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Politics : Libertarian Discussion Forum -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dan B. who wrote (2964)	6/12/1999 11:09:00 PM
From: Neocon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 13056

I have been busy and am just catching up. I want to do your arguments justice, so I will get back to you...

To: Dan B. who wrote (2964)	6/13/1999 2:32:00 AM
From: Neocon	Respond to of 13056

There is a pretty great elasticity in the price of vices, yes, but not infinite, especially when the person has not yet become habituated. Even if it only inhibited entry into the market, it might be worth it...Since there is no way that society will legalize the selling of drugs to minors, the only effect that can be contemplated is what I said. Of course it would be easier to create a black market, because of the myriad legal channels now made available. Since the wholesale costs would drop, it is not at all clear that the drop in retail price would remove the profit incentive, and if it did not, the availability of lower- cost drugs in a culture that had virtually de- stigmatized drug use would increase the amount consumed by minors. If we legalized the selling of drugs to those 18 and up, we might not need pushers anyway, since the existence of hard- partying among older teens usually leads to the active encouragement of younger friends to give it a try. Certainly that was my experience with alcohol, where people turned into "pushers" just because they though it meant they were good hosts, or it made them feel like "mentors", or they thought it would help them get some chick into bed. Most of the people who urged me to smoke marijuana when I was a teenager were acquaintances toking up, not dealers at all....