Drugs And Legalization Essay, Research Paper

Drugs and Legalization

Since early on man has been interested in the consumption of substances

that altered the mind or ones feeling. The consumption of substances can be

broken down into legal and illegal substances. The question is, who are we to

label certain substances illegal and prohibit others from using them by creating

penalties for their use?

If the importation, sale and use of drugs were legal, the open

competition would eliminate the profitability of drug dealing. Without the

economic incentive to commit violent crimes, the violence of drug dealing would

be dramatically reduced. In addition to the elimination of the economic

incentive, the health risk factor would help to reduce the role of the drug

dealer. A potential customer would probably choose to buy a market-tested

product from a pharmacy as opposed to buying a product of unknown dosage and

quality from a corner dealer.

Without the advantage of large profits, the drug dealing profession

would lose its luster. A major problem is that teenagers see selling drugs as

the only way to make money. Minimum wage salaries can not compare to the huge

profits associated with dealing. In a drug community, the drug dealers are seen

as the center of the community. They become role models for the children,

replacing their parents. Eliminating the drug dealer will force these young

children into the reality that education is the way to make money, not selling

drugs.

N.O.R.M.L (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) is a

fully recognized organization that lobbies for the removal of criminal penalties

for the individual who uses marijuana in private. Since it is the Americans

right to privacy, personal choice, and individual freedom.

Marijuana, in addition to not being a dangerous drug, has been

documented to have practical medical purposes and environmental purposes. The

legalization of marijuana, a drug that the criminalization of is so impossible

to enforce, would not only not harm society, but could actually benefit it. The

question then becomes, how should legalization be approached? In addition to

legalization, the government must also educate people of the affects.

Legalizing drugs would allow them to be available to those who would

benefit from their medical use and those who would like to use them as

recreational drugs much like alcohol and tobacco are. Research would also be

encouraged as scientists could search for new and practical uses of drugs. There

are many wonderful uses of drugs that have not yet been identified or perfected

because of the strict laws against them. With expanded research, we could

discover these new possibilities.

Of course, some restrictions would have to be set. Likely, an age

restriction would have to be adopted. Restricting the use of drugs to adults

only, and educating the youth of the potential dangers should help curb

adolescent abuse, much like that of alcohol and tobacco. Prohibiting acts such

as driving a vehicle under the influence of a mind-altering substance would

likewise be necessary. Another necessity would be the destruction of all those

with prior criminal records due to the arrest or conviction on drug-related

charges. Of course, the right of the non-smoker would have to be respected in a

public facility, just like non-smoking areas now days. The legalization could

also help the economy in the revenue collected from taxes.