Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Overcoming Bias Commenter's avatar

but say we do it to protect the drinker.

We do? Maybe, I'm not sure. I am sure that cocaine and marijuana were originally banned in the name of violence. I am pretty sure that Prohibition was brought about by women concerned about their husbands' drinking.

Has something changed in the way we talk about drugs? or just government?

Expand full comment
Robin Hanson's avatar

Daniel, Bryan Caplan notes that parents tell kids to go to bed at a certain time because that makes life easier for the parents, even though parents talk as if they were doing it for the kids benefit. Similarly, alcohol mostly benefits those who drink it, but often at the expense of others around them, and so we limit alcohol but say we do it to protect the drinker.

Expand full comment
5 more comments...

No posts