Economists on drugs

April 1, 2004 9:00 PM

A slim majority of sampled economists favor drug decriminalization, according to this .pdf article in the newly-launched Econ Journal Watch.
Via Marginal Revolution.
posted by trharlan (4 comments total)

Isn't this like the AMA announcing they think Greenspans economic policy is wrong? Or nuclear physicists chiming in on global warming?
posted by stbalbach at 12:12 AM on April 2, 2004

Isn't this like the AMA announcing they think Greenspans economic policy is wrong? Or nuclear physicists chiming in on global warming?

I don't think so. Economics and public policy are tied pretty closely together, or at least they should be. It's not a 1:1 relationship, but there's pretty significant overlap.
posted by COBRA! at 8:30 AM on April 2, 2004

wasn't it ultimately economic concerns that led to the end of the prohibition of alcohol?
posted by Tryptophan-5ht at 8:36 AM on April 2, 2004

interesting post, tharlan, thanks. Narco dollars are so huge a component of the underground economy, it makes sense that economists would have an opinion.

This study will be good for my future debates, too - it certainly lends a more serious note to a discussion on decriminalization to quote one of these guys instead of someone like woody harrelson ;-)
posted by madamjujujive at 11:41 PM on April 2, 2004