&gt; One can make an argument for protecting people from harming themselves.<p>I don&#x27;t have an opinion on legalization, but I don&#x27;t think that&#x27;s quite the argument against (even if some people express it in this way). Not all people are free to make choices in the same way, and drugs -- similarly to fast food -- hurt some communities more than others. Drugs have a social dynamics, they&#x27;re not like choosing which toothpaste to use. Of course, prohibition may make matters worse instead of better, but as you say, that requires empirical study (I don&#x27;t know the findings, which is why I don&#x27;t have an opinion, except that the enforcement situation now is far from good).