Should Drug Use Legalize

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LEGALISATION OF DRUGS
War on drugs has been in existence for a long time. Many argue that if the so-called hard drugs are legalized it will lead to extensive abuse which will result in health complications to the users. Another claim is that the drugs should be legalized so as to reduce the drug-related crimes. The fact remains that legalization will be the only way to control the use of drugs in the society.
Drug legalization will mean the drugs will be readily available for anyone who is interested. Health organizations claim that this will pose a risk to the minors in the society because they will be freely exposed to the drugs. Despite making the drug freely accessible, rules can be set up so that only adults get access to the drugs. It will also mean that the drugs will be much cheaper. The production of narcotics will increase, and drug taking will also increase. The problems which come as a result of intoxication such irresponsible sexual activities will increase. This will mean the risk of attracting sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS will be on the rise. A British philosopher argued that no one should be prevented from using drugs as long as there is no harm caused to the rest of the society. Getting a kilo of heroin is as expensive as buying a new luxury car but it has the same effects as ecstasy which is freely used. The same case applies to marijuana which is used as a stimulant drug by hospitals, but when smoked openly it is said to be legal.

(The Case Against Legalization, world.std.com)
The reason why most governments cannot control the use of drugs is that it is illegal and considered a crime; no rules can be set to govern a crime. The regulation put on the use of alcohol and cigarettes are applicable because their use is legal and the concerned parties can set up any rules on them. The same should be applied to other hard drugs; they should be legalized then necessary rules applied. The government cannot control the quality of cocaine in the market, or limit the distribution of heroin in some areas, or control how they are sold. The restriction put on hard drugs has caused a rise in gangs and cartels which deal with the drugs. The cartels have dubious ways of corrupting government officials who are involved in the control of drugs. They even threaten some of them with death so as to do their drug deals. Such gangs even acquire illegal firearms to guard their business because it is booming and they make a lot of money from it. The drug business cause gang related fights as they battle for trading grounds and suppliers. These fights end up causing injuries with the worst consequence being death. Drug money is used to fund the terrorist groups in countries like Afghanistan. The best way to end such menace is to do away with the cartel and gangs by making drugs available to those who want. In America, most of the prisoners are jailed because of drug offenses. Some are in for trafficking others for drug-related crimes. Those who find themselves in prison are the petty user and traffickers from the poor backgrounds who cannot defend themselves of pay cash bails to be freed. Statistics show that one in every four prisoners is jailed in the United States because of drug offenses. Although the whites also use drugs freely, those sentenced and imprisoned are the non-whites. Legalization will lead to a reduction of drug related imprisonments and decongestion of the prisons.(www.economist.com)
The society is strongly against the legalization arguing that it will increase drug addiction, the spread of diseases, child abuse and violence in families. Alcohol is legalized, and the users still end up in the act the society claim will increase. Drunk driving is prohibited because it can lead to accidents and even death. Despite such regulations, there are still cases of drunk driving that have resulted in fatal accidents. Parents and insurance companies are worried that they will be in the limelight when teenagers or even children get involved in dangerous activities as result of drug abuse. These reasons make drug legalization seem to be impossible, but they meager reasons that can be sorted out at grass root levels.(Drug Legalization, cato.org)
Legalization is the real deal when it comes to control of drugs. Through legalization of narcotics, the government will be able to set regulations on the use of drugs; there will be reduced cartels and gang-related fights. To control cases of addiction, the government can set up rehabilitation centers to help those who are affected. Though according to Paarlberg there are better ways of fighting the war on drugs and he argues that legalization is a way of gaining dominance by some corporates who will major on the production of the drugs. Fighting drugs will not the end the crimes that occur in the society, they can only be stopped by eliminating inequality in the community. To have better control of the drugs and reduction in drug related activities, the use and sale of drugs should be legalized.
Works Cited
HYPERLINK “http://www.economist.com/node/709603” www.economist.com/node/709603.
“The Case Against Legalization.” The Case Against Legalization, www.world.std.com/~mhuben/paarlberg.html.
“Drug Legalization, Criminalization, and Harm Reduction.” Cato Institute, 16 June 1999, HYPERLINK “http://www.cato.org/publications/congressional-testimony/drug-legalization-criminalization-harm-reduction” www.cato.org/publications/congressional-testimony/drug-legalization-criminalization-harm-reduction.