I'm ambivalent. Oxycodone, vicadin, etc., are are legally prescribed, as is methadone, but there is is still a huge toll taken on individuals, families and societies in the illegal (extralegal) acquisition and distribution of these drugs, not to mention use. I'm not sure that a blanket decriminalization and subsequent regulation of things like heroin, cocaine, crystal meth, etc., would have much effect on continued illegal trade, drug cartels, gangs, etc.

Although cannabis is a much different creature than it was 40 years ago, I do think it should be decriminalized. Probably the mostly commonly used of illegal drugs, dissociating it from criminal trade might result in fewer people who begin smoking pot to also begin using the opiates, coke, etc., simply because legal sources would be less likely to also be dealing some other stuff.

However, the lure of selling drugs illegally, whether or not they are also legally prescribed, is, for many of those drugs, the huge profit margin, (not for the addict simply trying to pay for his/her habit), and criminalization definitely is a factor in the profit margin.

I don't think there are any easy answers or perfect solutions. What we are doing doesn't work. However, I am not convinced that decriminalization, in general would be less problematic. It may well simply introduce a set of problems that are different, but no less difficult and costly to human lives and societies.