I would assert that the criminal status-quo is about revenue more than anything. Seems like it's the criminals that actually kill people, and law enforcement e

I would assert that the criminal status-quo is about revenue more than anything. Seems like it's the criminals that actually kill people, and law enforcement effort that is misguided when they have non-violent victimless offenses on the books to pursue rather than dangerous criminals. The equation does change when you start talking about a substance that is toxic enough to kill on its own, in spite of any lesser disorders that would be considered side-effects if it was a medication you were taking. Then again, cannabis has been in the US Pharmacopeia for decades, but it was too onerous for physicians to prescribe when it was medically indicated, until the states themselves took action. There is some consensus that there would have been a lot less opiate deaths if it could have happened sooner to a more widespread degree.