LEGALISING DRUGS OF ABUSE: THE LE CHATELIER THOUGHT EXPERIMENT

Abstract

Background
There is currently much debate on legalising some psychoactive materials such as Cannabis. This could stabilise policing costs, reduce crime, generate tax revenue and control sale by registration of outlets. Such outcomes are valuable, but legalisation may have unintended consequences that are deleterious to society or have no effects on crime or user’s health. Here, I propose that behaviour following changes to control of possession and supply may have outcomes that could be predicted by the equilibrium law proposed by Henry Le Chatelier. This law describes a system moving in such a way as to remove the constraints placed upon it.
Aims
The purpose of this opinion paper is to follow Le Chatelier’s Principle (LCP) as a thought experiment to predict the outcomes (products) of drug consumption (reactants) when factors influencing this consumption (conditions) are changed. If this equilibrium law can be applied to human behaviour, it may have value to predict the outcomes of these conditions and assess whether they are positive or injurious. It must be noted that the views expressed here are solely those of the author.
Methods
Pubmed, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink and Google were used for literature searches and “drugs” will be used for drugs of abuse and distinct from medicinal drugs, apart from methadone and heroin (diamorphine).
Results
Applying LCP predicts that drug use may not necessarily decrease, but availability, poor health and criminal activity may increase use. The businesses behind drug treatment and illegal distribution have too much financial incentive to halt operations.
Conclusion
Organisations recommending legislative changes to drug control should conduct thought experiments to horizon scan for unintended consequences, that may be costly and deleterious to society. Governments often focus too heavily on the evidence base as the sole driver for change. However, common sense drawn from opinion from these experiments may lead to wisdom.
Keywords; War on drugs, legalisation, Le Chatelier’s Principle, psychoactive substances