Essay on Drug Policy

The following essay was written as part of my application for a summer school in free-market ideas in the US. The summer school is hosted by Institute for Humane Studies.

The essay should give an answer to the following question:

Many substances that affect the human mind – such as marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine – are banned in many countries as “recreational drugs.” Other substances that also affect the mind – such as alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine – are generally legal though regulated. Is this inconsistent? What should be the government policy for regulating substances that affect the human mind?

The ban on drugs need not be more intrusive on personal liberty than rules of order in a private club.

I can as a Danish citizen legally smoke marijuana even though it is banned in Denmark. I can just not do it in Denmark, but I have to travel to Holland, Portugal or Mexico to do so. A ban on drugs in Denmark is not a ban on the drug use of its citizens but on the use in Denmark and there is a big difference.

Most libertarians accept all kinds of regulations in gated communities: that you cannot freely choose the color of your house or perhaps even the ban of alcohol. Libertarians accept this because the residents have signed a certain contract with the company or entity running the gated community.

There are many good arguments for the ban of recreational drugs. An alcoholic may find it nice to live a place where he is not tempted by alcohol (or other drugs) whenever he enters a shop or restaurant, and where bars are outlawed. Or parents may prefer to live a place where it will be hard for their children to purchase intoxicating substances. Many persons would prefer to live without meeting the consequences of some, but not all, drugs daily. And in this respect there is nothing inconsistent with only banning certain drugs. If a municipality chose to ban certain drugs would it be any different than if a gated community banned it?

The US (and Danish) government’s policy should thus be to allow municipalities to decide which drugs to ban. The decision should be decentralized thus giving a municipalities’ ban more legitimacy since its citizens could use drugs if they traveled to a nearby city.

This would be a win-win situation since many people could reduce their exposure to drugs and drug consequences while the users could freely, safely and cheaply get their drugs.