Calling them "negative social effects" obscures a very important difference: the latter mean real crimes with actual unwilling victims, whereas the former are willingly self-inflicted and for the most part affect the rest of society only to the extent that society has chosen (through its elected representatives) to allow itself to be affected.
if legalized it is certain that drug usage would increase. We’d see a lot more of the bad effects of the drug itself
Where is the evidence that we'd see "a lot" more? Will YOU start using heroin if it's legalized?
And their families, and their neighbors, etc., etc.
I'm not a huge fan of the drug war, but I think those who think the drugs themselves are harmless are deluded.
No I wouldn't use drugs myself. Never have and never will. But it is simple human nature and common sense that a less expensive, more readily available and legal product will be used more widely than an illegal, expensive and hard to find product.
Do you want your airline pilot using meth? How about your surgeon doped up on cocaine? What percentage of the drivers in rush hour traffic do you think it would be a good idea to have doped up on anything?
Drugs are, IMO, very bad.
It's just that the Drug War MAY be worse. Especially for Mexicans.