Talk:Debate/Topics/Drug Prohibition

Is there actually any evidence that shows that when drugs are legal, drug abuse increases? Drug use does not mean drug abuse; people experimenting with reasonable amounts of cocaine or smoking a nightly joint after work are not drug abusers. Guanaco 04:48, 29 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * I agree with you, but you can no doubt imagine how difficult it is to find any kind of honest comparison. I don't have statistics on hand, but after an initial upsurge in marijuana use after the Netherlands legalized it, usage rates went down to below previous amounts (and below rates for the US) and usage of hard drugs went down too.  Of course, none of this adequately addresses the use/abuse distinction you make. This Issue Guide should be expanded to include all of this -- well, actually most of it really belongs at Premise:Legal status of drugs and rates of use and abuse or something. TUF-KAT 01:39, 31 Mar 2005 (UTC)