Drug Legalization: How to Radically Lower the Number of Murders in New Orleans
Walter Block at LewRockwell.com - it's very simple really. Legalizing drugs gets organized crime out of the drug market, completely. It ends lots of gang violence. There is really no downside, unless you're an organized criminal who makes tons of money from the black market. Sorta makes you wonder whose side the drug warriors are on, eh? [lew]
When alcohol was prohibited (1920--1933) gangs fought it out in the streets with machine guns for the right to sell their bathtub gin. Innocent bystanders were killed in the cross fire, just as at present. Backwoods stills killed still more, with their battery acid products. Nowadays, peace reigns in this industry. Johnny Walker and Four Roses compete with each other not with bullets, but in terms of the traditional commercial aspects of price, advertising, availability, quality, reputation, etc. The Mafia is no longer involved. No one dies, no one, in the creation, manufacture, wholesaling, distribution, transportation, retailing of this product. For similar reasons, the same beneficial effects will ensue when, and as soon as, we legalize drugs.