Legalization Of Drugs Essay -- essays research papers

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connections between drugs and crime, at least three of which would be much diminished if the drug-prohibition laws were repealed.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 drugs to children would continue to be criminal, and other evasions of government regulation of a legal market would continue to be prosecuted; but by and large the drug connection that now accounts for all of the criminal-justice costs noted above would be severed" (Lindsmith Center). Second, many illicit-drug users commit crimes such as robbery and burglary, as well as drug dealing, prostitution, and many others, to earn enough money to purchase the relatively high-priced illicit drugs. "Unlike the millions of alcoholics who can support their habits for relatively modest amounts, many cocaine and heroin addicts spend hundreds and even thousands of dollars a week" (Lindsmith Center). If the drugs to which they are addicted were much cheaper- which would be the case if they were legalized-the number of crimes committed by drug addicts to pay for their habits would, in all likelihood, decline. Even if a legal-drug policy included the a demand of relatively high taxes in order to discourage consumption, drug prices would probably still be lower than they are today. The third drug connection is the commission of crimes- violent crimes in particular-by people under the influence of illicit drugs. "This connection seems to have the greatest impact upon the popular imagination" (Lindsmith Center). Clearly, some drugs do "cause" some people to commit crimes by reducing normal control, unleashing aggressive and other antisocial tendencies, and lessening the sense of responsibility. "Cocaine, particularly in the form of crack, has gained such a reputation in recent years, just as heroin did in t... ... of the drug dealing business because they can't control things on the street anymore with the drugs. He would have to go the legal way and try to make himself a respectable business person or lose all of his business. The bottom line is, if drugs are legalized it would stop a lot of crime and stimulate the economy. Drugs are bad, but wouldn't it be better to stop the criminal activity than let all of the crime go unchecked. The drug trafficking these days is getting to be ridiculous and something must be done to stop the rage of drug use and crime in our societies today. Children can get their hands on these illegal and dangerous drugs so easy now it is crazy. If drug use was legalized it would become almost impossible for a child under age to get these drugs. It would stop many young people from becoming junkies, while making them into better people that would contribute to their community. If a person wants to mess their bodies up I believe that they should do what they want with themselves, but when things start to affect other people then the authorities should step in. WORK CITED The Lindsmith Center, www.soros.org "Drugs and Crime."