.  Drugs would be safer because of quality control - not a high priority for criminals. As for families and children, prison causes far more harm than drugs.
 

Q:   How will absenteeism and loss of productivity be addressed by business?
A: The same way they are now. On the plus side, people who use drugs will be less afraid to seek treatment since they won't risk prison.
 

Q:   Will the local drug situation in a community dictate which drugs are sold where?
A: Criminals make those decisions now. I used to say that kids in our local high school can get any drug they want if they try hard enough. Then I talked to some of the kids. Their responses: "You don't have to try"; "The drugs come to you"; and "All you have to do is ask."
 

Q:   Will people still need prescriptions for currently controlled medications, such as antibiotics, if drugs are legalized?
Q:   Will legal drugs require prescriptions?
A: Under the current system, prescriptions are not required at all. Drug war critics have different views on questions like this, but all agree that repeal of prohibition will reduce such problems.
 

Q:   Can anyone, regardless of physical or medical conditions purchase drugs?
A: They can now, but the criminals who sell them are generally unable to provide any counseling on the effect of drugs on the particular condition.
 

Q:   How will we deal with the influx of people to the United States who will seek legal drugs?
A: They'll replace of the influx of criminals who come to the US now to sell illegal drugs, bringing guns and disease with them.
 

Q:   Can we begin a legalization pilot program in your neighborhood for one year?
A: Legalization in a single neighborhood would not eliminate the black market, and would create problems with the influx of drug users. No drug war critic proposes legalization in one neighborhood. Drug policy reform is a national issue
 

Q:   Should the distribution outlets be located in the already overburdened inner city?
A: That's where they are now. Views differ, but no drug war critic advocates an inner city concentration.

Q: I have a case, and I'd like to find out more information about the court. What should I do?

A: Try the traffic court and criminal court directory.

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