23 September 2008
The federal government should legalize all drugs, from Marijuana to heroin and crack to PCP, for a number of reasons. First-off, if drugs were legalized, they would fall under the watchful eye of the FDA, which would enforce strict purity restrictions, keeping toxins out of the drugs. The FDA could also provide a dosage guide and concentration ratings so drug users would know how much they could take without overdosing.
If the 'prohibition' of drugs were ended, it would cause a decrease in usage, much like after the end of the prohibition of alcohol drinking. This is not only because many find it to be a rush to do something illegal, but also because it would be marketed differently. Currently, dealers use high-pressure sales tactics to convince would-be users to start using illegal substances. They maintain monopolies and, the more pressure they apply the more money they can make. If there were no longer a monopoly, anyone could go to their neighborhood pharmacy and purchase now-illegal drugs. The marketing by these companies would be regulated and more passive than current techniques. The last concrete advantage is a monetary one; if the U.S.A. were to remove the restrictions on the sale and use of these substances, they would not only be able to tax this as a new industry, but they would also save the millions of dollars they are currently spending on drug enforcement and related laws.
I think that controlling drugs is a rather strange action for the federal government; why make everything except for tobacco and alcohol illegal when both kill thousands every year? I find this selective forbiddance to be rather inappropriate as it seems that they are trying to think for us. I personally have never used drugs, even with many opportunities to do so. This is because, based on the research I have done, I think that they are harmful and I do not need them to make my life fun. However, I see no problems with people using them in a private, safe location where no others will be harmed. That being said, I have no sympathy for people whose lives get destroyed by their foolish mistakes, and I do not believe that the government should provide a safety net for these individuals. As an example, in my hometown, both a mother and son overdosed on heroin and died. I see this as them making mistakes and paying the consequences. This is just the same as someone cutting themselves when playing with a knife.
In conclusion, the government should let people think for themselves and let them make and learn from their own mistakes. It would make money for the government and would increase safety by decreasing drug related violence.
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