Look at what legalizing recreational marijuana has done to those 7 states that have seen the light. Instead of costing huge bucks in law enforcement, courts and prisons, those states are getting huge tax revenue and the money is going to legal business instead of criminals.
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/ma...ion-2017-02-10
Legalizing and regulating other drugs could have the same effect. An added benefit could be "shooting galleries" where addicts could go to more safely buy and use drugs.
The idea that making syringes difficult to obtain will slow heroin use is ludicrous! That just means more dirty needles being shared, more HIV, more infections, more state paid medical expense.
I have to give myself monthly B-12 injections. The cost of syringes went from 18 cents to $1.30 each when an Rx was required. I also have a diabetic monkey who needs 2 insulin injections daily. Thankfully I can buy them online for 10 cents each.
The war on drugs is just a knee-jerk reaction to the problem. It hasn’t and won’t reduce crime and overdoses. It's just so the politicians can claim that they are doing "something" about the problem.