---
Nobody says legalizing drugs would create a utopia. It would, however, stop the war and the killing ... if that would be something you'd possibly want to do.
---
Really? And when the junkie doesn't have the money for his fix because he can't hold down a job? Dealers aren't the only ones who mug, steal and kill for drugs.
Tell you what. Ride with your city's drug enforcement cops for a day. Then, after you've seen the malnourished children (mom sold the food stamps for crack), and the abused children (Mom pimped her daughter for drug money) you come back and tell me how making this evil, destructive substance legal makes these problems go away.
I didn't say it would make those problems go away, Mr. Straw Man Argument, I said it would stop the killing. Maybe not 100% of the killing, but probably 95% of the killing. Please re-read my post. Most of the killings have to do with dealing, not with addicts trying to get money. As it is now with the prohibition, you have the moms selling their food stamps for crack, parents pimping their daughters for drug money, AND murderous gang violence killing many people each year. Do you want to stop none of these things by keeping things the way they are, or do you want to make a dent at all? (And, I'll just mention some fo the collateral damage to innocents on the War On (some) Drugs: wrong-address no-knock raids, innocent people shot in their own beds, testilying, asset forfeiture of people's legitimately earned life savings, the militarization of our police forces, escalation of the War On Guns, violent criminals released from prison to make room for mandatory minimum non-violent drug offenders, intrusive banking laws... it goes on and on.) Insanity is continuing to do the same thing and expecting a different result.
The lower the price, the less the crime; and the price might be so low that panhandling and can-collecting cover it, as appears to be the case with the legal addictive drug alcohol.