It is true that some drugs are very dangerous and can ruin people’s lives. One of the most dangerous ones is alcohol, which is legal. One of the least dangerous ones is cannabis, which is still illegal in most places and at a federal level in the USA.

So maybe (just maybe) this is not about protecting people at all and never was?

Are all merchants who sell alcohol bastards?

Same. European here, I have lived in several different EU countries and everyone I know uses either WhatsApp or Signal.