Most opponents of drug use in general are loathe to concede that the best antidote to substance abuse (of legal AND illegal substances) is the love of friends and family, and treatment and education, if necessary. At the same time, we must accept that no one makes it out alive, and that whether it is drugs or whatever other problem, some people will fall off the bottom no matter what is done.

So I pose the questions: How is imprisoning drug users more effective at limiting drug use than treatment, education, and caring? Additionally, what does society gain by limiting drug use?