The drugs have significant cash value only so long as they are illegal.

The illicit global drug trade is an enormous cash cow for criminal elements, including terrorists.

It is in the interest of those who are reaping the huge profits from this covert commerce in contraband to maintain the prohibition.

In additon, an enormous bureaucracy has developed among the law enforcement agencies trying to bust the dealers, producers, and consumers of the banned substances. These guys too will all oppose legalization because their jobs (and power) depend on the Drug War continuing.

If you eliminate all of the middlemen, and reduce the equation to its fundamental form, what we are left with is a situation where American tax dollars help fund criminals, including terrorists.

Business as usual.

sp