Drug use was always common and not just among people arrested. "The War On Drugs" really butchered how we view that. Goodhart's Law states that "When a measur

Drug use was always common and not just among people arrested. "The War On Drugs" really butchered how we view that. Goodhart's Law states that "When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure." Since at least the 80s, incarceration for drug use has been batshit crazy in the U.S. It's the metric, so it's what people work for. So of course it's common among most people arrested. But how does it relate to actual crime? Or to people feeling that kids are able to play outside safely? Well, since I was a kid, crime rates have dropped in half (literally they're like 40-49% what they were in the late 80s early 90s). Maybe some part of that is indeed because we incarcerated so many people for drugs instead of actual crimes. But maybe not, and also even if it did, that doesn't change anything for the better. Things are actually worse now, societally. Why? Back then, in objectively more dangerous times, it was normal for kids to play outside and everyone thought that was ok. Now, in objectively much safer times, that's not a thing. I really don't think we can pin that on drugs or even crime. Especially not when we've incarcerated so many many people because of drugs and also crime rates have dropped in half. No, there must be a societal effect that isn't really related to drugs or crime or actual danger.