A lot of people from all sides of the spectrum understand that this is largely due to the absolute failure that is the war on drugs, and that that same war is responsible for the militarization of the police. I don't understand why we can't do something about this.
Alcohol made criminals out of previously ordinary law abiding citizens. Then after just a few years the society had the common sense to restore people's freedom to consume alcohol, if they wanted to.
However drugs have been quite the opposite. For some reason the "powers that be" have held sufficient power to scare society into believing that drugs are horrific, and that adults shouldn't be able to get and use them.
Sure drugs can be abused. I am clean and sober, for over 20 years. I use nothing, ever period, no matter what.
But one of the biggest drug problems we have, is NOT with ghetto-barrio thugs. It is with white, elderly people strung out on prescription pain meds.
Police and prison unions probably do more to keeps drugs illegal. Instead how about spending a small fraction, on education, treatment and recovery?