Decriminalization may be the best course for dealing with drugs. Portugal may provide an intelligent path to follow. The below referenced article from Scientific American shows that with decriminalization and the offer of treatment, if desired, has led to a remarkable drop in drug usage including drugs such as LSD, heroin, cocaine and other ‘street drugs’ and their accompanying health consequences. It appears to be much more effective and less expensive to offer treatment rather than jailing people using these drugs.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...riminalization

Time magazine examined and discredited the idea of marijuana as a gateway drug in the article, “Marijuana as a Gateway Drug: The Myth That Will Not Die.” Time contended that the idea of the gateway drug arose because of confusion between correlation and cause. Use of marijuana correlates with the use of other drugs, but there appears to be no causation link.

http://healthland.time.com/2010/10/2...-will-not-die/