Drugs Should Not Equal Jail

Right off the bat, let me be clear that I completely oppose the criminalization of any and all narcotics. This is supposed to be a free country, with the granted rights and privileges of choice. Like with sexual rights, I see no reason why informed, consenting adults cannot partake in whatever they choose, so long as they acknowledge the risk. We already grant this with alcohol, tobacco products, and a slew of food products we can all agree are just plain not good for you. People and employers are capable of limiting/determining when and where the use of these things is appropriate, and otherwise safe.

It's pretty rare to see someone come to work inebriated, and should they do so and compromise the safety/production of their workplace, they are handled accordingly. The same goes with many other habits. I have worked in some nicer places, as well as some seedy places, and the only time I saw someone get drug screened or breathalized was when their work reflected a problem. Marijuana is ever-present in the restaurant industry, and yet many of the people I worked with who used were the most level-headed, efficient workers I had seen. As long as they follow kitchen safety and sanitation regulations, who cares?

"But what about DUI?" you ask. While yes, I acknowledge that many people are irresponsible about drinking and driving, what is the actual possibility of a drug user getting behind the wheel, thinking that's okay? It's easy to think that after one or two drinks you're good to go, but if you're smoking/snorting something to get high, you KNOW you're high. I would definitely like to find some studies on how narcotics affect reaction times and driving ability, because I realize my anecdotal experiences are not sufficient enough to stand by my current opinion on this particular issue.

Most people serving jail time for drug-related crimes are non-violent, with victimless offenses. We put these people in prison, alongside the actually violent offenders, and dump out dysfunctional, now potentially violent members of society. It's not solving the problem, it's making it worse.
The other issue, in the same branch, is privatized prisons. That shit needs to stop. The point of prison is not for someone up top to make money, it's supposed to be a place to either straighten out those who have erred, or keep proven dangerous people separated from society.
For the amount of money involved to incarcerate someone for a non-violent offense, we could redirect it towards rehabilitation centers and bridge programs and see way better bang for our buck. Even a modified form of probation would be better for these types of people. They need to be assimilated into a healthy, productive environment, and prison is no such place.