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The Legalization Of Drug Legalization
Drug decriminalization is opposed by the majority of Americans. Leaders in drug prevention, education, treatment, and law enforcement are against it,
as are many political leaders. However, pro–drug advocacy groups, who support the use of drugs, are making headlines. They are influencing
legislation and having a significant impact on the national policy debate in the United States. Although, pro–advocacy groups claim decriminalization
of drugs will lower incarceration rates and boost the economy, drugs must stay illegal in America, if not, more people will use, causing negative
effects on health, families and communities. Proponents on the legalization of drugs believe if drugs were to become legal; the black market worth
billions of dollars would become extinct, drug gangsters would disappear, addicts would stop committing crimes to support their habit and the
prison system would not be overwhelmed with a problem they cannot defeat. The decriminalization of drugs will only make illegal drugs cheaper,
easier to get and more acceptable to use. "The U.S. has 20 million alcoholics and alcohol misusers, but only around 6 million illegal drug addicts. If
illegal drugs were easier to obtain, this figure would rise"(Should Drugs be decriminalized? No.November 09, 2007 Califano Joseph A, Jr)." A large
number of prisoners and people in rehab homes have stated that they were brought up in homes where illegal drugs were being used by their parents.
These
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Essay about Drug Legalization
Drug Legalization
Strong drug enforcement in the United States is correlated with the reduction in crime , drug use, and drug addiction growth rates. The impact on
tougher drug sanctions has been overshadowed by a myth that U.S. drug enforcement has become too lenient.
This myth has been promoted by the multi–million dollar pro–drug legalization lobby, civil libertarians, and misguided academic researchers to the
public with limited review and challenge.
Attacks on drug enforcement efforts often hold law enforcement to impossible and changing performance standards. Law enforcement , treatment , and
prevention complement each other. None of the credit for the twelve year decline in drug use among our...show more content...
Legalization may lessen the violence surrounding drug dealing , but the real problem is violence resulting from drug use, and this must be addressed
with strong law enforcement , substance abuse treatment, prevention and a commitment to change.
Anyone who uses marijuana and thinks that "pot" is not harmful is fooling themselves. The active ingredient THC , is addictive , and
users can get just as addicted as they can with nicotine ( cigarettes and chewing tobacco) or alcohol or cocaine.
Any tax revenue collected resulting from legalization would be minimal compared to the social cost of addiction. Legalization would create even more
clients for an already overburdened treatment system, and at a much higher cost.
Treatment is only a part of the price that we pay, we will also be paying for the marijuana users increased health problems, reduced productivity ,
injuries from auto accidents , and crime. The overwhelming media impact on drug legalization is scary when you think of the impact on young
people. Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States. The good news is that marijuana use is down slightly according to some
recent surveys. We must send messages to society especially the teen–age members that it is not all right to get " high", getting high is not
a message that stresses healthy relaxation and coping with problems
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Legalization Of Drugs
Many of today's experts take information from the earlier years of United States history. In addition, they use it to support the argument that
legalization will, in fact, stop the black market from growing and selling these drugs. In the 1800s, there was a large movement for temperance, or
anti–alcohol, which was started by physicians, ministers, and large employers concerned about their workers. By the mid–1800s, this movement had
become one of the middle class. This movement was dedicated to showing and convincing people that alcoholic drinks eroded moral character as well
as the physical and mental well–being of those who drank alcohol. The temperance supporters considered alcohol as people currently view heroin.
From the beginning the temperance ideology was a powerful force in making...show more content...
Bootleggers and speakeasies appeared to violate the prohibition laws. Prohibition agents like Eliot Ness traveled areas looking for these places where
the speakeasies and other illicit alcohol practices. Even though the prohibition was to ban alcohol, it did not work at the time and people just used the
black market to sell these banned products. In addition, it has been observed frequently that prohibition tends to drive out the weaker products only to
bring in the stronger more dangerous ones. These arguments are very logical and reasonable, but alcohol is not as addictive as illegal drugs.
Nonetheless, alcohol is currently available in the United States for anyone over 21 years of age. Even though experts have identified that over 60
diseases are linked to alcohol and that it is the fourth most harmful drug to users. Even though alcohol is not as addictive as most drugs, it is still as
dangerous as some drugs. Therefore, only highly potent alcohol is sold on the black market, most common alcohol is sold in stores nationwide
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How Harmful Is The Legalization Of Drugs?
Legalization of Drugs
The drug connection is one that continues to resist analysis, both because cause and effect are so difficult to distinguish and because the role of the
drug– prohibition laws in causing and labeling "drug–related crime" is so often ignored. There are four possible connections between drugs
and crime, at least three of which would be much diminished if the drug–prohibition laws were repealed. "First, producing, selling, buying, and
consuming strictly controlled and banned substances is itself a crime that occurs billions of times each year in the United States alone"
(Lindsmith Center). In the absence of drug– prohibition laws, these activities would obviously stop being crimes. "Selling...show more content...
No illicit drug, however, is as widely associated with violent behavior as alcohol. According to Justice Department statistics, 54 percent of all jail
inmates convicted of violent crimes in 1983 reported having used alcohol just prior to committing their offense. The impact of drug legalization on this
drug connection is the most difficult to predict. Much would depend on overall rates of drug abuse and changes in the nature of consumption, both of
which are impossible to predict. It is worth noting, however, that a shift in consumption from alcohol to marijuana would almost certainly contribute to
a decline in violent behavior" (Lindsmith Center).
The fourth drug link is the violent, intimidating, and corrupting behavior of the drug traffickers. Illegal markets tend to breed violence not only
because they attract criminally–minded individuals, but also because participants in the market have no resort to legal institutions to resolve their
disputes.
According to the Lindsmith Center "During Prohibition, violent struggles between bootlegging gangs and hijackings of booze–laden trucks and
sea vessels were frequent and notorious occurrences. Today's equivalents are the booby traps that surround some marijuana fields, the pirates of the
Caribbean looking to rip off drug–laden vessels en route to the shores of the United States, and the machine gun battles and executions carried out by
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Should Drugs Be Legalized? Essay
The legalization of drugs is among the most polarizing issues faced by the US government today. The increase in organized crime related to drug
trafficking has forced authorities to reevaluate their stance on their legalization issue, and yet there are those in the civil society that oppose such
legalization vehemently. Though there is evidence that many of the banned and scheduled substances can be attributed to a range of health benefits
and treatment of diseases, the American experience with drugs has been a rather unpleasant one. It is not surprising therefore, that America continues
to take a tough stand against any and all drugs and that debate on the issue continues to rage strongly. The question, however remains– should drugs
really be legalized, and if so, who benefits from such a legalization? William J. Bennet has been a former Secretary of Education as well as a Director
of the National Drug Control Policy. Having had experience in both education and drug control, Bennet speaks from a point of reference that few of his
readers may have. he argues that most of the arguments – both for and against legalization of drugs, stem from a point of ignorance and since the real
issues are hardly ever understood, the debate on legalization of drugs continues to remain largely misinformed. James Q. Wilson approaches this issue
through the point of view of economics. He argues that lowered prices and abundant supply – both of which would be the natural outcomes of
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Legalization of All Drugs Essay
Legalization of All Drugs
Legalize Drugs! I know what you're thinking, are you crazy!
The debate over the legalization of drugs continues to disturb the American public. Such an issue stirs up moral and religious beliefs, beliefs that are
contrary to what Americans should believe. I ask all of you to please keep an open mind and hear me out on this very controversial subject. All of us
have in some way or another been affected by drug, whether it is a family member or the economic burden on society. Americans often take at face
value the assumptions that drugs cause addiction, which leads to crime. This is true but abundant evidence exists to support the view that legalizing
illicit drugs can help solve the drug problem in America....show more content...
Why would an inner–city youth degrade themselves by working for five dollars an hour at McDonalds? While some of his peers are standing on a
corner, selling drugs for a couple of hundred dollars an hour. So you risk going to jail. Unfortunately jail for some people is better than living in the
conditions, which they live in now. The slick young pushers are the new role models for today's youth. They are wearing designer clothes and are
driving the new $50,000 cars. They are being seen everyday with a smug smile that tells the younger children that drugs pay.
One way to combat the problem is to go after the pusher: arrest them and toss them in jail. This is the approach we use today but it is not an
effective one. This is because people will do anything and use all their intellect to avoid arrest. A lot of Americans have sufficient talent to get away
with illegal crimes. As we attempt to crack down on the violence and drug trafficking, we find that our justice and prison systems are ill equipped to
handle the problem to the magnitude as we see now. Who is going to pay the billions of dollars required to build the prisons, hire the judges, train the
police men for the load already on hand, let alone the huge one yet to come if we ever get serous about arresting dealers and the users. There has got to
be a better way. Every day, police officers face ruthless drug dealers, who would rather shoot an office than spend twenty–five
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Legalization of Drugs Argument Essay
Legalization of Drugs Argument
Man, as a creature, is inherently bored. Since the dawn of time, it has been the natural instinct of man to find alternative methods to enhance his being.
The many means by which man has turned to include sex, gambling, and the consumption of substances beyond the requirements of nutrition. The
consumption of substances can be further broken down into legal and illegal substances. The question then becomes, who are we to place labels on
certain substances by deeming them legal and prohibit others by creating penalties for their use?
The issue of prohibition is certainly not a new one to our nation. In 1919, the
18th Amendment prohibited the manufacture, sale or transportation of alcoholic...show more content...
Most of the violent crime associated with drugs can be traced directly to the drug dealers and not the users. "The 'war on drugs' drives up prices,
which attracts more people to the drug trade. When potential profit increases, drug dealers resort to greater extremes, including violence." For
example, the street price of heroin has risen 5,000 times that of hospital costs. These artificial prices lead to turf wars in which one dealer attempts to
protect his sales from another. These turf wars cause dealers to kill each other, law enforcement officials, and often innocent bystanders. The rising
cost of the drugs causes desperate addicts to commit robberies in order to keep up with the inflating prices. 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 lure of potential profits, the drug dealing profession would lose its luster. A major problem is that children in lower–class areas see selling
drugs as the only way to
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Against The Legalization Of Drugs
Against the Legalization of Drugs
Legalization of drugs is an increasingly hot topic in today's society. It is one of that needs vast advancements in research and treatment for addicts to
prevent the moral and legal obligations, as well as the severe health ramifications that come along with addiction of these powerful drugs. To legalize
drugs would be detrimental to the family unit as well as our youth and have serious health consequences at an alarming rate.
James Q. Wilson, author of, "Against the Legalization of Drugs," was the first Senior Fellow at Boston College's Clough Center for the Study of
Constitutional Democracy and Distinguished Scholar in its Department of Political Science. In his essay, Wilson portrays his stance on being against
legalization of drugs and speaks of figuring out how to win the war on drugs and "not send up the white flag of surrender." Wilson explains the
historical aspect of not legalizing heroin in 1972 and health deterioration along with the number of deaths to heroin assisted in decreasing the number
of heroin users in the United States. Wilson gives perspectives from the stance of legalization and why it would not have worked and will not work
today. Wilson's argument on the detrimental effects of legalizing drugs on our society as a whole would not only have severe effects on our children
and young adults, but also our unborn fetuses.
Specifically, Wilson's essay describes the detrimental effects of heroin and crack cocaine.
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Drug Legalization Essay
Drug Legalization
Drug legalization has become a great issue among Americans for many years, and there have also been those that try to stop that legalization. The
article, "Legalizing Drugs is Not the Solution" by Gerald W. Lynch, has a good argument based on facts and incidents that have occurred fromdrug use.
In this article a person thinks twice about what they are really doing when they use drugs, and it is clear as to why legalizing drugs would not be a
logical solution
As spoken in this essay about the legalization of drugs and its bad effects, Lynch uses a lot of relevance and sufficiency throughout his piece. Relevance
is the appropriateness of his evidence to the case at hand (Faigley and Selzer 45). Sufficiency is...show more content...
This demonstrates the facts that are related to the negative effects of drug use. Lynch states this with his examples of what drug users have done with
vandalism in various cities around the world.
We all tend to look down on drugs at one time or another, but in this day and age it is getting way too easy to access drugs in the legal world and
that needs to be stopped. With the legalization of drugs there would be a lot more drug related deaths and that is another reason why legalization
would be bad, and as Lynch states, "Drug legalization would not eliminate crime" (Lynch 491). This stresses the issue that if drugs were legalized
that they would do more harm than good. Through legalizing drugs a lot of officials feel they are going to solve a lot of problems in the drug world
with over use by people that do not need it, but in reality they will just make the addictions worse for people in general. Lynch does a good job of
stating these topics throughout his essay.
Lynch has good historical analogies throughout his writing also. A historical analogy compares something that is going on now with a similar case in
the past (Faigley and Selzer 40). One argument that he uses is about the Platzpitz, which is a park in the center of Zurich, when it was devastated from
drug dealers and drug addicts (Lynch, G. 492). The information that is given about this subject explains how drugs have caused negative
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Legalization Of Drugs
Nonetheless, does legalization of illegal products, such as drugs, diminish black market activity? James Q. Wilson, a former professor at UCLA and
Harvard, stated in one of his columns "Our federal drug laws are irrational," readers then demanded him that we should solve this problem by
legalizing drugs (Wilson). It would be so simple and easy if the legalization of drugs could only work to solve our nation's black market drug problem.
However, this has not worked in any of the cases that have been tried. In Colorado, where marijuana is legal, growers were growing marijuana and
shipping it to other states where it is illegal. Even though it is legal in nine states, these growers are still selling it on the black market to avoid the
legal regulation...show more content...
Our Government should not legalize illegal black market drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine because it does not diminish the black
market's drug organization, it only makes it easier for them to not get caught and easier for the population to access these drugs.
If legalization of dangerous drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin occurs, they will become cheaper to buy and that will make it so
much easier for users to get the product. Now if illegal drugs became legal and the price becomes cheaper, anybody could get these highly
dangerous drugs. Many of the American population would oppose this idea because it is a possible harm to their lives and others. While the black
market sells these chemicals for more money, the prices there are also becoming cheaper. Moreover, many who think that legalization will stop the
black market from selling products because the price is lower is wrong, that is not the case. In Colorado, marijuana growers were caught selling
marijuana to people in states where the drug is illegal. They do this to avoid the
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Legalization of Drugs Essay
The current hot–topic debate about the legalization of marijuana for medical exposes the long lasting debate about the economic viability of
prohibiting certain kind of drugs considered illicit. Many social costs to society are attributable to illicit drugs, along with tobacco, alcohol, and guns.
In fact, each of these vices is allegedly responsible for $200 billion annual expenditure in social costs of the USA (Donohue, 2010). Interestingly, all
these commodities mentioned above have common characteristics: a sizeable proportion of consumers responsibly use each of them hence virtually
zero social externality; and a trivial subset of society individuals irresponsibly use each of these commodity to create high social externalities. The
...show more content...
Of course, their claim is relatively true because drug addicts produce negative externalities that affect non–market participants who include dependents
of the drug addicts. This direct causal relationship between drugs and crime is due to statistics that reveal a large proportion of the newly incinerated
convicts have recent prior drug use. One then could counter this premise with the argument that energy drinks cause crimes in case criminals are found
to have drunk energy drinks just before committing crimes. This shallow assumption also excludes studies that reveal marijuana as neither a gateway
drug (its use leads to use of dangerous drugs like cocaine and Heroin) nor its possession (which is a crime in itself) causes criminal tendencies. Their
causal link relationship between drugs and crime negates other factors that include demographics and socio–economics. Proponents of prohibition
claim that it reduces demand and restrict supply, thereby diminishing drugs use, and the costs of illness. Prohibition is certain to reduce the supply of
drugs due to the stiff penalties imposed on suppliers. However, their argument lacks authentic verification as numerous studies within the USA and
from other countries where these illicit drugs have been criminalized paint a different picture.
Prohibition in this case refers to a government decree against the exchange of a good or a service
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Examples Of Drug Legalization By Gore Vidal
Drug Legalization
Drug abuse has progressively, over the last thirty years, become a tool for crime organizations and bureaucracies, independent and under the control of
the federal government, used to transform drug addiction into a profit through the passage of countless laws against drug abuse. Gore Vidal's assertive
essay communicated his belief that drug addiction should be legalized in order to ensure the eventual well–being and individual freedom guaranteed to
Americans by the constitution. When drugs were made illegal, freedom of choice for Americans was chiseled away by the hard–hammering central
government. Many agree with Vidal in that drugs that are now illegal would be just as dangerous and addictive if they were...show more content...
In his fifth paragraph, Vidal stated that it seems most unlikely that any sane person will become a drug addict if he knows what drugaddiction is like.
Many whole–heartedly agree with this statement because they are active advocates of natural selection that applies greatly to drug abuse, provided
the user is not mentally ill. Vidal ended his assertion of the popular issues by stating that people will always become drug addicts, as people will
always become alcoholics and forbidding people the things they like will make them want it even more. This is absolutely true because Americans
are most definitely taken aback and angered when their freedoms are suddenly made punishable by the interference of governmental bureaucracy. It is,
in my mind, eminently disconcerting to even attempt to perceive why the government could not look back at the initial reasons for the foundation of
our "free country" and realize what happens when individual liberties are taken away by an oppressive, outside force and conclude that those who do
not remember the past are condemned to repeat it. When the government refuses or disagrees with this statement, I believe that they are overlooking
the fact that our meager two hundred years of existence as a liberated and free country is after all a very minute frame of reference in the greater
scheme of human life. To finalize his essay, Vidal, in paragraph nine, assessed the profiteering of bureaucratic government through
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Analysis On Drugs And Legalization
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...show more content...
Since it is the Americans right to privacy, personal choice, andindividual 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
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Legalization of Drugs Essay
Legalization of Drugs
Legalization of drugs has been a very controversial issue in the United States for many years. Drugs being legalized can have both advantages and
disadvantages on society. On one hand, certain drugs, such as aspirin has long been used as a common medicine to many people, to cure diseases
and help people with their personal problems such as headaches, toothaches, to name a few. Some people even take the drug daily as a therapy to
lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. On the other hand, legalization of all drugs could potentially lead to over use; putting the young generations
at great risk due to their unawareness of the effects and damages some substances can cause. This issue becomes directly connected to the...show more
content...
I agree with Shapiro that the three components of addiction including drug, setting and set impact the nature of drug addiction. "Humans are social or
cultural animals, not just products of their biochemistry, and this means, in part, that social norms or rules play a significant role in influencing
behavior," the author explains (Shapiro, 532). I think that if a person is in the environment that accepts drug use, that person will be more likely to
use drugs by observing what is around and accepting it as a "norm." Likewise, in the environment where people are using drugs in moderation and
with limitation, that behavior will likely carry over in the individual. Shapiro explains why it is much harder to quit smoking than to stop using other
drugs. He states that smokers smoke for a variety of different reasons such as to relax, handle anxiety and stress, and also as a social lubricant. Because
smoking becomes intertwined with so many activities and situations, quitting smoking turns out to be a difficult change in a person's life. That is why
the pharmacology of smoking cannot be separated from its social setting.
The same principle Shapiro applies to the addiction of cocaine or heroine. According to his view, the addictiveness of any drug depends on an
aforementioned set, setting, and pharmacology. The highly
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Legalizing Drugs Essay
Legalizing Drugs
Drug legalization is an enduring question that presently faces our scholars. This issue embraces two positions: drugs should not be legalized and drugs
should be legalized. These two positions contain an array of angles that supports each issue. This brief of the issues enables one to consider the
strengths and weakness of each argument, become aware of the grounds of disagreement and agreement and ultimately form an opinion based upon the
positions stated within the articles. In the article "Against the Legalization of Drugs", by James Q. Wilson, the current status of drugs is supported.
Wilson believes if a drug such as heroin were legalized there would be no financial or medical reason to avoid heroin usage;...show more content...
He thinks legalizing drugs would lower the cost to the allowance budget of a sixth–grader (360–1). Bennett believes that drug use will rise dramatically
if legalized. (361). Bennett says that legalization advocates believe the cost of enforcing the drug laws is too great, but they do not ask what is the
cost of not enforcing the laws. Bennett thinks the hospitals would be filled, more school dropouts would occur, and more crack babies raise the stakes
of legalizing drugs (361). Contrary to Wilson, Bennett argues that crime would not decline with legalization. He believes there is a particular lesson to
be learned from Prohibition. He is convinced that when alcohol was illegal, consumption went down, less alcohol–related disease existed, and much
less public drunkenness happened(362). Bennett has no doubt law enforcement is needed with drug treatment and education plans and calls for a
bigger criminal justice system in the form of drug prevention (363). Bennett holds a relatively strong argument. He blends clear and concise facts with
a logical understanding of the matter well within his argument. He shows an understanding of others' viewpoints by addressing points of opposition
several times during the article. Bennett demonstrates knowledge of the subject by supporting his points with examples and facts. In the article "A War
for the Surgeon General, not the Attorney General," by Kurt Schmoke, legalization
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Argumentative Essay On Legalization Of Drugs
" We realize that drug addiction is a sickness, but it is also a crime" according to Pam Bondi. As we all know drug abuse is a big problem that is
not often discussed. The reason we do not discuss it because we tend to hide things that cause a mad image or problem in our society. But the issue is
much bigger. The legalization of drugs would improve many things such as how the government would have control over its cost and sales, the
decrease of crime rates and the way we treat the people in our community who seek help.
Believe it or not if the government where to legalize drugs, the amount of money they would save is tremendous. In fact pot legalization could save the
United States $13.7 billion per year– according to 300 economists on huffpost.com. The United States spends about 40 billion dollars on enforcing drug
prohibition per year. Money spent on law enforcement. Violence that deals with drug trade, decreases economic development and keeps millions in
poverty. Nobel Prize winning economist Gary Becker speculates that drug prohibition increases addiction because it makes users reluctant to seek out
treatment– according to Quartz Media. As research shows a lot of people are all for the legalization due to the increase of money the government
would be savings and receiving, money that could be going to states. As we all know prohibition was set into place during the 20th century because
woman felt as if men were getting out of control, spending all of their money on
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Why We Should Legalize Drugs
Drugs are a major influential force in our country today. The problem has gotten so out of hand that many people are even considering legalization of
one of the most used drugs, marijuana. The legalization of marijuana is a controversial issue that has been fought for and against for several decades.
Marijuana is defined as a preparation made from the dried flower clusters and leaves of the cannabis plant, which is usually smoked or eaten to induce
euphoria and to heal and soothe. (dictionalr.com)
The first benefit to the legalization of marijuana would be the decreased spending on law enforcement. Many of America's jails are filled to the brim
with people who got long and unfair sentences for possession of the drug. Part of the...show more content...
If marijuana were legal, it would also bring a significant source of revenue to the United States. A lot of money currently is spent on drugs, and most
of it goes to illegal operators outside of the country. If legalized, the pot revenue would go to Americans. In the current economic climate, this would
definitely be welcome. A tax could also be put on the drug, and the companies that grew and possessed the plants would have to pay income taxes to
the government. It is possible for marijuana to become one of the number one cash crops in though whole country. And with all the people who would
smoke it, or use it in other ways, it could quickly become one of the main stimulators in our economy.
The part of the government fighting the drug war could also focus on more important drugs like cocaine and heroin, instead of a drug that is proven to
not be as harmful. In the 1930s, the American media spread numerous false stories that marijuana was an extremely dangerous drug and therefore
marijuana and hemp were banned in 1938. It is clear that the ban on marijuana in the United States was unnecessary because most of the things we
believe to be true about the drug were just scare tactics made up by the government at the time to get people to want to get rid of all drugs.
Marijuana has been found to alleviate symptoms of serious diseases. Asthma, glaucoma, and muscle spasms are just a few. It has also been proven to
help a
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Discussion of Legalization of Drugs Essay
Discussion of Legalization of Drugs
In modern society, nowadays, there is a large debate on whether the drugs should be legalized. Under this topic, each of us has a different value, so
we may not come up with the same position, but people probably just consider the word 'legalize' and ignore the source of this debate. What are
drugs? Why is it illicit to use drugs?
First of all, what do drugs exactly mean to people? This is fundamental to understand their potential abuse.
A psychoactive substance is something that people take to change the way they feel, think or behave. Some of these substances are called drugs, and
others, like alcohol and tobacco, are considered dangerous but are not...show more content...
Stimulants can give rise to symptoms suggestive of intoxication, including tachycardia, pupillary dilation, elevated blood pressure and nausea or
vomiting. They can also cause violent and aggressive behaviour, agitation and impaired judgement. A full–blown delusional psychosis may occur.
Hallucinogens are chemically diverse and produce profound mental changes such as euphoria, anxiety, sensory distortion, vivid hallucinations,
delusion, paranoia and depression. These include mescaline and marijuana.[2]
Drugs abuse can be harmful in a number of ways, both through immediate effects and through damage to health over time. Such as during pregnancy,
the use of drugs can threaten the health of both the mother and her baby, and it is more likely to increase the infant mortality. Of course, the effects
depend on the drug and on the amount, method and frequency of use. Some drugs are very addictive, like heroin, while others are less so. But the
upshot is that regular drug abuse or sustained exposure to a drug – even for a short period of time – can cause physiological dependence, which means
that when the person stops taking drugs, they experience physical withdrawal symptoms and a craving for the drug.
According to scientists different drugs can harm human body quite differently. For instance, hallucinogens, like phencyclidine, distort users'
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The legalization of illicit drugs has been a popular topic of debate. While there is often concern about the potential toxicity and the habits that may
form, drugs are not necessarily the problem. In fact, the legalization of illicit drugs may be the answer to some of society's problems. More drugs
should be legalized because the drug is not the cause of the problem, our behavior is. Also, when compared to other substances that are legal we see
the same social ills arise. If drugs were legalized crime would also be reduced. There is often a stigma placed on drugs, and because of this it is often
hard to see the benefits that may arise from the legalization of drugs. The drug itself is not the issue, instead it is our behavior and the...show more
content...
deaths annually and cigarettes for over 400,000" (Hart & Ksir, 2015, p.27). Alcohol and tobacco account for more deaths than other drugs, yet
they are legal. Again, a drug is only harmful if a person abuses it and uses it in a certain manner. In fact, there are many illegal drugs that could
actually be beneficial to society, and we have seen that recently with the legalization of marijuana in some states. According to WebMD through a
conducted study, "alcohol was found to be the most harmful drug to society" (Locke, 2010). Society tends to overlook alcohol as a drug simply
because it is legal and can be freely purchased, but society fails to realize that this legal substance has shown to be more dangerous than many
illegal drugs. "Alcohol, more than any illegal drug, was found to be closely associated with violent crimes, including murder, rape, assault, child and
spousal abuse" (Wilcox, 2015). Society accepts alcohol because generally it is not looked at in a negative way, but when researched it is far more
harmful than many of the illegal drugs out there. Drugs and crime seem to be heavily linked. "There are more than 1.5 million drug–related arrests in
the United States each year" (Hart & Ksir, 2015, p.39). If more drugs were legalized there would be less crime carried out for the purpose of
obtaining money. Due to the drugs being illegal many of these drugs are highly expensive and some drug users feel they have no other way to obtain
money but to engage
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Drug Legalization Debate

  • 1. The Legalization Of Drug Legalization Drug decriminalization is opposed by the majority of Americans. Leaders in drug prevention, education, treatment, and law enforcement are against it, as are many political leaders. However, pro–drug advocacy groups, who support the use of drugs, are making headlines. They are influencing legislation and having a significant impact on the national policy debate in the United States. Although, pro–advocacy groups claim decriminalization of drugs will lower incarceration rates and boost the economy, drugs must stay illegal in America, if not, more people will use, causing negative effects on health, families and communities. Proponents on the legalization of drugs believe if drugs were to become legal; the black market worth billions of dollars would become extinct, drug gangsters would disappear, addicts would stop committing crimes to support their habit and the prison system would not be overwhelmed with a problem they cannot defeat. The decriminalization of drugs will only make illegal drugs cheaper, easier to get and more acceptable to use. "The U.S. has 20 million alcoholics and alcohol misusers, but only around 6 million illegal drug addicts. If illegal drugs were easier to obtain, this figure would rise"(Should Drugs be decriminalized? No.November 09, 2007 Califano Joseph A, Jr)." A large number of prisoners and people in rehab homes have stated that they were brought up in homes where illegal drugs were being used by their parents. These Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 2. Essay about Drug Legalization Drug Legalization Strong drug enforcement in the United States is correlated with the reduction in crime , drug use, and drug addiction growth rates. The impact on tougher drug sanctions has been overshadowed by a myth that U.S. drug enforcement has become too lenient. This myth has been promoted by the multi–million dollar pro–drug legalization lobby, civil libertarians, and misguided academic researchers to the public with limited review and challenge. Attacks on drug enforcement efforts often hold law enforcement to impossible and changing performance standards. Law enforcement , treatment , and prevention complement each other. None of the credit for the twelve year decline in drug use among our...show more content... Legalization may lessen the violence surrounding drug dealing , but the real problem is violence resulting from drug use, and this must be addressed with strong law enforcement , substance abuse treatment, prevention and a commitment to change. Anyone who uses marijuana and thinks that "pot" is not harmful is fooling themselves. The active ingredient THC , is addictive , and users can get just as addicted as they can with nicotine ( cigarettes and chewing tobacco) or alcohol or cocaine. Any tax revenue collected resulting from legalization would be minimal compared to the social cost of addiction. Legalization would create even more clients for an already overburdened treatment system, and at a much higher cost. Treatment is only a part of the price that we pay, we will also be paying for the marijuana users increased health problems, reduced productivity , injuries from auto accidents , and crime. The overwhelming media impact on drug legalization is scary when you think of the impact on young people. Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States. The good news is that marijuana use is down slightly according to some recent surveys. We must send messages to society especially the teen–age members that it is not all right to get " high", getting high is not a message that stresses healthy relaxation and coping with problems Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 3. Legalization Of Drugs Many of today's experts take information from the earlier years of United States history. In addition, they use it to support the argument that legalization will, in fact, stop the black market from growing and selling these drugs. In the 1800s, there was a large movement for temperance, or anti–alcohol, which was started by physicians, ministers, and large employers concerned about their workers. By the mid–1800s, this movement had become one of the middle class. This movement was dedicated to showing and convincing people that alcoholic drinks eroded moral character as well as the physical and mental well–being of those who drank alcohol. The temperance supporters considered alcohol as people currently view heroin. From the beginning the temperance ideology was a powerful force in making...show more content... Bootleggers and speakeasies appeared to violate the prohibition laws. Prohibition agents like Eliot Ness traveled areas looking for these places where the speakeasies and other illicit alcohol practices. Even though the prohibition was to ban alcohol, it did not work at the time and people just used the black market to sell these banned products. In addition, it has been observed frequently that prohibition tends to drive out the weaker products only to bring in the stronger more dangerous ones. These arguments are very logical and reasonable, but alcohol is not as addictive as illegal drugs. Nonetheless, alcohol is currently available in the United States for anyone over 21 years of age. Even though experts have identified that over 60 diseases are linked to alcohol and that it is the fourth most harmful drug to users. Even though alcohol is not as addictive as most drugs, it is still as dangerous as some drugs. Therefore, only highly potent alcohol is sold on the black market, most common alcohol is sold in stores nationwide Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 4. How Harmful Is The Legalization Of Drugs? Legalization of Drugs The drug connection is one that continues to resist analysis, both because cause and effect are so difficult to distinguish and because the role of the drug– prohibition laws in causing and labeling "drug–related crime" is so often ignored. There are four possible connections between drugs and crime, at least three of which would be much diminished if the drug–prohibition laws were repealed. "First, producing, selling, buying, and consuming strictly controlled and banned substances is itself a crime that occurs billions of times each year in the United States alone" (Lindsmith Center). In the absence of drug– prohibition laws, these activities would obviously stop being crimes. "Selling...show more content... No illicit drug, however, is as widely associated with violent behavior as alcohol. According to Justice Department statistics, 54 percent of all jail inmates convicted of violent crimes in 1983 reported having used alcohol just prior to committing their offense. The impact of drug legalization on this drug connection is the most difficult to predict. Much would depend on overall rates of drug abuse and changes in the nature of consumption, both of which are impossible to predict. It is worth noting, however, that a shift in consumption from alcohol to marijuana would almost certainly contribute to a decline in violent behavior" (Lindsmith Center). The fourth drug link is the violent, intimidating, and corrupting behavior of the drug traffickers. Illegal markets tend to breed violence not only because they attract criminally–minded individuals, but also because participants in the market have no resort to legal institutions to resolve their disputes. According to the Lindsmith Center "During Prohibition, violent struggles between bootlegging gangs and hijackings of booze–laden trucks and sea vessels were frequent and notorious occurrences. Today's equivalents are the booby traps that surround some marijuana fields, the pirates of the Caribbean looking to rip off drug–laden vessels en route to the shores of the United States, and the machine gun battles and executions carried out by Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 5. Should Drugs Be Legalized? Essay The legalization of drugs is among the most polarizing issues faced by the US government today. The increase in organized crime related to drug trafficking has forced authorities to reevaluate their stance on their legalization issue, and yet there are those in the civil society that oppose such legalization vehemently. Though there is evidence that many of the banned and scheduled substances can be attributed to a range of health benefits and treatment of diseases, the American experience with drugs has been a rather unpleasant one. It is not surprising therefore, that America continues to take a tough stand against any and all drugs and that debate on the issue continues to rage strongly. The question, however remains– should drugs really be legalized, and if so, who benefits from such a legalization? William J. Bennet has been a former Secretary of Education as well as a Director of the National Drug Control Policy. Having had experience in both education and drug control, Bennet speaks from a point of reference that few of his readers may have. he argues that most of the arguments – both for and against legalization of drugs, stem from a point of ignorance and since the real issues are hardly ever understood, the debate on legalization of drugs continues to remain largely misinformed. James Q. Wilson approaches this issue through the point of view of economics. He argues that lowered prices and abundant supply – both of which would be the natural outcomes of Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 6. Legalization of All Drugs Essay Legalization of All Drugs Legalize Drugs! I know what you're thinking, are you crazy! The debate over the legalization of drugs continues to disturb the American public. Such an issue stirs up moral and religious beliefs, beliefs that are contrary to what Americans should believe. I ask all of you to please keep an open mind and hear me out on this very controversial subject. All of us have in some way or another been affected by drug, whether it is a family member or the economic burden on society. Americans often take at face value the assumptions that drugs cause addiction, which leads to crime. This is true but abundant evidence exists to support the view that legalizing illicit drugs can help solve the drug problem in America....show more content... Why would an inner–city youth degrade themselves by working for five dollars an hour at McDonalds? While some of his peers are standing on a corner, selling drugs for a couple of hundred dollars an hour. So you risk going to jail. Unfortunately jail for some people is better than living in the conditions, which they live in now. The slick young pushers are the new role models for today's youth. They are wearing designer clothes and are driving the new $50,000 cars. They are being seen everyday with a smug smile that tells the younger children that drugs pay. One way to combat the problem is to go after the pusher: arrest them and toss them in jail. This is the approach we use today but it is not an effective one. This is because people will do anything and use all their intellect to avoid arrest. A lot of Americans have sufficient talent to get away with illegal crimes. As we attempt to crack down on the violence and drug trafficking, we find that our justice and prison systems are ill equipped to handle the problem to the magnitude as we see now. Who is going to pay the billions of dollars required to build the prisons, hire the judges, train the police men for the load already on hand, let alone the huge one yet to come if we ever get serous about arresting dealers and the users. There has got to be a better way. Every day, police officers face ruthless drug dealers, who would rather shoot an office than spend twenty–five Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 7. Legalization of Drugs Argument Essay Legalization of Drugs Argument Man, as a creature, is inherently bored. Since the dawn of time, it has been the natural instinct of man to find alternative methods to enhance his being. The many means by which man has turned to include sex, gambling, and the consumption of substances beyond the requirements of nutrition. The consumption of substances can be further broken down into legal and illegal substances. The question then becomes, who are we to place labels on certain substances by deeming them legal and prohibit others by creating penalties for their use? The issue of prohibition is certainly not a new one to our nation. In 1919, the 18th Amendment prohibited the manufacture, sale or transportation of alcoholic...show more content... Most of the violent crime associated with drugs can be traced directly to the drug dealers and not the users. "The 'war on drugs' drives up prices, which attracts more people to the drug trade. When potential profit increases, drug dealers resort to greater extremes, including violence." For example, the street price of heroin has risen 5,000 times that of hospital costs. These artificial prices lead to turf wars in which one dealer attempts to protect his sales from another. These turf wars cause dealers to kill each other, law enforcement officials, and often innocent bystanders. The rising cost of the drugs causes desperate addicts to commit robberies in order to keep up with the inflating prices. 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 lure of potential profits, the drug dealing profession would lose its luster. A major problem is that children in lower–class areas see selling drugs as the only way to Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 8. Against The Legalization Of Drugs Against the Legalization of Drugs Legalization of drugs is an increasingly hot topic in today's society. It is one of that needs vast advancements in research and treatment for addicts to prevent the moral and legal obligations, as well as the severe health ramifications that come along with addiction of these powerful drugs. To legalize drugs would be detrimental to the family unit as well as our youth and have serious health consequences at an alarming rate. James Q. Wilson, author of, "Against the Legalization of Drugs," was the first Senior Fellow at Boston College's Clough Center for the Study of Constitutional Democracy and Distinguished Scholar in its Department of Political Science. In his essay, Wilson portrays his stance on being against legalization of drugs and speaks of figuring out how to win the war on drugs and "not send up the white flag of surrender." Wilson explains the historical aspect of not legalizing heroin in 1972 and health deterioration along with the number of deaths to heroin assisted in decreasing the number of heroin users in the United States. Wilson gives perspectives from the stance of legalization and why it would not have worked and will not work today. Wilson's argument on the detrimental effects of legalizing drugs on our society as a whole would not only have severe effects on our children and young adults, but also our unborn fetuses. Specifically, Wilson's essay describes the detrimental effects of heroin and crack cocaine. Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 9. Drug Legalization Essay Drug Legalization Drug legalization has become a great issue among Americans for many years, and there have also been those that try to stop that legalization. The article, "Legalizing Drugs is Not the Solution" by Gerald W. Lynch, has a good argument based on facts and incidents that have occurred fromdrug use. In this article a person thinks twice about what they are really doing when they use drugs, and it is clear as to why legalizing drugs would not be a logical solution As spoken in this essay about the legalization of drugs and its bad effects, Lynch uses a lot of relevance and sufficiency throughout his piece. Relevance is the appropriateness of his evidence to the case at hand (Faigley and Selzer 45). Sufficiency is...show more content... This demonstrates the facts that are related to the negative effects of drug use. Lynch states this with his examples of what drug users have done with vandalism in various cities around the world. We all tend to look down on drugs at one time or another, but in this day and age it is getting way too easy to access drugs in the legal world and that needs to be stopped. With the legalization of drugs there would be a lot more drug related deaths and that is another reason why legalization would be bad, and as Lynch states, "Drug legalization would not eliminate crime" (Lynch 491). This stresses the issue that if drugs were legalized that they would do more harm than good. Through legalizing drugs a lot of officials feel they are going to solve a lot of problems in the drug world with over use by people that do not need it, but in reality they will just make the addictions worse for people in general. Lynch does a good job of stating these topics throughout his essay. Lynch has good historical analogies throughout his writing also. A historical analogy compares something that is going on now with a similar case in the past (Faigley and Selzer 40). One argument that he uses is about the Platzpitz, which is a park in the center of Zurich, when it was devastated from drug dealers and drug addicts (Lynch, G. 492). The information that is given about this subject explains how drugs have caused negative Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 10. Legalization Of Drugs Nonetheless, does legalization of illegal products, such as drugs, diminish black market activity? James Q. Wilson, a former professor at UCLA and Harvard, stated in one of his columns "Our federal drug laws are irrational," readers then demanded him that we should solve this problem by legalizing drugs (Wilson). It would be so simple and easy if the legalization of drugs could only work to solve our nation's black market drug problem. However, this has not worked in any of the cases that have been tried. In Colorado, where marijuana is legal, growers were growing marijuana and shipping it to other states where it is illegal. Even though it is legal in nine states, these growers are still selling it on the black market to avoid the legal regulation...show more content... Our Government should not legalize illegal black market drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine because it does not diminish the black market's drug organization, it only makes it easier for them to not get caught and easier for the population to access these drugs. If legalization of dangerous drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin occurs, they will become cheaper to buy and that will make it so much easier for users to get the product. Now if illegal drugs became legal and the price becomes cheaper, anybody could get these highly dangerous drugs. Many of the American population would oppose this idea because it is a possible harm to their lives and others. While the black market sells these chemicals for more money, the prices there are also becoming cheaper. Moreover, many who think that legalization will stop the black market from selling products because the price is lower is wrong, that is not the case. In Colorado, marijuana growers were caught selling marijuana to people in states where the drug is illegal. They do this to avoid the Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 11. Legalization of Drugs Essay The current hot–topic debate about the legalization of marijuana for medical exposes the long lasting debate about the economic viability of prohibiting certain kind of drugs considered illicit. Many social costs to society are attributable to illicit drugs, along with tobacco, alcohol, and guns. In fact, each of these vices is allegedly responsible for $200 billion annual expenditure in social costs of the USA (Donohue, 2010). Interestingly, all these commodities mentioned above have common characteristics: a sizeable proportion of consumers responsibly use each of them hence virtually zero social externality; and a trivial subset of society individuals irresponsibly use each of these commodity to create high social externalities. The ...show more content... Of course, their claim is relatively true because drug addicts produce negative externalities that affect non–market participants who include dependents of the drug addicts. This direct causal relationship between drugs and crime is due to statistics that reveal a large proportion of the newly incinerated convicts have recent prior drug use. One then could counter this premise with the argument that energy drinks cause crimes in case criminals are found to have drunk energy drinks just before committing crimes. This shallow assumption also excludes studies that reveal marijuana as neither a gateway drug (its use leads to use of dangerous drugs like cocaine and Heroin) nor its possession (which is a crime in itself) causes criminal tendencies. Their causal link relationship between drugs and crime negates other factors that include demographics and socio–economics. Proponents of prohibition claim that it reduces demand and restrict supply, thereby diminishing drugs use, and the costs of illness. Prohibition is certain to reduce the supply of drugs due to the stiff penalties imposed on suppliers. However, their argument lacks authentic verification as numerous studies within the USA and from other countries where these illicit drugs have been criminalized paint a different picture. Prohibition in this case refers to a government decree against the exchange of a good or a service Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 12. Examples Of Drug Legalization By Gore Vidal Drug Legalization Drug abuse has progressively, over the last thirty years, become a tool for crime organizations and bureaucracies, independent and under the control of the federal government, used to transform drug addiction into a profit through the passage of countless laws against drug abuse. Gore Vidal's assertive essay communicated his belief that drug addiction should be legalized in order to ensure the eventual well–being and individual freedom guaranteed to Americans by the constitution. When drugs were made illegal, freedom of choice for Americans was chiseled away by the hard–hammering central government. Many agree with Vidal in that drugs that are now illegal would be just as dangerous and addictive if they were...show more content... In his fifth paragraph, Vidal stated that it seems most unlikely that any sane person will become a drug addict if he knows what drugaddiction is like. Many whole–heartedly agree with this statement because they are active advocates of natural selection that applies greatly to drug abuse, provided the user is not mentally ill. Vidal ended his assertion of the popular issues by stating that people will always become drug addicts, as people will always become alcoholics and forbidding people the things they like will make them want it even more. This is absolutely true because Americans are most definitely taken aback and angered when their freedoms are suddenly made punishable by the interference of governmental bureaucracy. It is, in my mind, eminently disconcerting to even attempt to perceive why the government could not look back at the initial reasons for the foundation of our "free country" and realize what happens when individual liberties are taken away by an oppressive, outside force and conclude that those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it. When the government refuses or disagrees with this statement, I believe that they are overlooking the fact that our meager two hundred years of existence as a liberated and free country is after all a very minute frame of reference in the greater scheme of human life. To finalize his essay, Vidal, in paragraph nine, assessed the profiteering of bureaucratic government through Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 13. Analysis On Drugs And Legalization 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...show more content... Since it is the Americans right to privacy, personal choice, andindividual 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 Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 14. Legalization of Drugs Essay Legalization of Drugs Legalization of drugs has been a very controversial issue in the United States for many years. Drugs being legalized can have both advantages and disadvantages on society. On one hand, certain drugs, such as aspirin has long been used as a common medicine to many people, to cure diseases and help people with their personal problems such as headaches, toothaches, to name a few. Some people even take the drug daily as a therapy to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. On the other hand, legalization of all drugs could potentially lead to over use; putting the young generations at great risk due to their unawareness of the effects and damages some substances can cause. This issue becomes directly connected to the...show more content... I agree with Shapiro that the three components of addiction including drug, setting and set impact the nature of drug addiction. "Humans are social or cultural animals, not just products of their biochemistry, and this means, in part, that social norms or rules play a significant role in influencing behavior," the author explains (Shapiro, 532). I think that if a person is in the environment that accepts drug use, that person will be more likely to use drugs by observing what is around and accepting it as a "norm." Likewise, in the environment where people are using drugs in moderation and with limitation, that behavior will likely carry over in the individual. Shapiro explains why it is much harder to quit smoking than to stop using other drugs. He states that smokers smoke for a variety of different reasons such as to relax, handle anxiety and stress, and also as a social lubricant. Because smoking becomes intertwined with so many activities and situations, quitting smoking turns out to be a difficult change in a person's life. That is why the pharmacology of smoking cannot be separated from its social setting. The same principle Shapiro applies to the addiction of cocaine or heroine. According to his view, the addictiveness of any drug depends on an aforementioned set, setting, and pharmacology. The highly Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 15. Legalizing Drugs Essay Legalizing Drugs Drug legalization is an enduring question that presently faces our scholars. This issue embraces two positions: drugs should not be legalized and drugs should be legalized. These two positions contain an array of angles that supports each issue. This brief of the issues enables one to consider the strengths and weakness of each argument, become aware of the grounds of disagreement and agreement and ultimately form an opinion based upon the positions stated within the articles. In the article "Against the Legalization of Drugs", by James Q. Wilson, the current status of drugs is supported. Wilson believes if a drug such as heroin were legalized there would be no financial or medical reason to avoid heroin usage;...show more content... He thinks legalizing drugs would lower the cost to the allowance budget of a sixth–grader (360–1). Bennett believes that drug use will rise dramatically if legalized. (361). Bennett says that legalization advocates believe the cost of enforcing the drug laws is too great, but they do not ask what is the cost of not enforcing the laws. Bennett thinks the hospitals would be filled, more school dropouts would occur, and more crack babies raise the stakes of legalizing drugs (361). Contrary to Wilson, Bennett argues that crime would not decline with legalization. He believes there is a particular lesson to be learned from Prohibition. He is convinced that when alcohol was illegal, consumption went down, less alcohol–related disease existed, and much less public drunkenness happened(362). Bennett has no doubt law enforcement is needed with drug treatment and education plans and calls for a bigger criminal justice system in the form of drug prevention (363). Bennett holds a relatively strong argument. He blends clear and concise facts with a logical understanding of the matter well within his argument. He shows an understanding of others' viewpoints by addressing points of opposition several times during the article. Bennett demonstrates knowledge of the subject by supporting his points with examples and facts. In the article "A War for the Surgeon General, not the Attorney General," by Kurt Schmoke, legalization Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 16. Argumentative Essay On Legalization Of Drugs " We realize that drug addiction is a sickness, but it is also a crime" according to Pam Bondi. As we all know drug abuse is a big problem that is not often discussed. The reason we do not discuss it because we tend to hide things that cause a mad image or problem in our society. But the issue is much bigger. The legalization of drugs would improve many things such as how the government would have control over its cost and sales, the decrease of crime rates and the way we treat the people in our community who seek help. Believe it or not if the government where to legalize drugs, the amount of money they would save is tremendous. In fact pot legalization could save the United States $13.7 billion per year– according to 300 economists on huffpost.com. The United States spends about 40 billion dollars on enforcing drug prohibition per year. Money spent on law enforcement. Violence that deals with drug trade, decreases economic development and keeps millions in poverty. Nobel Prize winning economist Gary Becker speculates that drug prohibition increases addiction because it makes users reluctant to seek out treatment– according to Quartz Media. As research shows a lot of people are all for the legalization due to the increase of money the government would be savings and receiving, money that could be going to states. As we all know prohibition was set into place during the 20th century because woman felt as if men were getting out of control, spending all of their money on Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 17. Why We Should Legalize Drugs Drugs are a major influential force in our country today. The problem has gotten so out of hand that many people are even considering legalization of one of the most used drugs, marijuana. The legalization of marijuana is a controversial issue that has been fought for and against for several decades. Marijuana is defined as a preparation made from the dried flower clusters and leaves of the cannabis plant, which is usually smoked or eaten to induce euphoria and to heal and soothe. (dictionalr.com) The first benefit to the legalization of marijuana would be the decreased spending on law enforcement. Many of America's jails are filled to the brim with people who got long and unfair sentences for possession of the drug. Part of the...show more content... If marijuana were legal, it would also bring a significant source of revenue to the United States. A lot of money currently is spent on drugs, and most of it goes to illegal operators outside of the country. If legalized, the pot revenue would go to Americans. In the current economic climate, this would definitely be welcome. A tax could also be put on the drug, and the companies that grew and possessed the plants would have to pay income taxes to the government. It is possible for marijuana to become one of the number one cash crops in though whole country. And with all the people who would smoke it, or use it in other ways, it could quickly become one of the main stimulators in our economy. The part of the government fighting the drug war could also focus on more important drugs like cocaine and heroin, instead of a drug that is proven to not be as harmful. In the 1930s, the American media spread numerous false stories that marijuana was an extremely dangerous drug and therefore marijuana and hemp were banned in 1938. It is clear that the ban on marijuana in the United States was unnecessary because most of the things we believe to be true about the drug were just scare tactics made up by the government at the time to get people to want to get rid of all drugs. Marijuana has been found to alleviate symptoms of serious diseases. Asthma, glaucoma, and muscle spasms are just a few. It has also been proven to help a Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 18. Discussion of Legalization of Drugs Essay Discussion of Legalization of Drugs In modern society, nowadays, there is a large debate on whether the drugs should be legalized. Under this topic, each of us has a different value, so we may not come up with the same position, but people probably just consider the word 'legalize' and ignore the source of this debate. What are drugs? Why is it illicit to use drugs? First of all, what do drugs exactly mean to people? This is fundamental to understand their potential abuse. A psychoactive substance is something that people take to change the way they feel, think or behave. Some of these substances are called drugs, and others, like alcohol and tobacco, are considered dangerous but are not...show more content... Stimulants can give rise to symptoms suggestive of intoxication, including tachycardia, pupillary dilation, elevated blood pressure and nausea or vomiting. They can also cause violent and aggressive behaviour, agitation and impaired judgement. A full–blown delusional psychosis may occur. Hallucinogens are chemically diverse and produce profound mental changes such as euphoria, anxiety, sensory distortion, vivid hallucinations, delusion, paranoia and depression. These include mescaline and marijuana.[2] Drugs abuse can be harmful in a number of ways, both through immediate effects and through damage to health over time. Such as during pregnancy, the use of drugs can threaten the health of both the mother and her baby, and it is more likely to increase the infant mortality. Of course, the effects depend on the drug and on the amount, method and frequency of use. Some drugs are very addictive, like heroin, while others are less so. But the upshot is that regular drug abuse or sustained exposure to a drug – even for a short period of time – can cause physiological dependence, which means that when the person stops taking drugs, they experience physical withdrawal symptoms and a craving for the drug. According to scientists different drugs can harm human body quite differently. For instance, hallucinogens, like phencyclidine, distort users' Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 19. The legalization of illicit drugs has been a popular topic of debate. While there is often concern about the potential toxicity and the habits that may form, drugs are not necessarily the problem. In fact, the legalization of illicit drugs may be the answer to some of society's problems. More drugs should be legalized because the drug is not the cause of the problem, our behavior is. Also, when compared to other substances that are legal we see the same social ills arise. If drugs were legalized crime would also be reduced. There is often a stigma placed on drugs, and because of this it is often hard to see the benefits that may arise from the legalization of drugs. The drug itself is not the issue, instead it is our behavior and the...show more content... deaths annually and cigarettes for over 400,000" (Hart & Ksir, 2015, p.27). Alcohol and tobacco account for more deaths than other drugs, yet they are legal. Again, a drug is only harmful if a person abuses it and uses it in a certain manner. In fact, there are many illegal drugs that could actually be beneficial to society, and we have seen that recently with the legalization of marijuana in some states. According to WebMD through a conducted study, "alcohol was found to be the most harmful drug to society" (Locke, 2010). Society tends to overlook alcohol as a drug simply because it is legal and can be freely purchased, but society fails to realize that this legal substance has shown to be more dangerous than many illegal drugs. "Alcohol, more than any illegal drug, was found to be closely associated with violent crimes, including murder, rape, assault, child and spousal abuse" (Wilcox, 2015). Society accepts alcohol because generally it is not looked at in a negative way, but when researched it is far more harmful than many of the illegal drugs out there. Drugs and crime seem to be heavily linked. "There are more than 1.5 million drug–related arrests in the United States each year" (Hart & Ksir, 2015, p.39). If more drugs were legalized there would be less crime carried out for the purpose of obtaining money. Due to the drugs being illegal many of these drugs are highly expensive and some drug users feel they have no other way to obtain money but to engage Get more content on HelpWriting.net