Thanks for this. I guess the best solution would be to identify and address the root cause of why people end up taking drugs.
What I find also interesting about the prison system in the United States is that many of the prisons are privately owned according to my understanding. They are put into REITS (Real Estate Investment Trusts) and then people can invest in them. They are even listed on exchanges I believe.
The reason I am bringing that up is because there may be conflicts of interest. Not that government owned prisons would not pose any conflicts of interest.