The main issue for me, and I'm on the fence, is that the cure is worse than the crime in the majority of cases. Any guilty plea, likely coerced, will result in

The main issue for me, and I'm on the fence, is that the cure is worse than the crime in the majority of cases. Any guilty plea, likely coerced, will result in a permanent record which is searched by all employers and will pretty much remove the chance for gainful employment for 7 years. In some states, this is for life. The only way this would be remotely helpful if it somehow was a "wake up call," totally shocking the person into going straight. I'm not sure how likely this outcome is, but this person wouldn't be able to stay straight for long, because he can only get crap jobs for the next 7 years. No reason to pursue a good career, and the best medicine for a shitty life is more drugs. The way the punishments for drugs are administered today, it almost guarantees repeat use, because people are set up to fail in life, which leads to despair, which leads to more drug use and eventually more crime. If not completely legalized, I would be ok with a small citation (like a speeding ticket), no arrest, no criminal record, and free drug counseling (not forced because it would get you fired). I would actually be ok with a robo-call every week nagging for counseling. The bottom line is the US governments have one tool, and it's a big ass hammer. They aren't capable of learning anything else. Not in my lifetime anyway. Might has well rule the drug war unconstitutional. It's only legal under the dubious and often abused commerce clause. We had to have a constitutional amendment for prohibition and repeal. I don't see how illegal drugs are any different.