Drug Legalization

A strongly debated issue in today’s culture is drug legalization. Drug legalization is the process of removing or reducing certain laws that prohibit one to use, sell, or possess illegal drugs. There are several methods to approach this issue: controlled legalization, full legalization, or drug decriminalization. Many supporters as well as opponents exist within the realm of all 3 methods. For all supporters and opponents in a realm of 3 methods, there exists an approximately even percentage for those in favor and those against drug legalization. These 3 methods are unknown solutions to a problem that is dependent on their continuities; that is, if and only if their nature can remain consistent without any sudden breaks for a finite amount of time will they transform the issue for the greater good. The relevance of drug legalization is evident when analyzing the current crime rates, the number of drug-related deaths, and the children who experiment with drugs, but this topic has a greater scope than a few examples. Independent of the possible number of combinations of the examples, their paths all intersect with marijuana being the point of intersection. It is difficult to discuss drug legalization without mentioning the impact and influence that marijuana has emitted. To instantiate a position on the topic of drug legalization, it is safe to say that full legalization is an erroneous solution in its entirety.

Controlled legalization is a straightforward term whose definition deserves no explication. What is most notable is that this operation abstracts full legalization from the set of 3 operations. However, it agrees with drug decriminalization in the sense that it also abstracts full legalization. Therefore, the size of the set of 3 operations can be reduced to 2. But this streamlines the problem that is trying to be solved. A smaller set equals a faster analysis, thus a more efficient execution. The operation that was once increasing the time complexity is now expunged from the set; it is lost in space. To think of space is to think of a curve, which implies a path. Where does controlled legalization’s path lead one to? Is this path constantly changing with time or can its algorithms remain continuous? One component of the controlled legalization method is the limitations on advertising. In a nation where the youth are our future, it is wise to restrict their visual and auditory senses from harmful drugs. A latent veracity will only stall the inevitable. It will only control the inevitable. This is exactly what this method can accomplish. Additional components consist of age limitations and limitations to the overall amount of drugs purchased.

If one is arrested for illegal drug use, distribution, or possession and the consequence is prison time, what does this person hope for? Surely, it is not a “get-out-of-jail-free” card because that is not thinking realistically. This person would hope for less severe consequences. This is an abstraction of drug decriminalization. This approach is logically lucid. If selling cocaine lands someone in jail for 6 months, make it 5. If overdosing on meth puts someone in the drug rehabilitation center for treatment, then send him there with a pack of cigarettes. If a teenager is caught smoking pot by the cops, then just tell him that pot is bad.

Marijuana has been affecting the United States in a negative way. Teenagers smoke pot in high school. More people on the streets are getting arrested for selling pot. Pot is an unhealthy way of living. Some states have already legalized marijuana. Imagine a world in which marijuana is legal. A world in which everyone is always high is not a world worth living. “Legal marijuana use means more marijuana use, and more marijuana use means above all more teen marijuana use.” Try to contemplate a world in which all of the youth are high, and workers are extremely inefficient because they, too, are high.

To take an example in regard to marijuana, suppose a highly ambitious college student who had to live on campus for several reasons got roommates who were pot heads. However, he did not find out until a few weeks into the semester. If he tells them to stop, and they do not, then he has a few options. He can switch rooms, but that almost always leads to worse roommate and the amount of time required to move all of his belongings would be a nightmare . He can call the cops on them, but the cops cannot search anybody without a search warrant, even if they smell the pot. The roommates will most likely stop, but they will become vindictive, which would be worse. What is most important is that this highly ambitious student has a tough challenge that will prevent him from achieving his goals. This situation would be even more worse if pot was legal.

With tobacco and alcohol already legal, it does not make sense to legalize anymore drugs. Tobacco and alcohol are the cause for so many deaths. Legalizing more deadlier drugs would be equivalent to letting most of the country commit suicide. “Nevertheless, a given dose of cocaine or crack is far more dangerous than a drink of alcohol. Alcohol has an addiction rate of 10 percent, whereas cocaine has an addiction rate as high as 75 percent.” It affects everybody. “Don’t tell me that drugs only hurt the user – Tell that to a crack baby. Tell that to a woman who is raped by her boyfriend while he was high on PCP. Or tell that to the six year old that is raped by that same guy….Tell that to the taxpayers who will be paying out the wazoo for higher insurance rates, more taxes for drug rehabilitation programs, and more money for court cases due to the increased number of drug related offenses.”

Drugs are used to help people be happy. When people are sad, they take drugs to give themselves a thrill. They use drugs as a way ease the social tension. All of these reasons to use drugs can be accomplished in a way that does not have a high possibility for overdosing or dying.

Suppose that drug legalization was enacted. Then suppose that it was a complete disaster. How would the country come back from that? Is it feasible to just turn back on everything? Will it be too late? It is too risky.

Full legalization is not the correct path to pursue when handling the issue of drug legalization. Controlled legalization and drug decriminalization are more effective methods. Marijuana is a juggernaut in the debate of drug legalization. When looking at all the damage that tobacco and alcohol have caused, it is difficult to fathom why full legalization is even a consideration. People use drugs in ways to help themselves, but these ways can be accomplished in a more productive way without the risk of overdosing or death. For many reasons, the government may legalize drugs in some way, but they cannot give up and enact full legalization. Controlled legalization or drug decriminalization are the best methods to solve the big issue of drug legalization.

Bibliography

1. Jacobs, J. (1990). Imagining drug legalization. Public Interest, (101), 28-42.

2. Johnson, P. (2013). The War On Drugs: A Defining Moment. Forbes, 191(4), 34.

3. Pot and public health. (2014). Christian Century, 131(15), 7-9.

4. Stacy, D. a., Nguyen, J. j., & Block, W. w. (2014). Drinking Smoke. Journal Jurisprudence, 23243-253.