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I'm curious how you would explain the countries that have extremely strict and harsh drug laws, and yet have not had all of the "dramatic downsides" that you say would result of such a policy? They're actual real-world data points that conflict with your theory.

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No country has a carceral state quite like the US, but the quality of life difference between drugs in a given state that are legal and ones that aren't is stark. I've experienced this by traveling places with restrictive but different drug regimes. Stuff on a drug schedule your best case is get a doctor to prescribe it and in the US overpay for it severely because this chokepoint is the only place that can legally sell. Compare to buying any OTC drug, and the difference is obvious. There is no ID process, there is competition to provide better quality at a lower price. There is no way you can fuck up and get yourself or someone else arrested for having drugs you/they're not supposed to. And every illegal drug is still available somewhere, it's just worse and more dangerous

Having strict and harsh drug laws is a dramatic downside.

The state murdering someone because they were carrying around a plant is the antithesis of justice.

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