RE: Crystal meth or SHABU as it's known in the Philippines...in "pursuit of happiness".
I would say that the factors vary from person to person and ultimately boil down to the fallen human condition (as per a biblical worldview). A useful comparison can be made with alcohol, which doesn't cause violence in itself. (If it did, you would become violent while drinking.) A lot of people do become violent while drunk, but it doesn't mean that alcohol possession or consumption should be criminalized; it only means that those acts of violence should be criminalized.
Anyway, just as there are many consumers of alcohol who are non-violent (like you and I), there are also many users of other drugs who are non-violent. Drug criminalization entails coercion against non-violent people, and that is immoral. Don't you think government should leave you alone for drinking if you aren't hurting anyone else or anyone else's property? I would assume that your answer is "yes," so I'm asking you to afford the same thing to users of other substances.
Fallen human condition wont change anytime soon..so still it will create the same problem.
As for drug users who are harmless, maybe in the US it is possible, but in the Philippines,it is not for there is a huge difference in status between users.Majority of Filipino users dont have the money to buy shabu that once addicted they resort to crimes.Also I dont have much faith in them being able to control themselves under its influence.
I know of more than one non-violent Filipino shabu user, and the fact remains that shabu doesn't automatically make people into violent criminals. If they are addicted, though, it can be harmful to their health, and they can become panget if they lose their teeth from smoking it too much. (Ha!)
Anyway, it's wrong to arrest, imprison, or penalize anyone for the simple fact of shabu use or possession. Also, price hikes in shabu are a direct result of prohibition. If lambanog was illegal, it would cost a lot more than it does now.
The fallen nature of humanity is precisely why we shouldn't trust concentrated power in civil government. Statism is itself a product of the fallen human condition and it boils down to idolatry. The idolatrous nature of it is evident in the fact that so many people can support a guy who says he can "teach God about justice."