That's an interesting take but I think it's mostly reasoned from flawed first principles, as if everyone is a rational actor. For starters, some people do meth just because their friends are doing it. Some people aren't able to see the consequences clearly.
And even if you assume it's only people having a bad go at life, every life includes bad parts, despair, etc. We're all vulnerable to irrational acts in those times.
Legalizing drugs just makes access a little bit easier during those times. Once they're addicted, though, no rational amount of jail time will dissuade anybody.
Yes, once they're addicted no amount of prohibition will dissuade them. And we already have lots of addicts so the prevention ship has sailed. It's time to address the negative effects of black markets and drug impurity. During alcohol prohibition people used to die from the adjuncts or improper distillation. Now you can still become an alcoholic but at least can rely on the quality. And no gangsters make a living from rum running.
All I know is that if I were born into their circumstances I would probably do the same thing. Some lives are way worse than others due purely to accident of birth and the really uncomfortable truth is that we have built a society where some lives are not even worth living. We need to face up to that, not pretend like everyone suffers to anything like the same degree. Life in the USA is very unequal. I’ve suffered terrible events in my life but I also have hope that my future will be worth living. If I didn’t have that hope, I’d be doing exactly what these folks are.
And even if you assume it's only people having a bad go at life, every life includes bad parts, despair, etc. We're all vulnerable to irrational acts in those times.
Legalizing drugs just makes access a little bit easier during those times. Once they're addicted, though, no rational amount of jail time will dissuade anybody.