I would guess the reduction is by about a factor of 3. If hard drugs were allowed, over-doze deaths would have been in hundreds of thousands annually.
With the operative word in the above being guess, thus admitting that such is not known or even understood. Meaning there is no legitimate reason in calling for the same approach to be applied to a constitutional right.
It is not a failed policy, there are just better policies. Prohibition virtually eliminated alcoholism and I will bet that saved more lives than organized crime took. Eliminating the drug laws without having additional addiction programs would be foolish and irresponsible as it is now suppression of drug use is saving lives but Portugal does better.
If prohibition on alcoholic beverages was not a failed policy, why was it repealed? Why was the public demand for alcoholic beverages ultimately so strong that it could not be eliminated by legal mandates?
It was judged that the harm being done to general society was greater than the lose of individuals due to addiction and ruined lives. A value judgment. There will always be a black market for anything banned. Does that mean there should never be restrictions on products, weapons or substances that the public deems harmful?
All the more reason good people should be able to have access to and carry guns, so they can stop bad people who want to murder on impulse.
Obviously just because there's an illegal market for something doesn't mean it shouldn't be banned, but with guns, there is good uses for guns so guns can be used for good if used properly. Just because guns are sometimes used improperly doesn't mean they should be banned just like cars are sometimes used improperly and they shouldn't be banned.
In my opinion, guns do more harm than good to society and should be restricted and controlled. A value judgment that the "developed world" agrees with.
So really, NO laws work. If you're definition of laws "not working" is that criminals do not respect laws then no laws work, right?
And it is not believed the same outcome would not be had if the same approach was attempted with firearms? If it is being acknowledged that the black market will pick up the slack and supply the public with whatever it wants, why is it believed such restrictions will result in a net benefit?
Firearms are already restricted and controlled in the united states. What more can be done? Explain such.
Please demonstrate the necessary relationship between the guns laws in those nations and the effects you claim.
Now, please compare apples and apples. What's South African homicide rate w/ firearms? What is it in the US?
Such is a natural consequence of continually releasing known criminals back into society, long after they have proven that they will not abide by the rules of society. If one wishes to see a reduction in homicides, remove those responsible for committing the homicides from the equation. Either execute them, or confine them to the appropriate facilities for the duration of their natural lives.
You don't have to kill a bad guy to stop them. As a matter of fact most of the time a bad guy is stopped they aren't killed. It is possible to shoot somebody and just injure them without killing them and for that to be adequate to stop them. It is possible to simply present a gun and a bad guy will give up so you don't have to shoot them at all, which happens very often. Comparing the number of justifiable homicides to the number of criminal homicides is a bad comparison.
The vast majority of released killers do not kill again. In Russia, the average prison term for murder is 10 years. Very few of the released killers kill again.
Too many people failed by the system. Too many people without help become drug addicts. A few truly evil people also commit crimes.
Then why do so few of these individuals ever go on to commit another murder after they have been released from prison? Did their lives and situations suddenly improve to drastic degrees, so the point the problems that motivated them to commit murder in the first place no longer exist? Or are they still in the same situation that served as justification for them committing murder in the first place? If the situation remains unchanged, why do they not murder again and again? Explain such.
Yes, it is a sick attitude. Imagine it applied to other things- such as arresting the car when a drunk driver kills someone.