I think in the U.S., the law is applied differently. IMO, rather than protection, the legislature seems to use the law for regulation of anything they can't understand and/or control. I've always felt that the best way to win the 'war on drugs' is not through regulation, but by attacking the root causes. What makes someone want to use drugs in the first place? IMO, it's easier for our government to try to regulate drugs out of existence instead of tackling the larger social and economic issues that creates the climate for drugs and violence.