Well, Tom, you could empty the prisons by legalizing murder, burglary, and whatever. Send the highway patrols home but doing away with speed limits, and so on.

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First, drugs ARE legal. The use of them is restricted. It's not generally know, but there were more addicts by percentage in the early 1900's than there are now, and that's why the snake oil, cure-all remedies were so popular. Bigawd, you DID feel better!

Was the reason for the FDA. Too many addicts.

With only 1% of the population allergic to peanuts I understand the airlines have stopped serving them.

About 15% of the population has problems with alcohol and other drugs. It's genetic.

If you think you can write off a huge proportion of the population then legalize the unrestricted use of drugs. You will not stop the crime. There will be more, a lot more, incapacitated people who won't be able to afford them legally.

And, lots more problems. Heck, alcohol has been involved in most of the violence I've seen, most domestic abuse, and about half the traffic deaths. And I think a lot of others would have alcohol involved if the cops didn't think people had enough trouble and not write it up.

I realize I won't change your mind on this. And, while what is being done isn't working at all well, it's a nice problem to have compared to what would come down the pike legalizing the stuff.

By the way, the Taliban did a good job of shutting down the Afghani opium production. The propaganda was that they were producing it and using the funds to create mischief. Propaganda.

And now the Afghans are ramping up production again.

Arf