Benefits of Drugs
Another deleterious effect of drug prohibition is that we lose the benefits of drugs that are made illegal. Almost every drug that can be abused, can also be used beneficially for other purposes. Because prohibition relies on an image of drugs as unmitigated evil, anti-drug propaganda distorts the true effects -- positive and negative -- of drugs.
Prohibition discourages research into categories of drugs that have been banned, taking away from us discoveries that might help medicine, or that might prove to be less harmful alternatives to existing recreational drugs.
Many illegal drugs have medicinal uses. Alcohol in moderation lessens the risk of heart disease. Heroin is the only painkiller effective for certain terminal diseases including cancers. Marijuana can halt the progress of glaucoma and combat nausea caused by chemotherapy or prescription drugs. MDMA (Ecstasy) showed promise for treating some psychological problems. If you are one day afflicted by one of these ailments, do you want your choices in cures limited by legislative decree?