Counterpoint: Oregon has done exactly that via Measure 101. It's been a complete mess. Every societal ill that comes along with drug use has gotten substantially worse. In theory, ending prohibition and diverting resources is a good idea, but it sure hasn't worked out that way in practice and I wouldn't encourage anyone in the U.S. to vote for it or trust that it will be well implemented here.

While I agree prohibition certainly does more harm than good, spending time in parts of SF where crack/meth/heroin/fentanyl are effectively legal has convinced me a firm hand is also needed to contain the externalities. It destroys a place and makes it unlivable. You can't just allow it wherever.

Ending prohibition would, at best, depress prices and increase use. You don't need to legalize the use or sale of methamphetamine or fentanyl or crack to offer more mental health and preventative services.

It would also decouple two different difficult problems {housing, drug abuse} from needing to be solved by the same solution.

> but paying for a drug habit when drugs are expensive and you have a hard time holding down a 9-5 job (usually due to mental illness)

I would imagine mental illness would be a bigger barrier to handling a 9-5 job than drug use.

IIUC, the majority of people that drink alcohol and smoke weed daily work 9-5 just fine.

Is the same true for the majority of people that have mental illness? What are we even considering mental illness?

I don't think the visibly homeless crazy people have mild mental illness. I think their mental illness is a bigger problem then drug addiction if they even have that problem.

Nobody wants to talk about it but we really need to decriminalize hiring druggies.

Drug addicts can work quite well in the trades (drywall hangers are famous for being meth-heads in some areas) but once "enforcement" starts cracking down on hiring them, they can't find work.

is it a crime to hire drug addicts? what enforcement are you talking about?

If it's not directly illegal (certain "high risk" jobs) it's practically illegal because of insurance requirements.