Heh, my great-great-aunt’s husband died right at the beginning of the Depression (after the Crash, but before the repeal of Prohibition). To make ends meet, she ran a speakeasy in her basement. (She died the very same day I was born – I would have loved to have known her)
A lot of people do apply these arguments about freedom and responsibility to most if not all illegal (other) drugs. It’s very much an open question whether the benefits of drug prohibitionism in modern societies (for marijuana, and even for “harder” drugs) actually outweigh the costs, especially in the U.S. experience (in terms of enormous numbers of people in prison; police corruption; bringing the law itself into contempt among significant sectors of society; the occasional little old lady being gunned down in her apartment by overzealous police; and of course the more philosophical arguments about erosion of freedom).
It seems that tobacco is becoming increasingly socially unacceptable. As a deterrent it seems to be working better than prohibition. At some point it will just become an underground drug(and probably not a popular one).
Do you think at that point the focus will turn on alcohol? I can see that in 30 years it might be socially unacceptable to drink while still being nominally legal.
The main reason smoking is so frowned upon is because it inconveniences others – it stinks, the smoke gets in your face, it’s extremely addicting, etc. Whereas alcohol CAN be enjoyed without addiction, it doesn’t stink up a room, etc. You don’t have to worry about having a drinking section and a non drinking section, etc.
No
Given the results of prohibition I’d say no. Besides we’d just find other ways to numb ourselves.
Given that everything in nature is there for a reason, why do you suppose psychadelic mushrooms exist? What natural purpose do they serve?