Professor advocates heroin use

[marshwiggle]

In the case of cannabis, there are those who would go out and try it if it were legal as you suggest.  Based on the data coming out of Canada, there is increased usage post legalization in some groups, but not in the number of regular users or problem users.  More importantly, there has been a decline in teen use which is likely more important when considering the greater social implications.  So, in this case, you may see a modest increase in overall consumption, but that dosnt mean that there is increased abuse or negative outcomes. 

I'm guessing some of the decline in teen use is due to the fact that something their boomer grandparents thought of as "edgy" several decades ago can hardly be cool for teenagers today.

Legalizing ecstasy or something more recent may have more takeup among young people because it wouldn't have that stigma.

[Kron3007]

In the case of cannabis, there are those who would go out and try it if it were legal as you suggest.  Based on the data coming out of Canada, there is increased usage post legalization in some groups, but not in the number of regular users or problem users.  More importantly, there has been a decline in teen use which is likely more important when considering the greater social implications.  So, in this case, you may see a modest increase in overall consumption, but that dosnt mean that there is increased abuse or negative outcomes. 

I'm guessing some of the decline in teen use is due to the fact that something their boomer grandparents thought of as "edgy" several decades ago can hardly be cool for teenagers today.

Legalizing ecstasy or something more recent may have more takeup among young people because it wouldn't have that stigma.

Perhaps.  I don't think this means legalization would always have this result, but demonstrates that legalization does not necessarily lead to increased use across the board.   

Also, ecstasy was the big thing when I was a teen so I dont know how edgy it is either.  Need to get into Ayahuasca or something.

[marshwiggle]

Any legal industry should puts its illegal shadow out of business.

Precisely: You won't find any illegal construction operation from which you can buy houses whenever you like. The examples are all small and random. Not regular, dependable delivery on a mass scale.

The overwhelming share of our economic activity is actually legal! :-)

Here's one of those small and random operations:

Joint-police probe smashes $7M grow-op in Belleville, Ont.

[Caracal]

Yes, it is definitely more nuanced.  The important question to me is not how many people consumed alcohol during or after that period (or drugs in this case), it is who consumes it, how much they consume, and most importantly what the effect on adverse events is.

In the case of cannabis, there are those who would go out and try it if it were legal as you suggest.  Based on the data coming out of Canada, there is increased usage post legalization in some groups, but not in the number of regular users or problem users.  More importantly, there has been a decline in teen use which is likely more important when considering the greater social implications.  So, in this case, you may see a modest increase in overall consumption, but that dosnt mean that there is increased abuse or negative outcomes. 

Yeah, I agree. If cannabis was legalized its possible I'd try it to see if it was any more pleasant than it was years ago, but it seems pretty unlikely I'd become a regular user. The illegality of cannabis doesn't keep people from coming into contact with it and people who are inclined to be heavy users aren't likely to be deterred by the small amount of effort involved in getting it illegally.

If ice cream became illegal, on the other hand, I'd be getting it on the black market and buying a huge chest freezer to store in it...

[dismalist]

Any legal industry should puts its illegal shadow out of business.

Precisely: You won't find any illegal construction operation from which you can buy houses whenever you like. The examples are all small and random. Not regular, dependable delivery on a mass scale.

The overwhelming share of our economic activity is actually legal! :-)

Here's one of those small and random operations:

Joint-police probe smashes $7M grow-op in Belleville, Ont.

Apologies, Marsh, but $7 mill is chickenfeed.

[mahagonny]

So what happens to all that seized dope I wonder.

[Wahoo Redux]

So what happens to all that seized dope I wonder.

Cops smoke it.