Drug Legalization
Pros
Most of the arguments for legalization of drugs are based on the pragmatic realities that it is difficult or impossible to legislate morality. Drug use has always been part of society and even though it may not be socially desirable there are many benefits that can be gained through legalization. One primary benefit is definitely financial. In a study by the Cato Institute, the report estimates that drug legalization would reduce government expenditure about $41.3 billion annually; roughly $25.7 billion of this savings would accrue to state and local governments, and roughly $15.6 billion to the federal government; about $8.7 billion of the savings would result from legalization of marijuana, $20 billion from legalization of cocaine and heroin, and $12.6 billion from legalization of all other drugs (Miron & Waldock, 2010).
There are many other benefits beyond money as well. The United States has an expensive and dysfunctional prison system that has been shown to be ineffective on many levels. Legalization has the potential to drastically reduce the prison population which would save the tax payers money. Regulating the substances would also reduce the . The "war on drugs" and the related spending has been so unpopular that President Obama was actually the first president who stopped referring to the criminalization of people for drug charges as the "War on Drugs."
Cons
There are many arguments that are made against the legalization of drugs. Marijuana legalization has been on the forefront of the controversy since it is not as damaging as other drugs and it has been shown to have health benefits for some conditions. However, the Rand Corp. said it believes that marijuana use could double in California if legalization passes due to dramatically reduced prices and increased social acceptance -- which, in turn, might increase various health risks, including increased heart rate, anxiety as well as incidents of drug-impaired driving (Ghosh, 2010).
Making drugs more accepted and available in society will likely have the greatest impacts on the roads. It has been argued that the legalization policies will result in an increase in impaired driving and traffic fatalities. Studies of marijuana's effects show that the drug can slow decision-making, decrease peripheral vision and impede multitasking, all of which are critical driving skills (Lowy, 2014). Some have argued that people who are under the influence of marijuana typically drive…
Economists are concerned with the impact that the sale of drugs has on both individual and economic freedoms and frame their argument from this perspective. Others argue that reliance on the criminal justice system has not produced significant results and that it is time to reframe the argument to focus on the education, prevention, and treatment of drugs. From the economic perspective, there are apparent differences between government prohibition and
That compared with 19% for alcohol and a secondary drug; 12% for alcohol alone; 3% for smoked cocaine; 2.4% for methamphetamines; and 2.3% for heroin (Abrams). It is estimated that by 2010 there will be 35 million teens in America (Levinson). This is a significant demographic to be concerned about. There would also be an increased chance of illicit drugs falling into the hands of children, just like cigarettes and
Human Ecosystem & Technological Change Drugs should not be legalized Drug policy in the United States has been on the forefront of polarizing issues in the political spectrum. The United States has been regulating and criminalizing the use of drugs for roughly a century and in the last few generations these efforts have culminated in what has been referred to as a "war" on drugs. This war has resulted in a large
Drug Legalization LEGALIZATION OF RECREATIONAL DRUG USE In 1920 the sale and consumption of alcohol was criminalized across the United States pursuant to the 18th Amendment. Consumer demand nevertheless presented a ripe opportunity for criminal usurpation of the illicit production and distribution of alcohol. Consequently, by the time Prohibition was subsequently repealed by the 21st Amendment in 1933, the criminal enterprises that it had spawned were so firmly entrenched into the landscape of the
Legalization of Marijuana Marijuana or Cannabis is actually a plant, which has the scientific name 'cannabis sativa' and was originally used for ordinary purposes such as for fabric making and cloth weaving. Some are of the view that it was also used as sails when shipping industry had not become technologically sophisticated. The plant was also once used for the treatment of psychiatric conditions but after it was banned in the
Legalizing Marijuana Any drug that alters the brain chemistry, impairs cognitive functions, and creates an addictive personality cannot be recommended as safe. While there is no suppressing the fact that controlling illegal marijuana use continues to be a financial and administrative bottleneck, they are overridden by the potential harmful health consequences of legalizing marijuana. Marijuana has been in use for thousands of years for its medicinal properties. With the development of new
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