Beginning of Essay
It is clear that most of the serious problems the public associates with illegal drug use are, in reality, caused directly or indirectly by drug prohibition. Let's assume the war on drugs is given up as the misguided enterprise it is. What will happen? The day aft ....

Middle of Essay
.... sentenced prisoners in federal institutions, those in for drug law violations were the largest single category, of 9,487. Forty states are under court orders for overcrowding. Funds are not available to build prisons fast enough to provide the needed space. Violent criminals are being paroled early or are having their sentences chopped to make space for drug users and dealers. Legalizing drugs would immediately relieve the pressure on the prison system, since there would no longer be "drug offenders" to incarcerate. And, since many drug users would no longer need to commit violent or property crime to pay for their habits, there would be fewer ....