The purported aim of drug laws is to discourage people from experiencing the harmful effects of drugs or engaging in drug- related behavior that harms others. If the concern of society is to prevent harm to the citizenry, then drug laws themselves must be subjected to an analysis of harmful effects. The harmful effects of drug laws on drug users include incarceration and criminalization (removing them from families, jobs, and opportunities for a constructive life), as well as an increase in drug prices, which can lead to drug users committing crime for money to purchase drugs. Drug laws also induce the invention of new intoxicating drugs in an effort to provide cheaper intoxication. The harmful effects of drug laws on the general public include the costs of drug law enforcement, increased crime, the invasion of privacy, the weakening of constitutional rights, and a context for the corruption of public officials. If the rights of individuals to choose how to use their person and possessions are fully respected, there is no guarantee that they will exercise their rights wisely. Some may mistakenly choose the path of finding happiness in a bottle or in a vial. Others may wish to help these people by persuading them of their folly; but we must not give in to the powerful temptation to grant some the power to impose their consumptive preferences on others by force. 60 notes