Prohibition
A sudden thought struck my tiny brane while I was looking over this article on legalised marijuana. Quoth the Seattle City Attorney: "Prohibition has been implemented in a racially disproportionate manner. It has made us the No. 1 jailer nation on the planet, both in absolute and relative terms, and it has made criminal enterprises incredibly wealthy."
Now, recently, I saw a similar argument put forward regarding the stricter regulation of guns in the US - that reducing the ready availability of firearms, and outright banning assault weapons, will only create a black market. That might be true for weapons smuggled into the country, as many drugs are; but would it be true for weapons manufactured inside the US? You can't produce semiautomatics in a cupboard or bathtub.
ETA: A Working Assault Rifle Made With a 3D Printer. Ignore everything I just said (and take cover).
Now, recently, I saw a similar argument put forward regarding the stricter regulation of guns in the US - that reducing the ready availability of firearms, and outright banning assault weapons, will only create a black market. That might be true for weapons smuggled into the country, as many drugs are; but would it be true for weapons manufactured inside the US? You can't produce semiautomatics in a cupboard or bathtub.
ETA: A Working Assault Rifle Made With a 3D Printer. Ignore everything I just said (and take cover).