[Clubber]

>I don't understand how a substance that addictive can be legal, especially considering how violent a withdrawl can feel.

Because it was grandfathered in. If you ban it, you fuck up a ton of people hooked on it. I can't imagine what the assault / homicide / suicide rate would spike to for the next decade or two.

[detaro]

Some countries have proposed banning it from a threshold. I.e. ban it for people born after year X (which at time of introduction is e.g. 14 year olds)

[Clubber]

Yes, I believe that was New Zealand. It's about the only way you can do it ethically.