This is one issue that Sowell falls down flat on. Imagine if cocaine were put back in Coca-Cola? There was a reason it was removed back in 1903.
Yes, Coca-Cola removed cocaine from their product because the scientists knew it could be harmful That is true. But you're wrong when you say that cocaine was completely removed from Coca-Cola in 1903. They continued to use miniscule amounts of it in their product until 1929. The quantity used was incredibly low, and had no chance of addicting anyone to the substance. Are you also aware that Bayer pharmaceuticals made Heroin available for use in cough elixirs as well as aspirin in the 20th century? It offered real relief for whooping coughs as well as bronchitis.
So what is your solution? Should we ban alcohol? You mentioned alcoholics that prostitute themselves. Are these women? Geez. I wouldn't want to see what an alcoholic prostitute looked like. Probably as bad as the meth-addict ones.