Showing ID & signing in to buy OTC cold medicines?

[jahcs]

Why do drugs cause inner city violence and gang wars? Because they're illegal. There's no longer any profit to be made from them by gangs if they became legal. The United States spent $19 billion on the war on drugs in 2003. $19 billion and inner city violence still runs rampant and people can still get hatever drug they want whenever they want. Something isn't right here.
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Drugs do not "cause" inner city gang wars because they are illegal. There are gang wars and violence because they cost money and things that cost money people make money on. Gangs protect their turf for more reasons than just drugs, althoguh it is probably top among them. Legalizing drugs may reduce the profit margin of dealers, but it won't drive it low enough they get out of the business. I also don't see it changing some of the methods used in that business.

People try drugs.
Some people want more drugs.
Those people buy drugs.
Some of those people use more drugs than they can afford by stealing/prostitution etc. More crime goes along with drugs than just the drug crimes.

I don't have the answers. There are good reasons for legalizing drugs. There are bad reasons to legalize drugs also. Sometimes good and bad reasons just aren't enough to change the way people feel.

And as far as seat belt and helmet laws go, driving is a privilege, not a right. If you drive on public streets and interact with other citizens you should take steps to insure you do it in the safest manner possible, and take action to reduce possible injury.
I would have also have no trouble with making people, that so choose, to sign a waiver, that would hold up in civil and criminal court, where if they got hurt in a crash while not wearing a seatbelt or helmet the other party is not responsible for the costs and consequences of any injury they may incur.