The million or so nonviolent drug offenders currently imprisoned would be more useful to society and their families if they were free and under the supervision of public health departments, rather than the criminal justice system. Mandatory prison sentences do destroy families. You ought to hold a public forum to pursue alternatives along the demand front before this problem threatens our basic freedoms. We cannot continue to accept these escalating costs without vigorously pursuing other viable alternatives. If health outcomes determined drug laws instead of cultural norms, alcohol would be illegal and marijuana would not.
Alcohol poisoning kills thousands annually.
As the most popular illicit drug, marijuana provides the black market contacts that introduce youths to drugs like ecstasy. Let's not kid ourselves about protecting children. Illegal drug dealers do not ID for age, making it easier for kids to buy illegal drugs than beer. There are cost-effective alternatives. In Europe, the Netherlands has successfully reduced overall drug use by replacing marijuana prohibition with regulation.