[balabaster]

Yes, but if you decriminalize all drugs then the whole industry surrounding incarceration of all those 'criminals' that are only inside because of drugs falls to pieces. There are plenty of lobbyists on the hill that are paid to do everything they can to prevent that from happening.

[sigzero]

There is zero chance that drugs like crack are going to ever be decriminalized.

[MichaelGG]

Would it need to be decriminalized if cocaine was properly sold, like it used to be? One can quite easily cook cocaine into crack if they so desire.

[drzaiusapelord]

It has been established as physically addictive, so no, selling it "properly" won't help.

[chris_mahan]

So is alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine.

[drzaiusapelord]

Oh, I'm all for banning tobacco. Caffeine's withdrawal is minor an alcohol is only physically addictive to some people.

[conradfr]

It's not only about the USA though.

For example in France there is no private incarceration industry, prisons are overpopulated and in inhumane condition, underground drug economy in suburbs create all sort of problems and yet there is no sign of even depenalizing consumption of marijuana.

Why ? I don't know.

[mseebach]

Lobbyists can lean on and skew and sway. That's bad enough, but they're not unstoppable forces that will dictate policy indefinitely.