Moore M H
John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138.
Milbank Q. 1991;69(4):529-60.
Are criminal laws against the sale and use of drugs such as heroin and cocaine helpful in maintaining a liberal community? Answering this question is partly a matter of political philosophy, but the answer also depends on judgments about practical effects. Although it is clear that drug laws tend to worsen the conduct and condition of individuals who continue to use drugs, and strain the institutions of the criminal justice system, it is also plausible that these same laws succeed in reducing overall levels of drug use by suppressing the supply and helping sustain the community norm that disapproves of drug use.
针对海洛因和可卡因等毒品的销售和使用制定的刑法，对维护一个自由的社会是否有帮助？回答这个问题部分涉及政治哲学，但答案也取决于对实际效果的判断。尽管很明显，毒品法律往往会使继续吸毒的个人的行为和状况恶化，并给刑事司法系统的机构带来压力，但同样合理的是，这些法律通过抑制供应和帮助维持反对吸毒的社区规范，成功地降低了总体吸毒水平。
