4,000,000 is only about 2/10ths of 1 % of their total population. Japan got rid of their addicts by cutting their hair and fingernails, putting them in padded cells and making them go through "cold turkey". They either die or get over their addiction quick. It would be considered cruel and unusual punishment here though.
I've read somewhere, the chemicals used in making drugs, I think cocaine and crack cocaine, are only made by three companies. Two in the US and one in Germany. 90% of this chemical is shipped to Columbia throught front companies. If they wanted to get rid of this, they could get with Germany, and just stop the exports. Of course, it would eliminate some jobs at chemical plants. These drugs would become so expensive, noone could buy them. Maybe cocane should be lealised, controled, taxed, but not crack cocane.
I am on the border line on this one as far as legality.
Opium and opiates would be harder to control with the growing of poppies. Kind of like marijuana, both can be grown in the US. This is the ones that if you find a user, make them go through cold turkey to solve that problem. I am border line on legalising this drug as it requires needles or it can be drank like the old laudnium.
That only leaves marijuana, which should probably be legalised and taxed. It is addictive, but one can get over it. It slows a person down and relaxes them, so they probably wouldn't get violent.
The worse drug of all, is the methamphetimes. Once addicted, you can never really get off them. So, they should continue to be illegal and all DEA efforts should go into stopping these.
Maybe legalise marijuana first, compile records of accidents, etc, like alcohol related stuff, to see if legalising some of the other ones might be in order.
Strong laws for DUI of drugs like alcohol could be put in place. 80-90% of crime in America is drug related, from simple users getting caught, possession, to the big dealers. Stealing to pay of a habit is also a big problem. Make them be identified when buying by the pharmacy or seller keep drivers liscense records of who is buying like they are doing now with psudafed (sp). Limit purchases daily with a network on the computer system or something.