Legalization Of Drugs Essay, Research Paper

The legalization of drugs has always been a problem in the United States. Some people agree with the Idea of legalizing drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and many others. These people argue that with the legalization of these drugs the crime rate and other social problems would reduce. While their opponent argue that the legalization of drugs would only add to the already high crime rates, and many social problems we have in the United States. Both sides both have very good arguments as to why drugs should or should not be legalized in the United States.

The battle between the government date back as early as the year 1914. This is the year in which the government passed the Harrison Narcotic act. This act asked for the punishment of those who were illegally in possession and use of marijuana. Penalties for the sale, and or, possession of illegal drugs were established by the Drug Abuse Control Amendments of 1965. Surprisingly enough, through all of these drug laws, marijuana remained legal until 1970. Even though most drugs were now illegal in the Untied States, more than fourteen million Americans used drugs at least once a month in the late 1980?s.

What would be some of the benefits from the legalization of drugs? Well, for the actual user there would be numerous benefits from the legalization of such drugs as marijuana. First would be the price of the drugs. Drug costs would dramatically decrease by ninety percent if they were made legal. Also the availability of them would increase. Heroine, at one time was close to becoming legal, would have been available at any corner market, and even treated like aspirin without any restrictions.

Along with the benefits, comes? the obvious dangers that would rise from the legalization of drugs. One of the first considerations that comes to a person?s mind when thinking of the possible dangers drugs is the thought of children being able to obtain marijuana, and other such drugs. If it is easy for the under aged to obtain such things as alcohol and cigarettes, wouldn?t it be just as easy to come in contact with these new legal drugs? What many adults don?t consider is the fact that mant teenagers and young children already have acceess to these illegal drugs. ?Today, just 11% of Americans report seeing drugs available where they live: After legalization, there could be a place to purchase drugs in every neighborhood.? Once again this information is hard to believe. Although drugs are illegal, drugs can be found anywhere in the United States, and they are most definitely already in just about every neighborhood.

There are also fears of the crime rate increasing in result of the legalization of drugs. The U.S. Department of Justice reports that criminals seem to commit six times more homicides, four times assaults, and almost one and a half times as many robberies under the influence of drugs. The main reason of these high statistics is the result of there criminals trying to obtain money in order to buy the drugs, but if the drugs were legal and in turn had a lower price, maybe not as many crimes would take place.

Many other countries have legalized drugs inside their boundaries. A few of their places include European countries such as; Switzerland, England, the Netherlands, and Italy. In the Netherlands, anyone over the age of seventeen is able to visit marijuana ?coffee shop? and pick a type of marijuana like a little kid picks a flavor of ice cream. The use of pot by adolescents the Netherlands has raised by nearly 200%. The possession of small amounts of drugs in Italy has not been considered a crime since 1975. Today, Italy has 300,000 heroin addicts, the highest rate of heroin addiction in all of Europe.

Mexico is another country with related drug problems. In Mexico there is no serious enforcement against drug distribution. Mexico is the major source of marijuana. The United States? State Department has stated that Mexico ?does not have a serious drug problem?. So if less strict laws against drugs seem to be working better than completely outlawing them, shouldn?t the U.S. try to lay off of the drug users for a little while and see what the result is?

No matter what the U.S. government does with the whole drug issue, there will always be someone out smoking a joint, getting high. The only way anyone will see if the legalization of drugs will actually work is if the government makes them legal and finds out the results. Maybe our government could start out by having the states vote on making marijuana legal in that particular state or not. Then, if the legalization of marijuana succeeds in those states maybe more states will vote on legalizing it. If all it does is cause more trouble, then the state can vote to make marijuana illegal once again.

If someone chooses to take the risk and experiment with drugs, that should be their own personal choice, and the government shouldn?t try to enforce their stupid rules. It?s true that the government is looking after the safety of non-drug users, but if they are going to do that shouldn?t they also make alcohol illegal? Alcohol can be just as deadly as drugs for the person drinking the alcohol as well as those people in their immediate surroundings. Before making a choice if drugs should be legal or not, look at both sides of the argument of drugs really doesn?t seem like that bad of am idea once all of the facts are stated.

Bibliography

?Drug?. Compton?s Encyclopedia. 1995 ed.

Long, Robert Emmet, ed. Drugs in America. New York: The H.W. Wilsom Company, 1993.

Legalizing Drugs. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1996.

?Legalization of Narcotics: Myths and Reality.? USA Today Mar. 1997: 1.