Ending the war on drugs - A new cause for effective altruists?

Abstract

Drug legalization is likely to produce net benefits. Those involved in drug production and trafficking in developing countries would no longer be subject to the violence and corruption associated with drug cartels and the war on drugs. Moreover, the many people imprisoned for drug offenses would be able to return to society. The economic benefits of legalization could be substantial, as governments would be able to collect taxes on drug sales rather than spend money on enforcement. While some object that effective altruists ignore systemic change and social justice, it can be countered that drug policy reform is a society-wide intervention, and that drug prohibition disproportionately affects marginalized groups. – AI-generated abstract.