Three-quarters of the U.S. population oppose the legalization of psychoactive drugs like heroin, cocaine, LSD, methamphetamine, and marijuana. In fact, condoning drugs would increase their use and hence their harm.
Drug use imposes an unacceptable risk of harm on the user and others.
A survey of state child-welfare agencies found substance abuse to be one of the top two problems exhibited by 81 percent of families reported for child maltreatment. Researchers estimate that chemical dependence is present in at least half of the families involved in the child welfare system. A University of Pennsylvania study of Philadelphia injection-drug users found that four times as many addicts died from overdose, homicide, heart disease, renal failure, and liver disease as did from causes associated with HIV disease. Clearly, drugs themselves harm users. A significant percentage of all current drug users are addicted to illegal substances.