A lot of people I know smoke cigarettes. Most drink alcohol. Yes, some have problems resulting from these activities. But for the most part, they know what they are consuming. And above all, no one is being murdered over it, or living in terror.

But in many parts of the world – especially in Mexico – countless lives have been brutally ended, and millions live in fear. Many government officials take bribes, or live under guard, so that this brutality can continue.

Meanwhile, back home, we are looking for new sources of tax dollars. We are building prisons at great cost – to house many of the participants in “drug crime”. My smoking and drinking friends live in peace, while contributing to the cost of running Canada. Many take the risk of occasional illegal drug use. Is it not obvious by now, that we need to legalize, regulate, and tax drugs?

Not to many who oppose the idea. The dominant arguments are that legalizing would enable more people to become addicted to drugs, and it would be immoral.

For me it becomes increasingly obvious that allowing the current state to continue is far worse. It is comparable to walking past a man beating up a child – and paying no attention.