[thaumasiotes]

> Every time I read about how "decriminalization of X was a failure" it's because the governmental bodies responsible didn't properly set up the support structures and procedures that were meant to mitigate the problems that arise (or more accurately, already exist but are ignored).

If we're ignoring them now, what's the problem with continuing to ignore them?

[scheeseman486]

Because that's just maintaining the status quo. Are you suggesting the status quo is acceptable?

[thaumasiotes]

I'm suggesting that it makes no sense to label maintaining the status quo a "failure". If you make a policy change, and the circumstance you were already fine with continues to obtain, your policy change has not thereby failed.

[nerdponx]

One negative consequence is that it becomes more of an open-air problem that you see in day to day life, not something that gets hidden away in the seedy side of town after hours.