These consequences involve the intrinsically destructive nature of drugs and the toll they exact from society in lost and dysfunctional lives. This is why virtually every civilized society has believed it necessary to control mind-altering substances. Even limited experiments in drug legalization have shown that when drugs are more widely available, addiction dramatically increases. In 1975, for example, Italy liberalized its drug law and now has one of the highest heroin-related death rates in Western Europe. Under legalization, criminals could undercut the official price and still make sufficiently huge profits to stay in business. Legalization would give society the worst of both worlds: millions of new drug users and a thriving criminal black market. Further, law enforcement officials report that crime rates are highest where crack is cheapest, thus undermining the argument that legalization would reduce drug- related crime. Contrary to the argument of those who advocate legalization, drug use does not only harm the user; drug-induced behavior harms those who depend upon the drug user for responsible behavior, and it impacts those who are harmed or injured by the dangerous behavior of those under the influence of drugs. Finally, the moral argument, in the end, is the most compelling. America's notion of liberty is rooted in the ideal of a self-reliant rather than a drug-dependent citizenry.