Defending the great success of his tenure, Walters argued strictly on disease lines in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece that "Drug Legalization Isn't the Answer": Substance abuse is a disease. It is even harder to reconcile that the American government would throw 40 years worth of resources into locking up its population rather than into educating and protecting it. For one, Husak quotes research showing that currently illicit drugs do not obviously pose a greater health threat than alcohol or tobacco. However, the minimum sentencing laws have not prevented more Americans from participating in the drug trade. Addicts are drivenunderground if the purchase and possession of drugs is illegal. In addition, one-fourth of all pack-a-day smokers lose ten to fifteen years of their lives but no one would entertain the idea of incarcerating smokers to further their health interests or in order to prevent non-smokers from beginning. Yes, but marijuana is more likely to cause addiction. The 2023 Season Outlook for Dallas Cowboys, Pros and Cons for Each Team to Win the Super Bowl LVII, Top 10 Reasons School Uniforms Should Be Banned, Top 10 Reasons Jesus Christ Never Existed, 10 Reasons The Death Penalty Should Be Legal, 10 Reasons Why You Should Date a Man with a Beard, Top 10 Reasons Euthanasia Should Be Legal Everywhere, Affiliate, Paid, and Sponsored Post Disclosure, Thank you for your Sponsored Post Purchase. Sign up to get The Weekly Wonk, New America's digital magazine, delivered to your inbox each Thursday here. What Are Illegal Chinese Communist Government Police Stations Doing in the U.S.? This is because drugs are bought and sold on the black market, away from the rules and enforcement mechanisms of legal products. , appearing in the series "For and Against" edited by R. G. Frey for Cambridge University Press, raises the seldom-asked philosophical question of the justification, if any, of imprisoning persons for drug offenses. Individuals with a biological predisposition toward addiction may be more likely to experiment with drugs if they do not fear legal prosecution. Drug laws are a big factor in the number of prisoners that America sends away each year. If there is more drug abuse that is bad. The infiltration of the America's domestic drug trafficking by Mexican cartels, illustrating both the porousness of our southern border and the continuing gargantuan illicit drug trade in the United States, now dominates American drug policy discussions. Not everything goes. There is a shortage of behavioral health and substance abuse treatment in the United States. The amount of money spent on the failed war on drugs is staggering and the amount of old misinformation that is used to justify that expenditure is shocking. That amount would buy a house, an education and comfortable retirement. We did not understand how this disease could alter personality and steal individual freedom. Douglas Husak makes a compelling case against punishing drug users. Supply-side solutions include initiatives to pressure drug-producing countries to stop exporting illicit drugs, intercept drugs before smugglers can take them across America`s borders, pass stricter drug laws, crack down on drug traffickers, and sentence drug manufacturers and traffickers to long prison terms. Alcohol is the drug of choice in Europe, the United States and Canada, while many Muslim countries tolerate the use of opium and marijuana. We are working very hard to end the war on drugs which is an artificial construct that erases a lot of cultures, Mexico's national nightmare, in which drug cartels are overwhelming the country's law enforcement agencies, is the most serious political consequence to date of the current policy of "banning" drugs. Some dealers simply cut their products and never mention that the drug has been laced with another chemical or drug. The coexistence of two or more disorders is referred to as co-occurring disorders. But, ridding the federal system of corruption has proven to be difficult. Legalizing drugs will just feed the problem that teenagers and young adults face daily. The result is that the person experiences severely unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. California's multibillion dollar sales of marijuana can't be taxed while the State drowns in red ink. The biggest culprits are often cocaine and drugs like MDMA. Part of Confronting Americas opioid epidemic. Black markets increase violence because buyers and sellers can't resolve disputes with courts, lawyers, or arbitration, so they turn to guns instead. Some of the most overcrowded prisons have seen figures as high as being 50 percent overcrowded. Other recreationally used drugs such as alcohol, tobacco or caffeine are not immoral. (p. 34) Husak finds no compelling reason for imprisoning drug users. Thirdly, to those who contend that illicit drugs may increase violence and aggression Husak responds that: a) empirical evidence does not support marijuana or heroin as causes of violence and b) empirical evidence does support alcohol, which is decriminalized, as leading to violence. Legalization is a consumer protection issue. Pharmacies, banks, schools, hospitals in fact, all organizations that deal with the public may feel compelled to check their employees` drug use regularly and randomly. But does putting drug users in prison contribute to this worthy goal? On average, federal prisons are overcrowded by a whopping 36 percent. First, a few Economics 101 basics: Prohibiting a good does not eliminate the market for that good. The arguments of those favoring the legalization of drugs include those of Marion Barry, William F. Buckley, Jr., and Kurt L. Schmoke. In one striking way, opponents to American drug laws and defenders maintain the same idea -- drug use is a disease. Two incurable American prejudices rule out the idea that changing the legal status of drugs can impact an increasingly out-of-control world drug trade. However, the narcotics squads remained both fully staffed and full funded. Reported meth users jumped from 353,000 users in 2010 to 595,000 users in 2013. WebAccording to Wilkinson (2013), marijuana needs to be avoided and not legalized because it harms the brain. In recent years, about 40 people per year have died from skiing or snowboarding accidents; almost 800 from bicycle accidents; several thousand from drowning in swimming pools; more than 20,000 per year from pharmaceuticals; more than 30,000 annually from auto accidents; and at least 38,000 from excessive alcohol use. Using marijuanas supposed status as a gateway drug not only prevents legalization but it prevents real research from being done because scientists cannot get funding to prove that the opposite is true. In both instances, the reader is treated to arguments that effectively undermine current drug policy. That's understandable: Different drugs do carry different risks, and the potential for serious harm from marijuana is less than for cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine. It contains a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone, which, Recognizing the need to get sober is one thing; knowing how to do so is quite another. After considering four standard justifications for punishing drug users Husak concludes that "the arguments for criminalization are not sufficiently persuasive to justify the infliction of punishment.". Nearly two-thirds of conservative and moderate Democrats (63%) say marijuana should be legal for medical and recreational use. All rights reserved. VP Joe Biden introduced Kerlikowske with the invocation that "combating drugs requires a comprehensive approach that includes enforcement, prevention, and treatment." It also encourages racial profiling, discrimination, false arrests and the intimidation of citizens in order to find the bigger culprits behind the drug trade. Yet, despite the overwhelming evidence supporting that position, drug addiction continues to be criminalized. As our eyes are on Oregon, we will likely be faced with a similar decision in our states. Peter de Marneffe offers an argument against drug legalization. The violence sits on Americas door step in cities like Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez in Mexico. Next WebDrugs should not be legalized There are also many arguments against legalization. If there is more drug abuse that is bad. The United States has erected an enormous legal structure involving prosecution and incarceration designed to prohibit a highly pleasurable, sometimes medically indicated and personally satisfying activity, namely using marijuana, heroin, and cocaine. In a free society, the presumption must always be that individuals, not government, get to decide what is in their own best interest. We, Suboxone is a medication used to treat opioid addiction. WebLegalizing drugs would reduce political and law enforcement corruption. Most research points to poverty, social environments, and association with other people who use hard drugs to be the biggest reason that people transition from smoking weed to injecting meth. Teens under the influence may also take more sexual risks, leading to long-term consequences. 1. This system pays a huge toll on the government, the tax payer and the offender. The government continues to support the idea that marijuana is a gateway drug to harder drugs. The vacuum will be filled by illegal drug cartels and a black or gray market. WebPhilosophical and pragmatic arguments used to support legalization of drugs are wrong. In fact, very often an addict will not even feel like himself without taking drugs. WebThose who oppose the legalization of marijuana point to the health risks of the drug, including: Memory issues: Frequent marijuana use may seriously affect your short-term Find therapists best matched to your needs. Nearly two-thirds of conservative and moderate Democrats (63%) say marijuana should be legal for medical and recreational use. . We have paid a high price for this confusion. The supply problem could persist for few more weeks or longer. If you`re connecting with other people who drink a lot or use drugs, this could be a good time to check who you`re spending time with and find other people to connect with who can engage in more positive interests and activities. In all, America spent at least $40 billion on failing to prevent the use of drugs in the United States in only one year. The simple fun and euphoria attendant to drug use should count for permitting it. Higher supplies usually lead to lower prices. The legalization of dangerous drugs like cocaine, meth, and heroin would likely increase rates of addiction and other serious diseases. 2. Husak finds punishing adolescent users a peculiar way to protect them. Some prisons have excellent substance abuse programs for inmates who are motivated for recovery. It is important to set goals and work to achieve them. In the Netherlands, some cities have been tightening restrictions on cannabis because of this. Even if the harder drugs remained illegal, the softer drugs would only serve as a gateway to more dangerous substances. Kids report they can get drugs relatively easily, and too many of us have suffered the heartbreak of addiction affecting a loved one or ourselves. Personally, I have no problem with marijuana legalization. Just look at Amsterdam or the Czech Republic, where more liberal approaches have led to increases in drug tourism and public disorder. I cannot gather such pan-Glossian optimism. If they are not harming other people, the government has no right to restrict what consenting adults do in their personal lives. And, so, illegal drug use extends endlessly on the horizon in front of us. . 86% of supporters say that the medicinal benefits of marijuana are a very important reason for legalization. Even after four decades of war on drugs and narcotics, the use of marijuana continues to grow in the United States. The Check-In: Cool pools for summer adventures. The only accounts according to which drug use is immoral are religiously based and generally not shared in the citizenry. In fact, they will continue to use them whether it is legal or not. .". Roughly two-thirds of Black adults (68%) and six-in-ten White adults Those who believe this should stand beside the medical examiner as he counts the 36 bullet wounds in the shattered corpse of a three-year-old who happened to get in the way of his mothers drug-crazed boyfriend. Not so with marijuana. Demand-driven solutions include addiction education and treatment. If drugs were legalized, they could be standardized and regulated. WebTo prevent all this dangers towards your body and the other lives, cocaine should not be allowed to be taken, keeping it illegal. Many young people who experiment with drugs, as well as those who struggle with addiction, wish they had never tried drugs. Illegal drugs are often cut with toxic substances or other drugs, and the purity and strength of each batch produced can vary enormously. It is the right of every individual to decide whether to take drugs. Husak concludes, "If I am correct, prohibitionists are more clearly guilty of immorality than their opponents. The points of discord between Husak's and de Marneffe's positions are serious but not as telling as is their implicit agreement. If drugs were legalized, they could be standardized and regulated. To advocate the legalization of drugs calls for a legal system in which the production and sale of drugs are not criminal offenses. Dealers will use these agents to increase their profits. HuffPost's top politics stories, straight to your inbox. There is a risk of corruption anytime I think that is okay to legalize it for medical use only because it has been found to cure diseases in some people. As individual states decide to legalize marijuana, and other states work towards decriminalization of the drug, the debate becomes louder and has started to move away from misinformation. Furthermore, the US Drug Enforcement Administration claims that crime, violence and drug use go hand in hand. This is behind former Senator Biden's introduction of the "Recognizing Addiction as a Disease Act of 2007," which states: "Addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences. It showed a 1.1percent increase from a similar study done in 2002. Because prohibition raises heroin prices, users have a greater incentive to inject because this offers a bigger bang for the buck. Kids should never take drugs. Even if they were greater, imprisonment does not reduce, but compounds the health risks for prisoners. Web4. An average of one or two Oregonians die of a drug overdose every day. Reasons to Decriminalize Drug Use. 1. And prohibition does, in fact, have huge costs, regardless of how harmful drugs might be. Legalize and regulate non-medical use of all drugs, prioritizing opioids. Of course, some people will still go underground, but those who want to take ecstasy without the risks can do so when they can purchase it from a reliable and regulated source. These real gateway drugs, the substances classified as drugs by scientists but not by the government, are rarely, if ever, included on the propaganda that continues to perpetuate the myth that marijuana use leads to serious drug problems. The same is true of the prohibition on drugs. Removing drugs from the equation at this point is like taking a leg out under a three-legged chair. Instead, they promise benefits ranging from reduced crime to additional tax revenue. Suboxone Strips and Pills: Are They Similar, Substance abuse and addiction rates have been cut in half since decriminalization, Addiction treatment and rehabilitation is less expensive than incarceration, Individuals with substance abuse problems are much more likely to find recovery in rehab than in jail, People completing treatment can become productive members of society much more easily than convicted felons, Violence related to drug trafficking is greatly reduced, Courts are freed up for other important work, The rebellious, countercultural essence of drug use is changed when society sees it as a disease and not a crime. One person who favors the coalescence of the terms "use," "abuse," and "addiction" is John Walters, Kerlikowske's predecessor as Drug Czar in the Bush Administration. There is a risk of corruption anytime there is a large amount of money to be made in the sale of illegal goods. Legalisingdrugswont stopviolence and social problems. Doesn't Solve Anything Treatment For Alcohol Abuse From 1920 to 1933, the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages was illegal in the United States. Marijuana advocates have had some success in arguing that marijuana is a soft drug, similar to alcohol, and fundamentally different from hard drugs like cocaine or heroin. But, what is most concerning is that far more people are likely to try drugs if they begin smoking tobacco or drinking alcohol. By 2009, that figure had already jumped to 38.9 percent. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his wife, mountain biking in Southern California, and running. Even if the hardest drugsremained illegal, softer drugs would only act as a gateway to moredangerous substances. The time served by the average inmate in on a drug offence has reached 11 years. The Legalization of Drugs: For & Against. Almost half of all current prisoners in federal jails are there because they are serving a sentence for a drug related crime and there are more drug offenders in prison in 2013 than there were people who had been convicted of any other crime. WebThis should be reason enough to make all drugs illegal.

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