Since we are on this discussion I'm a radical on this too. Gee go figure with all my other views.
The "drug war" has not slowed down or reduced the amount of drugs that is grown within or brought in. All we have done is create more prisons and more people that have a record that can no longer fully benefit society. The good part to this we have more officers/Jail deputies, so we are creating jobs. Bad my tax dollars are being wasted on a lot of people that are not a threat.
I don't understand why we are tarnishing a lot of good kids by ruining their records with alcohol, drug, and other ridiculous charges. You are changing their lives for ever. You know when I was a teenager I had a deputy that made me pour my beer out(I'd spent a lot of time and money acquiring) and didn't give me a ticket. My dads generation were picked up and taken home and parents busted butts for the most part or otherwise disciplined their kids. Kids are going to be kids, they are going to try drugs (alcohol, tobacco, other drugs), etc. I guess I just don't see the policies of the past as being effective, all we have done is cause alot of good people to be labeled criminals. Yes they broke the law I'm not arguing that, and this is coming from one of the few people that can say he has never tried a illegal substance (other then Alcohol and tobacco which was illegal when I first tried them).
I also support dropping the age on alcohol to 18 or 16. If you are old enough to die for your country, own a house, pay taxes, make decision for yourself you should be allowed to drink. I mention 16 only because in some places this has been tried and it has been successful but is typically limited to Beer and not hard liquor. This is an American thing, must countries in the world have lesser restrictions if alcohol is permitted.