Let’s End the War on Drugs

Let’s End the War on Drugs

Abuse of illicit drugs has been rampant in the United States for close to fifty years. The use of non-medical drugs, now known as recreational drugs, became illegal in 1914 in a law known as The Harrison Act (Charles Whitebread 1). Although this act was implemented to eliminate or at least reduce illegal drug use, it has had the opposite effect. In the year 1970, the estimated arrest involving drug violations for adults was 322,300 and 93,300 for juveniles; the estimated arrest for drug related charges in 2003 were 1,476,800 for adults and 201,400 for juveniles (The Bureau…1). An estimated 64 billion was spent on illegally purchased drugs in the year 2000 (Abt Associates 3). Because the use of illegal drugs has continued to rise since The Harrison Act was imposed, users will go to any lengths to acquire the products they wish. Of course, any attempt to purchase illicit drugs creates criminals and often the transactions between the seller and buyer may turn violent. Legalizing drugs in the United States would be in the best interest of Americans because it would decrease violence, save taxpayers money, and put dealers out of business; furthermore, legalizing drugs would not promote new addictions.

Many citizens oppose legalizing drugs because they believe that it would create additional drug addicts. The truth is most users only engage in drugs recreationally. Studies have shown only 2 to 4 percent of respondents would try drugs if they were legalized (Eldredge, McCollum 2). Dr.Micheal S. Gozzaniga states, “The current figures suggest that about 10 percent of Americans use illegal drugs” (1). If drugs were legalized, addicts could purchase their drugs at a clinic and administer them there.

Because most middle class citizens would avoid public clinics, the legalization of drugs would not encourage new addicts. Of course, addicts would frequent the establishments, but legally, and under the supervision of a medical staff. It does not matter whether drugs are illegal or not; it is obvious that one who chooses to engage in drug use will do so regardless of the laws created to prevent it.

Because of the illegal activities involved in the distribution and purchasing of illicit drugs, violence has become an issue. Many law enforcement officers place their lives at risk each time they make a drug related arrest. Although officers may be aware that certain individuals are drug traffickers, they must have tangible proof in order to convict. Special task agents are often placed undercover in very dangerous situations to obtain this proof. If drugs were legalized these assignments would become needless, preventing unnecessary harm to American’s undercover officers.

The opposition argues that legalizing drugs would increase crime rate because drug users would commit criminal acts, such as theft and robbery, to pay for their habits. Because drugs are smuggled and sold by people trying to get rich, the prices of illicit drugs are dramatically increased; the suppliers increase the prices to what the users will pay, illegal drugs become expensive, resulting in ridiculous profits.

In 1995, the street price of one hundred dollars worth of cocaine actually had the value of one dollar (Geers 1). Making drugs legal would decrease the inflated cost and create affordable prices making theft and robbery unnecessary for users to purchase drugs.

Legalizing drugs would demolish the need for drug dealers in America. Violent crime is associated with illicit drugs because distributors must defend their possessions. Often drug distributors are at high risk of being murdered and/or robbed because people are aware of the large amounts of cash and drugs the dealers may possess. Sometimes territory disputes or competition between drug traffickers become highly escalated, leading to violence and death. Because drug trade is illegal, disputes between dealers cannot be settled by law enforcement. Boyum and Kleiman say, “Consequently, territorial disputes among dealers, employer-employee disagreements, and arguments over the price, quantity and quality of drugs are all subject to settlement by force” (2). Dealers and buyers are frequently armed causing fierce arguments that often become deadly. The opposition will state that dealers will nonetheless supply drugs “underground”. While this may be true at the outset of legalization, it is inevitable that these underground dealings will eventually stop; there will be no justification for users to purchase illegal drugs when they can do so legally for a less significant price.

Moreover, the attraction of easy money has turned many of America’s youth to dealing drugs as a way to generate large amounts of cash. Dealers are constantly offering the youth large amounts of money to deliver drugs for them. In 1998, many juvenile dealers