Drugs Should Their Use and Sale Be Legalized

Drugs: Should Their Sale and Use Be Legalized?

Within the last 50 years, drug legalization has been a very hotly debated topic in the United States society. It almost seems that every “street drug” was once legal, but banned soon after its introduction in society. Illegal substances that one sees today were once synthesized and created by chemist such as LSD, ecstasy, methamphetamine, cocaine, and etc., and at some point used for medical reasons, however during many circumstances were deemed illegal by the government due to detrimental effects after prolonged usage. William Bennett’s “Drugs: Should Their Sale and Use Be Legalized” targets the general American public into understanding the societal importance of upholding the nations current drug policy. Bennett starts his piece by stating, “The issue I want to address is our national drug policy and the intellectuals” (Bennett 592). Bennett specifically addresses the issue the nation, by using the pronoun “our.” Also this is a “national” issue, which is also an indication that he is targeting the general American public. Bennett is clearly on the side of keeping and enforcing banning and making narcotics illegal. He is trying to win over the individuals who are in between the issue, and of course the liberals who are opposed to the nation’s drug policy.

The two most used appeals in Bennett’s argument are pathos, and ethos. Just by reading his brief bio in the intro paragraph the reader can see that Bennett has expertise in the topic of drug policy. Bennett has “been a public servant, Secretary of Education, and a director of the national Drug Control Policy” (Bennett 591). Initially the reader should come into the essay with some regard or respect in what Bennett has to say because of his expertise. The diction “I” is used repetitively in the piece which shows that Bennett is very confident in taking responsibility for his claims. Bennett reasons with the audience that if drugs were legalized it would end up costing the nation more debt. Ethos is clearly shown when Bennett states, “More pregnant women would buy legal cocaine, and then deliver tiny, premature infants. I’ve seen them in hospitals across the country” (Bennett 595). As one can see he refers to his own experiences, and claims that the problems that he sees with the legalization of drugs with his own eyes. This of course is very powerful because he uses his own experiences as evidence in the article. Also in this quote one can see that ethos is intertwined with pathos, when he paints a graphic image of damaged infants because of drugs. This image is effective, because it disheartens the reader to think that we are going to have a generation of unhealthy “crack babies”. Another example of ethos is shown when Bennett states, “I have been traveling the country, visiting drug-ridden neighborhoods, seeing treatment and prevention programs in action…” (Bennett 596). Once again Bennett effectively uses his own experiences as evidence to why drug illegalization does work. “I” is also used again in this quote to imply that he has expertise in this field, and because the reader goes into the piece knowing his background when he uses the word “I” and includes his own experiences it works to his advantage. Bennett also states that drugs hurt parents, destroy families, and ruin friendships (Bennett 596). Again pathos is at work here, because Bennett convinces the reader that drugs not only hurt the individual but everyone else around them. This is very effective because even drug legalization advocates, or users that are reading this feel the issue is much more personal when family and friends are involved. Logos is used when Bennett mentions the New York Times article vivdly describing,