I'm not so sure about "legalize it and it's not a problem" types of scenarios. Perhaps our Dutch friends can chime in on that issue best. Crime certainly seems to go down when street drugs are regulated, taxed, and tolerated. However, dependency, medical issues, and social costs remain.
Another thing - candy, fatty foods, unhealthy foods are completely legal, and the leading causes of death (I believe) are still heart disease, cancer, and increasingly, obesity. Just because something is legal and freely available doesn't make it more healthy or good for you, or society. Obesity is a huge problem. I know several people who, unlike alcohol or street drugs, are addicted to food. They "medicate" by overeating. And it's going to kill them. One of my best buddies weighs in at over 400 pounds (200 kilos or so). He's 32, and he'll be lucky if he hits 35-40. It pains me, but I understand his addiction. After all, you can't stop eating...you have to eat to live, unlike drugs, which are often recreational-only.
Anyway, I didn't intend for this to be a discussion about legalization of drugs or addictions... I jsut thought it was a funny pic. Pot DOES make you hungry as hell. lol