The only thing I would agree with, with the "legalize everything" crowd, is that the user base of drugs wouldn't change much. People don't choose not to do drugs because they are illegal, they choose not to do drugs because they "get it", that the drug would destroy them. Mere illegality is a comfortable illusion. The market is there, the users are there, and the use happens.
I guess we have to decide whether this is a public health issue, to be dealt with medically and spiritually, or whether it is a criminal issue to be dealt with by police. Are we winning the way it is?
I must disagree with you. Gambling was 98% illegal and suppressed in 1975. Since then it's been made legal in a 1000 ways. Gambling is highly regulated by the states and the states promote it and host their own lotteries.
The upshot is there many more gambling addicts today than in 1975. Gamblers Anonymous can confirm this
AFA Issues: Gambling - A case against legalized gambling
... In 1989, only 1.7% of Iowa’s adults were gambling addicts, but after riverboat
casinos were legalized, the rate of addiction more than tripled to 5.4%. ...
www.afa.net/gambling/acalg.asp - 34k - Cached - Similar pages
I think you have totally misunderstood and underestimated the power of the mafia, the American Tobacco Co, and Budweiser Beer to sell a product that tastes vile while implying that youthful fun, good looks, social acceptance, self esteem and scoring babes or hunks will be the result.
A legal drug can be merchandized and having them flocking to whatever store carries it. What's the big deal? It's legal, can't be all that bad.
Just look at Las Vegas.
Legalizing drugs will be the final nail in America's coffin as it destroys too many of the lives needed to hold the country together.