It certainly didn't turn out that way. Once booze was legalized, the gangs turned to drugs, in addition to the ever-popular hookers, gambling, loan-sharking, and other rackets.
Legalizing drugs would simply close down one "silo" in a gang's business plan.
Even worse, the poster (in his post #19) suggested the legalization of only pot and cocaine, leaving all other drugs illegal to be sold by the gangs. Sure, the legalization of pot and cocaine would have an impact, but the gang members aren't going to go out and get real jobs.
If drugs were legal in the U.S., gangs would simply go from the illegal import business to the illegal export business, locating their operations here and exporting our legal recreational drugs to those countries where it remains illegal. Unless, of course, the poster is suggesting that every country in the world, including China, Singapore, North Korea, Indonesia, etc. would follow our lead and legalize all drugs.
Well, if you're going to dream, dream big.
I bet if you were around during Prohibition you'd say, "Legalize alcohol and the gangs will be gone and we'll finally have peace in the neighborhoods".
54-56 sycophants:
It certainly didn't turn out that way. Once booze was legalized, the gangs turned to drugs, in addition to the ever-popular hookers, gambling, loan-sharking, and other rackets. Legalizing drugs would simply close down one "silo" in a gang's business plan.
Guess what fellas; --- "drugs, hookers, gambling, loan-sharking," etc, were also "prohibited"..
If instead they were all reasonably regulated, organized crime would have had to compete with legitimate business interests. -- And freedom would have won.
So basically they turned to providing other services that people wanted that were banned and have no victim (and yes, I know that there are some victims with prostitution, but you can fight sex slavery and have legal prostitution. No slaves at the chicken ranches in Nevada.)
Sounds like the solution is simple. Had the Prohibition not started in the first place and had not other activities like gambling and prostitution been banned--organized crime would never have become the scourge and influence it did become.