[MrRubix]

On the plus side, legalizing drugs would remove a lot of the premium that comes with harder-to-acquire items and allow it to be taxed and regulated. You'd probably see a lot fewer drug-transaction incidents (robbery/death/assault/etc). You don't exactly see people killing each other over a bottle of Tylenol when we can get it on the cheap at the local drugstore, now do we? Furthermore, fewer people in jail means less burden on taxpayers and fewer children suddenly forced to get by without parents (who would then be more likely to commit crimes).

Sounds pretty good, but the problem with harmful drugs is that they're, well, harmful. Unlike with alcohol, it's pretty hard to define a "responsible heroin user" when such a drug really screws you up and creates a physical addiction that is painful to break. What good could come from legalizing something like that? Simple law of supply and demand: Make something cheaper, and more people will buy it. If you legalize drugs, you're going to see more people using them. It doesn't exactly add much value to society.