I see prostitution as a parallel to the marijuana industry. Organized crime is involved. Underage people are affected. Soft and hard drugs are associated etc. By and large it has been controlled by using the same methods used to control marijuana i.e. prosecute the users as well as the dealers. I believe there are many people who refrain from marijuana because of the fear of being caught, just the same as the people who would otherwise use prostitutes.
Making pot legal would be a first step in making hallucinogens legal. And although pot is one of the mildest of the group, I fear it may lead to the gradual, step by step, increase in use of many of the more harmful drugs. e.g. cocaine, amphetamines, etc. I believe studies have shown that the highest users of marijuana have a much greater risk of using the harder drugs, in order to achieve the higher highs.
It seems as soon as any substance or activity, that take advantage of the weakness in people, is legally commercialized on a large scale eg. cigarettes, alcohol, gambling etc. that some segment of society pays the price. Shouldn't we draw the line at the number of things?
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