Over on the homepage, Jeffrey Miron makes the case that the tea partiers’ principles should lead them to embrace the legalization of drugs. Among his arguments is that the costs of drug prohibition greatly outweigh the benefits. One of these costs is the violence associated with the drug trade. But would legalizing drugs do away with this violence?
Jacob Sullum of Reason says yes, as long as you legalize the sale and production of drugs along with possession.
Highlights:
3:00 — Would legalizing all drugs (crack, heroin, etc.) be necessary to solve the violence?
3:40 — Would heroin by sold by Pfizer at CVS? How would it work?
4:24 — Jacob says people want drugs, and legalization would make drugs better and cheaper.
4:55 — If Eli Lilly and U.S. Tobacco sold recreational drugs, would it put the Juarez and Gulf cartels out of business?
5:26 — Would the drug cartels just roll over and say, “Well, I guess the good times are over.”
6:05 — Wouldn’t drug use increase? And wouldn’t violence associated with drug use increase?
7:30 — Wouldn’t kids have easier access to drugs if they were legal?