The fact of the matter is that drugs are not deadly to all of their users. Drugs are also not addictive to all of their users. These two salient points add up to the inescapable conclusion that drugs are not intrinsically evil. The vigor of the drug trade and the seemingly endless parade of purchasers who are risking jail time and even death suggests that they are of value to someone. Free men aren't obliged to answer to you for their personal choices, but if you asked their reasons politely they might tell you.
Enough people are willing to take extreme risks for something that they value.
Enough people are willing to go outside of the law to obtain a product that they value. Despite the spraying, armed troops, incarceration, repressive laws, and incredible amounts of money spent, drugs can be values and to many people they are values. Steven Martinovich is editor of the monthly Enter Stage Right . Copyright 1999 Steven Martinovich.