We 100% do NOT need to produce, sell, and tax meth or heroin, regulated or not.

Of course we don't need to, but I'd argue that we should.

Obviously they're incredibly harmful and we'd rather nobody ever used those drugs. But we don't get to live in fantasy-land. The reality of the situation is that people are using those drugs.

Legalizing these drugs moves them out of the whole "criminal" sphere and reduces the dangerous and criminal activities surrounding them.

Regulating their production can reduce the harm done by unexpected changes in quality or composition.

Taxing them lets us take a cut of the money and put it to good use.

Or we can just insist that these drugs are too evil to be legitimized in any way and carry on with the status quo. Because it's all fine the way it is.