We are relearning a lesson from 100 years ago which is that the act of putting your name on a product enters you into a social contract where adulterated products lead to an unprofitable loss of status. It’s a form of mutually assured destruction.

If we finished decriminalizing the “alcohol tier” drugs and allowed for national brands, instead of a mosaic of companies who cannot legally transport product across state lines, then we would have a real alternative for people who think their highest priority is to check out of life for a while. For the people who want to check out as long as possible/forever, they already need loads of therapy. And legalizing or criminalizing activities they like to repeat doesn’t change that.

You take your average severely depressed person, who may describe themselves as too much of a coward to end it all. Now threaten them with ruining the rest of their life? I have news for you, most of them already believe their life is ruined. Putting yourself in harm’s way to feel something is a terrible existence, and I think the people who describe it as slow suicide are not wrong. I also worry sometimes about adrenaline junkies.

You can’t outlaw self destruction. What threat can you possibly make that will have any import?

You can outlaw reckless endangerment.