Prohibition forces consumers to purchase drugs in an illegal market. The government sometimes sprays toxic substances on the raw materials from which the drugs are made. Prohibition can increase the number criminals in society. There can be an increase in property crime as dependent users commit crimes in order to pay for the now more expensive drugs. Prohibition can create opportunities for individuals to earn large incomes by distributing the drug at both the wholesale level and at the street level as drug dealers.
Prohibition can lead to the corruption of public officials.
Unintended But Perhaps Avoidable Consequences of Drug Prohibition Drug laws may have increased the use of cocaine relative to the use of marijuana. Although cocaine is more valuable per gram than marijuana and easier to smuggle, the penalties for smuggling or wholesaling cocaine are not much greater than the penalties for smuggling or wholesaling marijuana. Drug laws may have encouraged the development and widespread use of crack cocaine. Increased enforcement may have increased the number of youth involved in retailing drugs. Increased enforcement has decreased the resources available for the control of nondrug crime.