There is a correlation between illegal drug traffickers and pressure to fund the war on drugs; there is the cost of imprisoning drug offenders; the cost of legal fees; attorney fees; funding police officers fighting the black drug market. The legalization of cannabis in Australia opens up many opportunities; for example, legalizing the production and sale of cannabis will suppress the black market and generate taxes for the government (Walters, 1993). Also based on 2001 statistics on drug decriminalization in Portugal, there was an increase in treatment uptake and a reduction in drug-related deaths (Hughes & Stevens, 2007). Legalizing cannabis could save an estimated $3 billion to $10 billion and attention could be diverted from the costs of prohibition, law enforcement, courts, and prisons (Dennis and White, 1999). Emphasis has now been placed on drug treatment, and the use of therapy has increased since legalization (Loo et al., 2002). The decriminalization of drug possession has enabled drug users to seek earlier intervention from health professionals and to use more effective methods of intervening with drug problems (Hughes & Stevens, 2007). This has removed the stigma behind drugs and professionals are now able to screen for problem drug users. Additionally, since decriminalization, the number of active drug users has become more visible. Robson (1999, p. 22) argues that “the vast majority of people who use drugs are never reported to doctors, lawyers or police.” Research is now more effective, particularly because of the many people who are interested in understanding drug-related problems. Additionally, since many people today report using drugs, the statistics are more accurate and it is easier to measure the overall rate of drug use..