Legalizing Drugs
There is no question that America has a drug problem. Every day, millions of dollars worth of drugs are being sold and used, causing inumerous health problems for American users everywhere. The strict anti-drug federal policies, however, do not seem to have any effect on today’s rising number of deaths caused by addiction. Though many believe that the dangers of illegal drug use can be remedied with stronger policies against them, the best thing the government can do for today’s recreational drug situation is to legalize it.
First, if recreational drug use were legalized, the United States’ crime and violence rate would plummet. Not only would drug dealers and users no longer be criminalized, but the crime and violence associated with illegal …show more content…
drug trade would be eliminated. Violence associated with drug trade not only includes substance-related disputes among gangs, but also attempts from law enforcement to control drug use. The crime around today’s war on drugs can be compared to the ratification of the 18th amendment in 1919, which banned the production, transport, and sale of alcohol. The amendment was in effect for 13 years, until the number of homicides in the United States reached a zenith in 1933, and it was repealed by the 21st amendment. Thereafter, the number of American homicides abated, until the implementation of the “war on drugs” in 1960, since when the number has been steadily climbing. According to Gary Jensen, as he is quoted by Doug McVay, “Generalizing from the findings on Prohibition, we can hypothesize that decriminalization [of recreational drugs] would decrease violence associated with attempts to control illicit markets and [provide] resolutions to disputes between buyers and sellers” (McVay, 2007). Obviously, the government could decrease America’s violence if they legalized recreational drugs.
Equally significant, is that legalizing recreational drugs would make them much safer to use.
One of the most dangerous aspects of America’s current drug trade is the fact that buyers never know the true contents of the drug they are purchasing and using. Meaghan Cussen and Walter Block, again, comparing the war on drugs to the prohibition amendment, explain that “During Prohibition, it was in the best interests of the sellers to carry more potent forms of alcohol. Hence, an alcohol dealer would be more likely to carry vodka and other hard liquor instead of beer and wine because of [their] greater value. [...] Alcohol-related deaths increased. This horrific result is known as the potency effect” (Cussen & Block 2000). They go on to explain that eventually, once the prohibition amendment was repealed, the potency effect was reversed. If the United States government legalized and regulated the contents of drugs being sold, the potency effect would no longer exist in drug trade, thus, making drug use …show more content…
safer.
Not to mention that America’s war on drugs is a momentous waste of resources.
According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a shocking 83,982, or 46.4% of America’s inmates are incarcerated because of drug offences (BOP, 2016). If recreational drugs were legal, the United States government would be able make better use of the money and resources being spent to keep current drug offenders in prison. The government can save so much money and resources, simply by legalizing drugs in the U.S.
Admittedly, it is possible for those who are most wary of recreational drugs to argue that legalization will be seen as encouragement for use. When marijuana was legalized in California in 1996, critics had similar concerns. A study was composed to determine whether attitudes towards marijuana had changed because of the new legislation. It concluded that some attitudes towards marijuana changed, the actual use of the drug did not (Khatapoush & Hallfors, 2004). This can lead us to the conclusion that drug-related legislation has minimal or no effect on drug use.
Given these points, it is impossible not to conclude solving America’s drug problem means legalizing recreational drugs. It is inevitable that some Americans will always want to use recreational drugs, whether they are legal or not, which is why the United States Government needs to legalize their use, fostering a safer environment for drug use in
America.
First, if recreational drug use were legalized, the United States’ crime and violence rate would plummet. Not only would drug dealers and users no longer be criminalized, but the crime and violence associated with illegal …show more content…
drug trade would be eliminated. Violence associated with drug trade not only includes substance-related disputes among gangs, but also attempts from law enforcement to control drug use. The crime around today’s war on drugs can be compared to the ratification of the 18th amendment in 1919, which banned the production, transport, and sale of alcohol. The amendment was in effect for 13 years, until the number of homicides in the United States reached a zenith in 1933, and it was repealed by the 21st amendment. Thereafter, the number of American homicides abated, until the implementation of the “war on drugs” in 1960, since when the number has been steadily climbing. According to Gary Jensen, as he is quoted by Doug McVay, “Generalizing from the findings on Prohibition, we can hypothesize that decriminalization [of recreational drugs] would decrease violence associated with attempts to control illicit markets and [provide] resolutions to disputes between buyers and sellers” (McVay, 2007). Obviously, the government could decrease America’s violence if they legalized recreational drugs.
Equally significant, is that legalizing recreational drugs would make them much safer to use.
One of the most dangerous aspects of America’s current drug trade is the fact that buyers never know the true contents of the drug they are purchasing and using. Meaghan Cussen and Walter Block, again, comparing the war on drugs to the prohibition amendment, explain that “During Prohibition, it was in the best interests of the sellers to carry more potent forms of alcohol. Hence, an alcohol dealer would be more likely to carry vodka and other hard liquor instead of beer and wine because of [their] greater value. [...] Alcohol-related deaths increased. This horrific result is known as the potency effect” (Cussen & Block 2000). They go on to explain that eventually, once the prohibition amendment was repealed, the potency effect was reversed. If the United States government legalized and regulated the contents of drugs being sold, the potency effect would no longer exist in drug trade, thus, making drug use …show more content…
safer.
Not to mention that America’s war on drugs is a momentous waste of resources.
According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a shocking 83,982, or 46.4% of America’s inmates are incarcerated because of drug offences (BOP, 2016). If recreational drugs were legal, the United States government would be able make better use of the money and resources being spent to keep current drug offenders in prison. The government can save so much money and resources, simply by legalizing drugs in the U.S.
Admittedly, it is possible for those who are most wary of recreational drugs to argue that legalization will be seen as encouragement for use. When marijuana was legalized in California in 1996, critics had similar concerns. A study was composed to determine whether attitudes towards marijuana had changed because of the new legislation. It concluded that some attitudes towards marijuana changed, the actual use of the drug did not (Khatapoush & Hallfors, 2004). This can lead us to the conclusion that drug-related legislation has minimal or no effect on drug use.
Given these points, it is impossible not to conclude solving America’s drug problem means legalizing recreational drugs. It is inevitable that some Americans will always want to use recreational drugs, whether they are legal or not, which is why the United States Government needs to legalize their use, fostering a safer environment for drug use in
America.