I agree with scaredy that will be get worse because, even if drugs are legalized, the government will want its cut and the street dealers still won’t have jobs.
The markup on government-permitted commodities, even with taxes, is much lower than on illegal drugs. A pack of cigarettes is under $10 in most states, maxing out at about $12 to $15 in NY.
No personal knowledge, but I suspect that marijuana is cheaper to grow than tobacco. After all, it’s a “weed.” Try buying a pack of 20 joints for $10. Legalization would likely reduce the profit margin for criminal organizations significantly.
There will still be smuggling between states with different tax rates, but it likely won’t cause as severe of a crime/arrest problem as now.
I’d rather the government get their cut than have them actually spend money and destroy lives by locking people up and occasionally beating them to death. Better for the taxpayer. Better for people who aren’t killed or ruined by a “war on some drugs.”
Imagine if the money spent on prisons is used for education and infrastructure instead, creating jobs and improving lives vs ruining them.
