Would legalisation and regulation lead to a commercialisation of drugs?
Perhaps. There is a legitimate concern that legal drug markets could eventually be controlled by profit-motivated corporations interested in aggressively marketing and promoting drugs and drug use. The pharmaceutical industry is already the focus of considerable criticism for some of its ethical, business and marketing practices. However, for all the criticisms of commercial companies, they are infinitely preferable to the alternative of international organised criminal networks. To illustrate this point it should be noted that commercial companies: • Pay tax • Are subject to external scrutiny in the form of independent auditors, trade and financial regulatory bodies, unions and consumer groups • Are answerable to the law and are legally liable for their actions • Are not armed and do not use violence in their daily business dealings • Can be controlled and regulated as deemed appropriate by government Emerging legal drug markets offer a blank slate, a rare opportunity for us to establ
There is a legitimate concern that legal drug markets could eventually be controlled by profit-motivated corporations interested in aggressively marketing and promoting drugs and drug use. The pharmaceutical industry is already the focus of considerable criticism for some of its ethical, business and marketing practices. However, for all the criticisms of commercial companies, they are infinitely preferable to the alternative of international organised criminal networks. To illustrate this point it should be noted that commercial companies: • Pay tax • Are subject to external scrutiny in the form of independent auditors, trade and financial regulatory bodies, unions and consumer groups • Are answerable to the law and are legally liable for their actions • Are not armed and do not use violence in their daily business dealings • Can be controlled and regulated as deemed appropriate by government Emerging legal drug markets offer a blank slate, a rare opportunity for us to establish the o
