This article covers two of my major socio-political concerns.
What you call universal basic income I have always called negative income tax. It seems to me that the taxation system is well equipped to ensure that everyone has at least a livable income. Somewhere between the poverty level and the basic tax deductible income might work.
I had not put together the connection between poverty and drug addiction, but now I see it. Decriminalising will work with basic income to reduce the problem greatly.
Yeah, NIT and UBI are two ways of going about the same thing. And I agree, legalization of drugs would go a long way alongside UBI to reduce the damage being done to people!
I wonder how many people have died from opiates who would have preferred marijuana if legal and regulated like alcohol?