The war on drugs in America has been a long and troublesome path that we can not seem to get off. America spends over $18 billion a year (Babula 2008) on a war that we have not been able to win or progress in. Crime rates, not only in Maryland, have soared since the initial war on drugs began more then a decade ago. The war on drugs makes it possible for drug cartels, gangs, and unlawful citizens to flourish once again like they did during the alcohol prohibition of the 1920’s (Babula 2008). If the government continues to put stricter restrictions and laws in opposition to drugs, it will in turn cause the demand for drugs to skyrocket even further. This will make the economic incentive for the gangs and drug cartels to import more drugs which again will cause more crime-related violence. The government is blind to the fact that it is making it possible for gangs and cartels to thrive and flood our streets with drugs.
The solution to this problem and ongoing conflict with drugs is very simple; legalize it. In doing so, this will take away the profit and business aspect of selling drugs. In turn, it will lower crime rates that are drug related. In legalizing drugs, prices will fall drastically; making the motivation of selling drugs virtually pointless (Babula 2008). On the same aspect, addicts resulting to crime to get their fix will decrease by the lowering of drug prices. If legalized, America would be saving about $18 billion a year that they would be able to spend on clinics and education programs for the suffering addicts. Also, in legalizing drugs, the American Government can eventually properly tax the once illegal drugs to generate a hefty profit. Legalizing drugs will lower crime rates and save the government billions of dollars and is essential for the progress of this country.
Another advantage of legalizing drugs is that fewer people will be imprisoned for drug related instances. Each year the United States imprisons nearly 1.6 million people due to drug violations (Babula 2008). American taxpayers pay billions of dollars for these criminals each year to be fed, bathed, and housed. As well, over $10 billion each year is spent to fund drug-related law enforcement (Block;Cussen 2000). “As of 1989, the rate of incarceration in the United States was the highest in the world, and nearly half of those in federal prison had been convicted of drug law violations” (Mauer 1991). With legalizing drugs, the enticement for drug selling and crimes will again be lowered and in turn less people will be arrested for drug related violations. This will save the government billions of dollars as well as make room for more dangerous criminals in the already overpopulated prisons.
The American Government and public are used to winning wars and being one of the biggest powerhouses in the world. But the government needs to open their eyes and stop being stubborn of the fact that the war on drugs is a war that we can not win and must cease before further damage is done. If an addict needs his or her fix, they are going to find it somehow, illegal or not. By further illegalizing drugs we are only supporting the gangs, cartels, and drugs violence and turning away from the people in our country that really need the help.
Works Cited
Babula, Michael. "Crime Rates and the Legalization of Drugs." Dr. Babula for Congress
2008 2008 18 Jan 2008 http://www.babula2008.com/issues.htm.
Beckett, Katherine. "Setting Public Agenda." 41.3Aug 1994 425-447. 18 Jan 2008
http://www.jstor.org/view/00377791/sp030014/03x0447e/0?currentResult=00377791%2bsp030014%2b03x0447e%2b0%2cFFFFFF&searchUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fsearch%2FBasicResults%3Fhp%3D25%26si%3D1%26gw%3Djtx%26jtxsi%3D1%26jcpsi%3D1%26artsi%3D1%26Query%3Ddrug%2Band%2Bcrime%2Brates%26wc%3Don.
Cussen, Meaghan. "Legalize Drugs Now!." 59.3July 2000 525-536. 18 Jan 2008
http://www.jstor.org/view/00029246/ap060239/06a00100/0?currentResult=00029246%2bap060239%2b06a00100%2b0%2cFF1F&searchUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fsearch%2FBasicResults%3Fhp%3D25%26si%3D1%26gw%3Djtx%26jtxsi%3D1%26jcpsi%3D1%26artsi%3D1%26Query%3Dlegalizing%2Bdrugs%26wc%3Don.
4 comments:
This is an interesting way of solving a problem that seems unsolvable. It is true that if the supply goes up, which could happen if drugs were legalized, then the price would come down. The cartels would no longer corner the market. However, the problem is much bigger than the cartels. The problem is also the users. How does legalization help them? It would be interesting to research how the Netherlands handles drug problems. I believe that drugs are legal there. How do they protect their citizens from users? Does the government distribute the drugs or is it sold in supermarkets? Is their a minimum age for purchase? What is their crime rate?
Tim: I wasn't able to log onto this site with my e-mail address so I am using Mom's.
I disagree with your premise that legalizing drugs will reduce crime and win the war against drugs. Some drugs are illegal because they are addictive and can ruin a person's life, and once addicted, it is extremely difficult and expensive for an adict to rid himself of the addiction.
By lowering the price of habit forming drugs, it will become much easier for people who probably would never have used drugs to experiment with drugs and expose themselves and their famililies to the horrors of drug addiction. Placing a tax on drugs to raise money for other programs will lead to the creation of "black markets" for criminals to sell drugs to individuals who can't afford the "supermarket" prices.
The only way to win the war on drugs is by education at an early age and by proper parening. It is absolutely essential that parents accept their responsibility to raise their children as good citizens who respect the rights of other people and who have a strong foundation in moral and ethical behavior.
A. M. Capuzzi
I do not believe that legalizing drugs will solve the problem. While I understand your reasoning, I think that legalizing drugs may in turn cause even more people to try drugs because the fear that they are doing something illegal will no longer be a factor. I think that the differences between drugs, and their harmful effects on people, vary too greatly and to say that all drugs should be legalized is too general. Maybe if you categorize the drugs based on their potency and legalize only less damaging drugs, like marijuana, similar to what they do in Holland, it could solve some issues. But then again, how do you catergorize some drugs as less damaging than others? Drugs are drugs. I think the war on drugs is too complicated to solve simply by legalizing all drugs.
I agree with your basic tenets that legalizing drugs would reduce crime, boost the economy, and reduce the overpopulation in jails. But I think you are turning a blind eye to the negatives.
It would not change the fact that "cartels" and "gangs" would just move to a different profitable illegal venture (gun trafficking as an example).
Who knows what would happen in other areas of the ecomony (unemployment rate, productivity) if "hard" drugs were legal? Would otherwise solid citizens get addicted to drugs and then become wastes?
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