This approach calls for fixing a national drug strategy that isn't broken. For the most part, educational programs demonstrate relatively little success in reducing drug use. The entertainment media do not set trends. They merely reflect the society we live in, and should not be muzzled. Treatment programs can be useful, but many do not work well.
People go back to using drugs.
Legalizing use would encourage adult drug use, and make it more difficult to restrict teenage drug abuse. Increasing drug use would bring more crime. In calling for more enforcement at all levels, this approach would substantially increase the cost of fighting drugs. By focusing on preventive programs this approach offers few answers for existing drug problems. Legalizing drugs could lead to a disproportionate increase in drug abuse among poor people who have more reasons to use drugs as an escape.