My claim here is that our drug laws are not based on utilitarian considerations of harm and benefit—rather they reflect the view that lowlifes need to be punished and glamorous people should get off scot-free. The fact that sellers of drugs are far more likely to receive prison sentences than buyers of drugs has nothing to do with the severity of the crime. Every transaction requires a buyer and seller. It’s all about the fact that poor Black and Hispanic men need to be put in prison while glamorous Hollywood actors and pop stars need to be protected from prison.
