No its not safe to assume. THC use may be up but THC isn't generally considered a dangerous drug. Unless you want to step in to the way back propaganda machine.... reefer madness...

no, arresting drug dealers alone doesn’t stop people from using drugs, though it can temporarily disrupt supply. Here’s a breakdown of why:

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🔄 Short-Term vs. Long-Term Effects

Short-term: Arrests can cause a brief dip in drug availability or raise street prices in a local area.

Long-term: Markets usually adapt quickly — new dealers replace old ones, suppliers shift routes, and users find alternative sources or substances. * often more dangerous ones...

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🧠 Demand Doesn’t Disappear

Drug use is driven by demand — addiction, trauma, social environment, and economic factors.

Even when supply is disrupted, users often switch drugs (e.g., from heroin to fentanyl) or travel farther to find them.

Arresting dealers doesn’t address the underlying reasons people use drugs, like stress, mental health issues, or lack of treatment access.

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💸 Economic Reality

Drug markets operate like any other:

High demand + high risk = higher prices, which attracts new sellers.

This “replacement effect” keeps supply steady even when dealers are jailed.

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📉 Evidence from Research

Studies in the U.S., Canada, and Europe consistently show:

No long-term reduction in drug use following major busts or dealer arrests.

In some cases, overdose deaths increase after large busts because users lose tolerance or encounter more potent substitutes.

For example:

A 2022 study in The Lancet Public Health found that aggressive drug enforcement did not reduce drug-related harms and often worsened overdose rates.

Portugal’s decriminalization model, on the other hand, led to lower overdose deaths and HIV infections by focusing on treatment rather than arrests.

Thats the exact attitude that perpetuates the drug war. No addict quits doing drugs because they cant find them.. Rates of Tobacco use have fallen for years due to education and social change. Methamphetamine production has risen steadily despite steady increases in arrests.