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Drug Legalization Essay
If drugs would to be legalized, there will have to be new set of laws to be follow. The major
problem with our society as in now, is the spending in drug wars. According to Gary E. Johnson in
"The Case for Drug Legalization" states how "...We are spending $150 billion a year to combat
drugs." This also includes spending in such as courts, jails , and police. But we should also
consider, if drugs were to be legalized, It'll be easier for the government to control and they will
be able to tax the usage of drugs. Especially, the legalization of drugs will help spend money on
other things such as education, public schools, emergency services and will save a lot of finance
instead of spending on tracking down drug lords. Nowadays drugs are being sold nationwide
through black marketing and a lot of people could get hands on , which cause competition between
others drug lords, cartels and violence is erupted. I believe if drugs were to be legalized , it would
tremendously drop crime, murder, addiction to certain drugs, and the government would regulate
and tax drugs.
Second of all, the black market has been going for a while and it's used to sell illegal goods as a
underground economy, and many people buy drugs that aren't legal. This market gets by not
being taxed all and many people can get hands on drugs that can really be deleterious to
themselves and other people around them. If we would to legalize drugs , the black market
would drop business and the government would be able to track down who buys the drugs by
having only stores that sell least harmful drugs such as marijuana. For most, not all drugs should
be legalized because of the dangerous usage of drugs to the body especially if it's a first time
taking in drugs. According to the article " Addiction Center.com" explains that "Over 90% of those
with an addiction began drinking, smoking or using illicit drugs before the age of 18." Even though
with laws that enforce illegal drug usage, many people take advantage of it because it's not easily to
be find so they become addicted to small drugs and eventually build up to using stronger drugs such
as Psychedelic Mushrooms,Opium,Lsd,Methamphetamine, and etc. If the black market business
would be to decline
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Persuasive Essay On The Legalization Of Drugs
The systematic scheduling of drugs in the United States is arbitrary which leads to a discriminative
social injustice. Some psychedelic substances such as Psilocybin are schedule 1 drugs, while
alcohol and nicotine are legal. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) both
alcohol and nicotine are proven to be harmful and addictive (2017). Conversely, Psychedelic
substances have not been proven to be addictive. This equates to a social injustice that discriminates
over someone who may prefer the effects of psilocybin to nicotine, even under the science that has
shown nicotine and alcohol have a higher potential for abuse. Unfortunately, many political factors
come into play regarding the legal status of drugs and industries such as the pharmaceutical, tobacco
and alcohol industries, who harbor the most money and have an influence in the legality of drugs
whether they are safe or not. While legalizing psychedelic substances would most likely cut into
profits for these large industries they would bring about economic benefits as well. Legalizing
psychedelic substances could have...show more content...
While psychedelics can create a profound sense of distortion from reality urging the importance of
putting yourself in a the right setting with the right people, there is little evidence that links
psychedelics to toxic effects on the brain or body. So much so that researchers from the
EmmaSofia organization in Oslo Norway claim that psychedelics are no more dangerous than
common activities including playing soccer or riding a bike (Krebs, 2015). Psychedelic substances
are known for altering your perception of reality, which could be dangerous if you're somewhere
that presents physical risks, but research suggests the psychedelics themselves do no damage
physically. Not only are the psychedelics safe but they also provide therapeutic
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Drug Decriminalization
The Alcohol and other drug (AOD) field is dynamic and fluid and is constantly being shaped by a
variety of forces (The Department of Health, 2004). Illicit drug use is a widespread issue around
the world, posturing significant social and economic costs to the health care system, justice
department and social welfare systems in both developing and developed countries
(Damrongplasit, Hsiao, & Zhao, 2012). Criminal Justice and addictive drugs have been tangled in
Australia and internationally for a century or more. Ever since the addictive and destructive
properties were discover within certain drugs, officials have declared the production, distribution,
sale and possession of drugs to be illegal (Sherman & Valenta, 2015). Throughout this article, there
will be a focus on firstly, drug legislation and decriminalisation with a focus on marijuana, followed
by harm minimisation Firstly, Drug related crimes take up a large portion of the work of police,
prisons and the courts (Ritter, 2017) In many countries, including Australia, the issue of varying the
laws regarding marijuana use has received growing attention in the media and the scientific
community (Lenton & Ovenden, 1996). There have been many discussions made in favor for and
against the legalization and/or decriminalization of drugs. The legalization of drugs means, you are
able to acquire, possess and use the said drug without criminal charges (Clausen, 2016) while
Decriminalization can be defined as a reduction of
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Legalize Drug Legalization
Being able to purchase marijuana legally will take away from street dealers and the organized crime.
Bosses that they may work for with weed being legalized people nice no longer need to smuggle
weed across the border making which was once a _____ job not worth it. Many large illegal
cannabis operations are run by gangs and cartecs, who also participate in other ______ activities. As
long as ______ is illegal, the illegal cannabis market will fourish. About one third of prisoners are
housed in prisons for drugrelated violations. The criminal histories of these prisoners are not
restricted to drug offenses, their histories include violent crimes and other offenses not related to
drugs.
These prisoners are convicted and sentenced to prison on
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Effects Of Drug Legalization
Nakpane Nbohn
Course: COH 318
School: National University
Prof: williams
According to the national institute on Drug Abuse, Abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs is
costly to our Nation, exacting more than $740 billion annually in costs related to crime, lost work
productivity and health care (NIDA. 2017, April 24). The rising of illicit drug smuggling and abuse
raised questions about legalizing all drug. Although some people think that drugs legalization is a
way to control illicit drug use, it seems that it will do more damage to our society than it will help.
This essay will help us understand all the implications regarding all drugs legalization in this country.
Drug abuse in general and illicit drug use are one of the most difficult challenges that face all
states around the world. Let us imagine a father with his kids at home who possess a gun without a
safe to secure his gun. Is this family safe? Similarly, legalizing drugs will be a permanent danger to
our society in many aspects.
Firstly, drugs legalization will result in an increased number of users of drug and substance abuse
resulting in high utilization of healthcare services. For instance, legalization of marijuana in
Colorado resulted in an increased healthcare utilization related to marijuana exposure and an
exacerbation of chronic health condition (Monte, Zane & Heard. 2015. p. 241). In this example,
legalization means an increased of drug availability and therefore will be accessible
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Essay on Legalizing Drugs
"Drugs– something and often an illegal substance that causes addiction, habituation, or a
marked change in consciousness." – Merriam–Webster Dictionary
Just close your eyes for a minute and picture what the world would be like if
drugs were legal. Would you be for it or against it? Just think, you could get drugs
anywhere you wanted. You would not have to worry about getting in trouble with the
law. You could get as many as you wanted and have a supply and variety of whatever
you wished for. Would this be a good thing or a bad thing?
The three sources: Traffic, Legalizing Drugs Make Matters Worse, and Legalization Madness all has
the same thing in common. They all lean to the side that drugs are a...show more content...
Before people would buy the drugs not knowing for sure what exactly they were getting. Now
they would be guaranteed quality. They also wouldn't have to go out searching for someone who
has drugs or someone who knows how that person could get some. People would no longer have
to sneak around trying to get their drugs. Lastly, people would increase the amount of drugs they
intake because they will be cheaper. Their bodies will get used to the dosage that they are taking
and have to take more to have the same effect. Since it will be cheaper it will just be an excuse to
do it more often (Wilson 1). If we were to legalize drugs the number of users would increase
dramatically (Wilson 1). According to Incardi and Saum, one of the biggest reasons for not using
drugs is due to the fact that they are illegal. By making drugs legal it would entice people to go
out and try them, which would make it more likely that they would become addicted (81). Wilson
states that crime rates have fallen in this country and if we want them to rise up again the way we
can do that is by legalizing drugs. If we reduce drugs among criminals it would help the crime rates
instead of just letting them have all the supplies they wanted (3). It doesn't matter if it is the "hard"
drugs or the "soft" drugs. You can become addicted to anydrug and the users don't stop at the soft
drugs but keep moving up to the hard stuff. Marijuana only increases the likeliness that
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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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Drug Legalization
Why legalize marijuana?
"I see America with half the number of prisons, half the number of prisoners, 10,000 fewer
homicides a year, inner cities in which there 's a chance for these poor people to live without being
afraid for their lives, citizens who might be respectable who are now addicts, not being subject to
become criminals in order to get their drug, being able to get drugs for which they 're sure of the
quality."
Isn 't it a gateway drug to harder substances?
"The effect of criminalization is to drive people from mild drugs to strong drugs... Crack would
never have existed in my opinion if you had not had drug prohibition. It was drug prohibition– why
was crack created? Because cocaine was so expensive." [Cocaine was...show more content...
The compassionate response is to do everything possible to prevent the destruction of addiction, not
make it easier."17
CNN) –– From certain precincts on the left, notably Barney Frank , to certain precincts on the right,
notably the editorial page of National Review , we are witnessing a new push to end the so–called
war on drugs and legalize drug use, starting with marijuana. Indeed, Ron Paul, Barney Frank 's
co–sponsor in the latest legislative effort, said recently he would go so far as tolegalize heroin .
It 's a bad idea. My friends at National Review begin their case by stating the illegalization of drugs
has "curtailed personal freedom, created a violent black market and filled our prisons." But the
legalization of drugs, including marijuana, would exacerbate each of these problems.
Ron Paul, Barney Frank: End pot prohibition
Starting with the basics, keeping drugs illegal is one of the best ways to keep drugs out of the hands
–– and brains –– of children. We know three things here: First, children who don 't use drugs
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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 drug addiction 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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The Debate About Legalization Of Drugs
Lilian Schleifer
Professor Sparks
Eng 112–0006s
14 July 2015
Drug Legalization: Is it worth?
The debate about legalization of drugs (marijuana) is a controversial and divisive issue that has
been around for a long time. Even though there are those who fight for its legalization, there are
also those who vehemently wage war against it. Former Secretary of Education and a director of
National Drug Control William J. Bennett says, "There is a great deal to say about our national
drug policy, [...] they are against it" (546). Wars on drugs have been going on for decades and
many have given up, calling it a lost cause (Bennett 547). Many lives have been cut short due to
the use of illicit drugs. The US Department of Justice National Drug Intelligence Center ran a poll
in 2002 that concluded that "an estimated 35.1 million people aged 12 or older reported using an
illegal drug within the past year; approximately 3.2 million people were drug–dependent or drug
abusers" (Hartnett). Those who advocate for the drug to be legalized have their own reasons and
believe it will be for the good of everyone. Those who do not agree with the legalization have their
reasons as well, believing it will be an adversarial undertaking.
One of the areas that both opponents and advocates of drug legalization can agree on is that, drugs
such as marijuana are not considered by doctors to be harmful if used in moderation compared to
cocaine and heroin. Small doses of certain drugs have proven to be
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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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Pros and Cons of Drug Legalization Essay
The Pros and Cons of Drug Legalization
Should drugs be legalized ? Drugs are resources that are capable of affecting theAmerican economy
in many
ways––both positively and negatively. Drugs often have a bad name even though they help us
everyday in medical cases. and the drugs with the worst reputations are not the most abused drugs
One may benefit from the legalization of drugs in
many ways, while others would suffer greatly. Almost every person in the United States
has their own opinion on drug legalization. There are many different pros and cons to the
legalization of drugs. Drug legalization is also an ethical and a moral issue. Should drugs
be legalized or not? While I think drugs should be legalized, many...show more content...
In the south it will no longer be king cotton ruling the land it will be the great king cocaine that takes
the throne and rain supreme. The cocaine plant will do well in the south due to the similarities of
the deciduous slightly tropical forest of South Georgia and Florida and the jungles of its native
South America Over seventy percent of drugs that come from plants need cultivating by
someone. The three major ones are cocaine, marijuana, and opium. All three require very little to
grow. This will allow farmers that have very unfertile soil to grow vast acreage of different drug
crops and reap large profits instead of going out of business and losing everything. Farmers that
have incorporated crop rotation will be able to bring marijuana in, plant it on their worst piece of
property, and make a profit. Farming has been on the decline in the last few years. The
legalization of drugs could be the driving force that brings them back. This type of farming is legal
in many places and has been proven effective. This process being legal will allow farmers to
flourish. However, it is not legal in the United States.
This leads to the next point––the legalization of drugs would decrease the prison
population significantly. In 1997, there were 55,069 drug offenders serving time in
federal prison. If drugs were legalized, these offenders would be
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Drug Legalization Essay

  • 1. Drug Legalization Essay If drugs would to be legalized, there will have to be new set of laws to be follow. The major problem with our society as in now, is the spending in drug wars. According to Gary E. Johnson in "The Case for Drug Legalization" states how "...We are spending $150 billion a year to combat drugs." This also includes spending in such as courts, jails , and police. But we should also consider, if drugs were to be legalized, It'll be easier for the government to control and they will be able to tax the usage of drugs. Especially, the legalization of drugs will help spend money on other things such as education, public schools, emergency services and will save a lot of finance instead of spending on tracking down drug lords. Nowadays drugs are being sold nationwide through black marketing and a lot of people could get hands on , which cause competition between others drug lords, cartels and violence is erupted. I believe if drugs were to be legalized , it would tremendously drop crime, murder, addiction to certain drugs, and the government would regulate and tax drugs. Second of all, the black market has been going for a while and it's used to sell illegal goods as a underground economy, and many people buy drugs that aren't legal. This market gets by not being taxed all and many people can get hands on drugs that can really be deleterious to themselves and other people around them. If we would to legalize drugs , the black market would drop business and the government would be able to track down who buys the drugs by having only stores that sell least harmful drugs such as marijuana. For most, not all drugs should be legalized because of the dangerous usage of drugs to the body especially if it's a first time taking in drugs. According to the article " Addiction Center.com" explains that "Over 90% of those with an addiction began drinking, smoking or using illicit drugs before the age of 18." Even though with laws that enforce illegal drug usage, many people take advantage of it because it's not easily to be find so they become addicted to small drugs and eventually build up to using stronger drugs such as Psychedelic Mushrooms,Opium,Lsd,Methamphetamine, and etc. If the black market business would be to decline Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 2. 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
  • 3. 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
  • 4. 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
  • 5. 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
  • 6. 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
  • 7. 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
  • 8. 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
  • 9. 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
  • 10. Persuasive Essay On The Legalization Of Drugs The systematic scheduling of drugs in the United States is arbitrary which leads to a discriminative social injustice. Some psychedelic substances such as Psilocybin are schedule 1 drugs, while alcohol and nicotine are legal. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) both alcohol and nicotine are proven to be harmful and addictive (2017). Conversely, Psychedelic substances have not been proven to be addictive. This equates to a social injustice that discriminates over someone who may prefer the effects of psilocybin to nicotine, even under the science that has shown nicotine and alcohol have a higher potential for abuse. Unfortunately, many political factors come into play regarding the legal status of drugs and industries such as the pharmaceutical, tobacco and alcohol industries, who harbor the most money and have an influence in the legality of drugs whether they are safe or not. While legalizing psychedelic substances would most likely cut into profits for these large industries they would bring about economic benefits as well. Legalizing psychedelic substances could have...show more content... While psychedelics can create a profound sense of distortion from reality urging the importance of putting yourself in a the right setting with the right people, there is little evidence that links psychedelics to toxic effects on the brain or body. So much so that researchers from the EmmaSofia organization in Oslo Norway claim that psychedelics are no more dangerous than common activities including playing soccer or riding a bike (Krebs, 2015). Psychedelic substances are known for altering your perception of reality, which could be dangerous if you're somewhere that presents physical risks, but research suggests the psychedelics themselves do no damage physically. Not only are the psychedelics safe but they also provide therapeutic Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 11. Drug Decriminalization The Alcohol and other drug (AOD) field is dynamic and fluid and is constantly being shaped by a variety of forces (The Department of Health, 2004). Illicit drug use is a widespread issue around the world, posturing significant social and economic costs to the health care system, justice department and social welfare systems in both developing and developed countries (Damrongplasit, Hsiao, & Zhao, 2012). Criminal Justice and addictive drugs have been tangled in Australia and internationally for a century or more. Ever since the addictive and destructive properties were discover within certain drugs, officials have declared the production, distribution, sale and possession of drugs to be illegal (Sherman & Valenta, 2015). Throughout this article, there will be a focus on firstly, drug legislation and decriminalisation with a focus on marijuana, followed by harm minimisation Firstly, Drug related crimes take up a large portion of the work of police, prisons and the courts (Ritter, 2017) In many countries, including Australia, the issue of varying the laws regarding marijuana use has received growing attention in the media and the scientific community (Lenton & Ovenden, 1996). There have been many discussions made in favor for and against the legalization and/or decriminalization of drugs. The legalization of drugs means, you are able to acquire, possess and use the said drug without criminal charges (Clausen, 2016) while Decriminalization can be defined as a reduction of Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 12. Legalize Drug Legalization Being able to purchase marijuana legally will take away from street dealers and the organized crime. Bosses that they may work for with weed being legalized people nice no longer need to smuggle weed across the border making which was once a _____ job not worth it. Many large illegal cannabis operations are run by gangs and cartecs, who also participate in other ______ activities. As long as ______ is illegal, the illegal cannabis market will fourish. About one third of prisoners are housed in prisons for drugrelated violations. The criminal histories of these prisoners are not restricted to drug offenses, their histories include violent crimes and other offenses not related to drugs. These prisoners are convicted and sentenced to prison on Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 13. Effects Of Drug Legalization Nakpane Nbohn Course: COH 318 School: National University Prof: williams According to the national institute on Drug Abuse, Abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs is costly to our Nation, exacting more than $740 billion annually in costs related to crime, lost work productivity and health care (NIDA. 2017, April 24). The rising of illicit drug smuggling and abuse raised questions about legalizing all drug. Although some people think that drugs legalization is a way to control illicit drug use, it seems that it will do more damage to our society than it will help. This essay will help us understand all the implications regarding all drugs legalization in this country. Drug abuse in general and illicit drug use are one of the most difficult challenges that face all states around the world. Let us imagine a father with his kids at home who possess a gun without a safe to secure his gun. Is this family safe? Similarly, legalizing drugs will be a permanent danger to our society in many aspects. Firstly, drugs legalization will result in an increased number of users of drug and substance abuse resulting in high utilization of healthcare services. For instance, legalization of marijuana in Colorado resulted in an increased healthcare utilization related to marijuana exposure and an exacerbation of chronic health condition (Monte, Zane & Heard. 2015. p. 241). In this example, legalization means an increased of drug availability and therefore will be accessible Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 14. Essay on Legalizing Drugs "Drugs– something and often an illegal substance that causes addiction, habituation, or a marked change in consciousness." – Merriam–Webster Dictionary Just close your eyes for a minute and picture what the world would be like if drugs were legal. Would you be for it or against it? Just think, you could get drugs anywhere you wanted. You would not have to worry about getting in trouble with the law. You could get as many as you wanted and have a supply and variety of whatever you wished for. Would this be a good thing or a bad thing? The three sources: Traffic, Legalizing Drugs Make Matters Worse, and Legalization Madness all has the same thing in common. They all lean to the side that drugs are a...show more content... Before people would buy the drugs not knowing for sure what exactly they were getting. Now they would be guaranteed quality. They also wouldn't have to go out searching for someone who has drugs or someone who knows how that person could get some. People would no longer have to sneak around trying to get their drugs. Lastly, people would increase the amount of drugs they intake because they will be cheaper. Their bodies will get used to the dosage that they are taking and have to take more to have the same effect. Since it will be cheaper it will just be an excuse to do it more often (Wilson 1). If we were to legalize drugs the number of users would increase dramatically (Wilson 1). According to Incardi and Saum, one of the biggest reasons for not using drugs is due to the fact that they are illegal. By making drugs legal it would entice people to go out and try them, which would make it more likely that they would become addicted (81). Wilson states that crime rates have fallen in this country and if we want them to rise up again the way we can do that is by legalizing drugs. If we reduce drugs among criminals it would help the crime rates instead of just letting them have all the supplies they wanted (3). It doesn't matter if it is the "hard" drugs or the "soft" drugs. You can become addicted to anydrug and the users don't stop at the soft drugs but keep moving up to the hard stuff. Marijuana only increases the likeliness that Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 15. 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
  • 16. Drug Legalization Why legalize marijuana? "I see America with half the number of prisons, half the number of prisoners, 10,000 fewer homicides a year, inner cities in which there 's a chance for these poor people to live without being afraid for their lives, citizens who might be respectable who are now addicts, not being subject to become criminals in order to get their drug, being able to get drugs for which they 're sure of the quality." Isn 't it a gateway drug to harder substances? "The effect of criminalization is to drive people from mild drugs to strong drugs... Crack would never have existed in my opinion if you had not had drug prohibition. It was drug prohibition– why was crack created? Because cocaine was so expensive." [Cocaine was...show more content... The compassionate response is to do everything possible to prevent the destruction of addiction, not make it easier."17 CNN) –– From certain precincts on the left, notably Barney Frank , to certain precincts on the right, notably the editorial page of National Review , we are witnessing a new push to end the so–called war on drugs and legalize drug use, starting with marijuana. Indeed, Ron Paul, Barney Frank 's co–sponsor in the latest legislative effort, said recently he would go so far as tolegalize heroin . It 's a bad idea. My friends at National Review begin their case by stating the illegalization of drugs has "curtailed personal freedom, created a violent black market and filled our prisons." But the legalization of drugs, including marijuana, would exacerbate each of these problems. Ron Paul, Barney Frank: End pot prohibition Starting with the basics, keeping drugs illegal is one of the best ways to keep drugs out of the hands –– and brains –– of children. We know three things here: First, children who don 't use drugs Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 17. 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 drug addiction 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
  • 18. The Debate About Legalization Of Drugs Lilian Schleifer Professor Sparks Eng 112–0006s 14 July 2015 Drug Legalization: Is it worth? The debate about legalization of drugs (marijuana) is a controversial and divisive issue that has been around for a long time. Even though there are those who fight for its legalization, there are also those who vehemently wage war against it. Former Secretary of Education and a director of National Drug Control William J. Bennett says, "There is a great deal to say about our national drug policy, [...] they are against it" (546). Wars on drugs have been going on for decades and many have given up, calling it a lost cause (Bennett 547). Many lives have been cut short due to the use of illicit drugs. The US Department of Justice National Drug Intelligence Center ran a poll in 2002 that concluded that "an estimated 35.1 million people aged 12 or older reported using an illegal drug within the past year; approximately 3.2 million people were drug–dependent or drug abusers" (Hartnett). Those who advocate for the drug to be legalized have their own reasons and believe it will be for the good of everyone. Those who do not agree with the legalization have their reasons as well, believing it will be an adversarial undertaking. One of the areas that both opponents and advocates of drug legalization can agree on is that, drugs such as marijuana are not considered by doctors to be harmful if used in moderation compared to cocaine and heroin. Small doses of certain drugs have proven to be Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 19. 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
  • 20. Pros and Cons of Drug Legalization Essay The Pros and Cons of Drug Legalization Should drugs be legalized ? Drugs are resources that are capable of affecting theAmerican economy in many ways––both positively and negatively. Drugs often have a bad name even though they help us everyday in medical cases. and the drugs with the worst reputations are not the most abused drugs One may benefit from the legalization of drugs in many ways, while others would suffer greatly. Almost every person in the United States has their own opinion on drug legalization. There are many different pros and cons to the legalization of drugs. Drug legalization is also an ethical and a moral issue. Should drugs be legalized or not? While I think drugs should be legalized, many...show more content... In the south it will no longer be king cotton ruling the land it will be the great king cocaine that takes the throne and rain supreme. The cocaine plant will do well in the south due to the similarities of the deciduous slightly tropical forest of South Georgia and Florida and the jungles of its native South America Over seventy percent of drugs that come from plants need cultivating by someone. The three major ones are cocaine, marijuana, and opium. All three require very little to grow. This will allow farmers that have very unfertile soil to grow vast acreage of different drug crops and reap large profits instead of going out of business and losing everything. Farmers that have incorporated crop rotation will be able to bring marijuana in, plant it on their worst piece of property, and make a profit. Farming has been on the decline in the last few years. The legalization of drugs could be the driving force that brings them back. This type of farming is legal in many places and has been proven effective. This process being legal will allow farmers to flourish. However, it is not legal in the United States. This leads to the next point––the legalization of drugs would decrease the prison population significantly. In 1997, there were 55,069 drug offenders serving time in federal prison. If drugs were legalized, these offenders would be Get more content on HelpWriting.net