289: State-sponsored vice

The boys drink and review a homemade batch of Krupnikas, a Christmas cordial, then discuss how states often sponsor morally questionable behaviors, like gambling and drug use.  Maryland voters recently approved a referendum legalizing the recreational use of marijuana. Is this a good idea?  Some people try to put a positive spin on this by taxing the drugs and using the revenue for some good purpose.  Does decriminalization cut out the criminal element? Does that justify decriminalization?  And what about gambling? Is legalized gambling a good thing for society? Does winning the lottery actually help anyone? Does the lottery disproportionately affect the poor?  What happened to all the traditional arguments against gambling? Have we countered them, or just ignored them?