Legalization Of Drugs

Legalization of Drugs


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

beverages. "Suddenly honest, responsible Americans who just wanted a drink, were

turned into criminals. Respectable bars became underground speak-easys, and

legitimate liquor manufacturers were replaced by criminal bootleggers." Gang

warfare, bribery, and criminal activity reached an all-time high. Standards on

illegal alcohol were much lower than those on the previously legal alcohol which

led to the blinding or death of many consumers. Finally in 1933, politicians

buckled and repealed the 18th Amendment. The Prohibition attempt of the early

20th century provides the perfect historical support for the decriminalization

of drugs.


"Prohibition will work great injury to the cause of temperance. It is a species

of intemperance within itself, for it goes beyond the bounds of reason in that

it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation, and makes a crime out of

things that are not crimes. A Prohibition law strikes a blow at the very

principles upon which our government was founded."


The rise in violent crime over the years has been a concern to most. A major

cause of this increase in crime is the illegal trafficking of drugs. As violent

crime continues to increase, we are unable to devote our financial resources and

time into preventing and prosecuting those who commit crimes such as murder,

rape, and assault. The reason we are unable to devote these resources where they

are needed is because we are foolishly spending them on a battle that we cannot

win-the "War on Drugs."


Prior to Ronald Reagan's "War on Drugs," America's crime rate had been declining.

Since the introduction of the new wave drug laws, violent crimes have increased

32% between 1976 and 1985. Eighty percent of all violent street crimes are now

drug related.


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 make money. Minimum wage salaries can not compare to

the huge profits associated with dealing. Failing to acquire job skThis is ONLY a preview of the article. If you would like to view the entire document, you must subscribe to Electronic References. Please register below now!


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