The United States and New Zealand are the only countries that allow pharmaceutical companies to advertise on television. These advertisments encourage people to take drugs they may not need by over stating benefits and understating side effects.  Taxpayers end up paying for a lot of unnecessary drugs so what are political parties getting out of this.

Businessmen were allowed to sell synthetic cannabis and other so called legal highs through dairies. They made big money for many years despite the damage being done to young people. It was only after a community backlash that politicians were forced to try to bring the industry under control. The drugs sold by gangs have been illegal for decades so obviously, gangs do not make donations to political parties or lobby politicians.

The tobacco industry is now promoting vaping. It is equally addictive and is probably very harmful but politicians have really done nothing about it.