Guffe said:
You raise some interesting points. Let me start cutting up your argument a bit.
I start of here by also saying that if I somehow came of as too aggressive, or similar, I'm sorry.
I know the debate you're trying to rouse here, I've been in a few of these myself. And the debate/discussion about "non-harmful drugs" like Cannabis is world wide. Uruguay did legistlate it just about a month or two ago, so I guess many countries will be monitoring the situation over there.
The one part I'm pretty glad you picked up was the part of "drug dealers being scum" (well most of them anyways... at least that's what the movies tell me

). This is the major part in the drug business, plus the part that people don't understand drugs and overdoses happen due to this etc.
But the fact that people die from 1) overdoses, and 2) the drug market itself. I mean drug cartells in Mexico are basically at war killing each other for land to grow Cannabis in and then the "normal street tugs" selling the stuff don't have the Santa reputation either.
If some few chosen drugs were legistlated, what will happen? Will these, at the moment criminal organisation, try to stop this whole thing making it even worse and affecting the civilian population around them, or what will happen? Because I doubt they will freely let go a business worth several millions just because some politician said the drug store can now sell "their product".
But yes, this is one of the biggest debates out there, and I have no idea when a conclusion will come to it. Like with most other big debates.