But none is likely to be as great as prohibitionist cant would have you believe. Perhaps, but in Holland, where cannabis is decriminalised, the incidence of use among young people is no higher than in Britain. Well, so can almost anything when indulged immoderately, from cigarettes and alcohol to cars and morris dancing. In any case, it seems to me that the benefits of legalising drugs would prove so manifest and widespread as greatly to offset any social costs that might accrue. Alcohol prohibition was a disaster.
Drugs prohibition is, too.