Won legalisation just force organised criminals into other forms of crime?
Perhaps, but why hand them the drug market? A fully legalised and regulated drugs market would significantly reduce the opportunities for organised criminals to make money from selling drugs. It is therefore possible that these gangs would move into other forms of criminal activity to make up for their losses. However, it is unlikely that any alternative criminal activities would be able to provide the same high profit/low risk attraction, or that they would cause similar levels of harm to society that we currently face as result of prohibition. Legalisation would also remove opportunities for the next generation of potential criminals who are not yet involved in crime. Without the attractive profits available from illegal drug dealing many young people maybe dissuaded from entering into serious criminal activity.
A fully legalised and regulated drugs market would significantly reduce the opportunities for organised criminals to make money from selling drugs. It is therefore possible that these gangs would move into other forms of criminal activity to make up for their losses. However, it is unlikely that any alternative criminal activities would be able to provide the same high profit/low risk attraction, or that they would cause similar levels of harm to society that we currently face as result of prohibition. Legalisation would also remove opportunities for the next generation of potential criminals who are not yet involved in crime. Without the attractive profits available from illegal drug dealing many young people maybe dissuaded from entering into serious criminal activity.
