IF ALL DRUGS WERE MADE LEAGEL
I think that there is no real wining argument when it comes to prohibition or legalization of drugs. I think whatever happens there will always be problems.
THE PROS AND CONS OF PROHIBITION:
I think there are some relevant reasons why drugs are not legal. Using drugs can be dangerous for the user because of the serious health risks, mental and physical. They can even cause death in some cases, as in heart attacks or over doses.
Also some drugs which are highly addictive can really destroy people’s lives.
Drugs can also be damaging to society because of drug related violence or crime. If a dangerous or violent criminal is using drugs it could make them more dangerous and unpredictable, or more willing to commit crimes.
The addiction that some people have for certain drugs can also cause a person to commit crimes in order to financially support their addiction. This type of drug related crime can also negatively affect society.
Although there are some valid reasons for prohibition, I still believe in the legalization of drugs because prohibition doesn’t seem to work.
This is because it puts drugs in the hands of criminals. Prohibition doesn’t stop the supply or the demand for drugs, and as long as people are still using and selling, drug related crimes will continue. This makes the war on drugs seem like a pointless waste of money, resources, and time.
A NEW SYSTEM
I believe the best way to deal with the problems caused by drugs is to legalize them. My idea for a system for the legalization of drugs is to make one government or community based organization. The organization should be non profit and mostly self sufficient. The organization would be responsible for the regulation development and distribution of drugs for recreational users.
This organization would distribute through franchises. The organization would not advertise or be commercial in any way. The organization would not push their product onto anyone. They would be like pharmacy’s in the sense that you know where they are if you want to find them but are not in your face like super markets or other profit franchises.
The organization could then regulate the drugs and their distribution by making accounts for anyone who wanted to use their service. It would then be possible to monitor people’s health and also it would be possible to make people aware of the state of their own physical and mental health.
The system could also be used to weed out dangerous individuals and prevent them from using drugs.
The system can also be used for addicts by supplying their habit for them but offering help support and guidance.
If this system worked I believe it would be very affective in stopping a lot of drug related crimes and problems. I believe this system would improve the well being of society.
Looking for the easiest way to join the anti-drug war movement? You've found it!
Reasons? Or excuses?
Punishing people for what they do to themselves is insane.
Punishing the many for the misdeeds of the few is gross injustice.
But neither insanity nor injustice compares to the terrifying reality that gangs of police thugs, armed with weapons of war, invade our homes, terrorize our families and take or destroy everything we hold dear simply BECAUSE THEY CAN.
Drug problem needs to be a medical, not legal, matter
I agree with your post. If a person with a drug addiction problem was able to treat it medically and not have a legal hammer over his head, he could be helped, would not put profits into the hands of criminals, would not increase the costs of prisons, jails, and law enforcement.
The financial costs of prohibition are enormous. Our citizens who have a medical problem should not be treated as criminals. Prohibition has never worked for its intended purpose but only increased related crime, and made those with addictions criminals instead of patients.
In 2002, the Unitarian/Universalists made a marvelous Statement of Conscience: an Alternative to the War on Drugs. It stated:
To conceive and develop a more just and compassionate drug policy, it is necessary to transform how we view drugs and particularly drug addiction. Drug use, drug abuse, and drug addiction are distinct from one another. Using a drug does not necessarily mean abusing the drug, much less becoming addicted to it. Drug abuse issues are essentially matters for medical attention. We do not believe that drug use should be considered criminal behavior. Advocates for harsh drug policies with severe penalties for drug use often cite violent crime as a direct result of drug use. Drugs alone do not cause crime.
Legal prohibition of drugs leads to inflated street value, which in turn incites violent turf wars among distributors. The whole pattern is reminiscent of the proliferation of organized crime at the time of alcohol prohibition in the early twentieth century. That policy also failed.
We believe that the vision of a drug-free America is unrealistic. Many programs for school children have misled participants and the public by teaching that all illicit drugs are equally harmful in spite of current scientific research to the contrary. “Just Say No” is not a viable policy. The consequences of the current drug war are cruel and counterproductive. At issue here are the health and well-being of our families and our communities, our society, and our global community. Alternatives exist.
Good reading at: http://www.cognitiveliberty.org/9jcl/Stmnt_of_consc.html
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