I don't know how well opiate use correlates to the legality of alcohol. In theory, then, you could depress opiate use by introducing alcohol, but that doesn't m

I don't know how well opiate use correlates to the legality of alcohol. In theory, then, you could depress opiate use by introducing alcohol, but that doesn't mesh with what's going on in America right now, where opiate use is rising without any prohibition on alcohol. Khat's an upper, not really comparable. There are other factors that drive the demand for these drugs, and I think we're in agreement that the demand can and should be addressed in large part by dealing with root causes. But sex, drugs, guns, abortions etc. have all been successfully prohibited. There's little human behavior that hasn't.