>>>Legalized pot takes away the reason for these drugs. Same reason bootlegging mostly evaporated when Prohibition was repealed. Back markets can’t compete with white markets on quality, price or convenience. Unless the government screws up the white market with over taxation and regulation.<<<
Yes and no. Marijuana was legalized up here in Alaska last year, and everyone I know who smokes weed is now growing it, but there’s also a spice epidemic in Anchorage among the homeless that is hospitalizing many and killing some. Go figure. I would have also thought that legal weed would have eviscerated the spice market here, but instead, it is getting worse - at least in some communities. The Milton Friedman part of me is astonished at this.
Perhaps it is an expression of stability. Those who have a stable home can easily grow it. The law allows growing for personal use up to an certain (and unbelievably large) amount, and you can share seeds, clippings, and weed as long as you do it without charging for it, so maybe our concerns up here is an unintended consequence.
With people, it’s never simple.
And Alaska has a bit of a supply chain problem. It’s easy for demand of anything to out strip supply there.