I don't think we need a national statute legalizing prostitution, but certainly on a state level it would be helpful. A good parallel here is the porn industry, which keeps track of STDs in its actors and actresses. If prostitution were legalized and turned into a formal, somewhat self-regulating industry, we could expect not only a decrease in STD transmission, but also a decrease in the violence related to prostitution and pimping.

As an added bonus, hip-hop artists would have to find something else to "sing" about :-P

I think that if prostitution was legal we would not even need to regulate it.

you could easily see some kind of bbb for prostitutes that would regulate the industry on it's own. However, making it illegal makes it impossible to have the kind of openness this sort of organization would require.

The very illegality of things makes them much more dangerous. Look at all of the drug trafficking and how dangerous it is compared to say the alcohol/wine/beer industry.

As an added bonus, hip-hop artists would have to find something else to "sing" about :-P"

MiriamSingsLoud says:

As an added bonus, hip-hop artists would have to find something else to "sing" about :-P"

HAHA, that is classic.

Legalization of prostitution and drugs seems like a good idea, and it seems to have been a good idea for a long time. Why hasn't anything been done with all the talking? That is another topic all together. I agree with the OP.

I have no problem with the legalization of Prostitution. I also agree that more then likely, if the law supported it, the industry would more then likely regulate itself in a similar way to the porn industry. It simply makes sense to regulate and standardize the profession.

Certainly the federal government doesn't need to take any action for prostitution to be legalized, it is an issue for the states. I do not live in Nevada, so I don't know how it is working there, but legalization makes sense at least academically. Illegality doesn't make anyone safer. When we tried to make alcohol illegal, we ended up making sure that criminal organizations were existent and well-funded; the same is true for the drug industry today.

Despite the fact that the idea of legalization makes sense, I don't see any politicians actually saying that, and I don't see a large number of states actually actually passing whatever is needed to make this industry legal. I just don't know if enough people are in support to make up for all those that would not re-elect someone who had suggested legalization. What does everyone else think of this? Am I right, or do I not understand the will of the people?

A bbb for the prostitution industry? Now there's a consumer complaint department that might be fun to audit!

The challenge to legalizing prostitution and drugs is similar to that of adopting a simplified tax code. There are constiuencies who are heavily invested in the status quo and don't want to see it change. Probably less so for prostitution then drugs and taxes, though I have nothing to back that up but a swag.

There is no legitimate reason for it to be illegal to begin with, in my opinion.