"however, many Asian countries to our North have harsh penalties.... and nowhere near the same drug-related crime that we have filling up courts, prisons."
They have even greater problems with drug related crime but there is one difference. If the police catch you, you will be pleading 'guilty' and be happy to do so. Their courts are not clogged up as you say, but their prisons are packed to the rafters. That is not an issue, except for the prisoners.
