From the: Hoover Institute: defining ideas: Losing the War on Drugs by George P. Shultz

First, who knew George Schultz, who was in the news all the time when I was young, was still alive? Glad of it! A hard nosed realist with polish and vast experience. I just hope this is part of a change in policy thinking…but I fear the vested interests!

A vast torrent of our resources among the some part of our morale stature, our trust and lawfulness, have been poured into the maw of the beast never to be seen again. Worse, the ruthless torrent has eroded our very ability to gate it.

Criminalizing human behavior does not stop it, it gives you (the one trying to mitigate harm) leverage. When that leverage works double, triple or more for the other side, you are the fool dangling off the end of your supposed ‘advantage.’