Should Drugs be Illegal?

What is drug? A drug is, in the broadest of terms, a chemical substance that has known biological effects on humans or other animals. Foods are generally excluded from this definition, in spite of their physiological effects on animal species.

At present, in the United States, many different drugs such as cocaine, heroin, crack, ice and marijuana are illegal. This seems reasonable, as substances such as these can be addictive, mind-altering, and in some cases lethal. However, the United States out to legalize these and other drugs in spite of these facts. This is not to advocate the use of these drugs - they are harmful, both physically and emotionally. But legalization will help to alleviate our drug problem, while helping the American economy.

There are millions of people in our country who are addicted to narcotics. Will drug use rise significantly as a result of legalization? Bennett argues, "The lesson is clear: If you're in favor of drugs being sold in stores like aspirin, you're in favor of boom times for drug users and drug addicts. With legalization, drug use will go up, way up." (W. Bennett, "Mopping Up After The Legalizers: What the Intellectual Chorus Fails to Tell You", Washington Times, December 15, 1989). He voices a legitimate concern, as no one wants to see these products become even more widespread in an already drug-infested society.

Another benefit of legalization would be a decrease in the incidence of infectious viruses (such as HIV) that are spread by sharing needles intravenously, as there would be a new market for legitimate drug paraphernalia. One expert notes that, "... about 25 percent of all AIDS cases here and in Europe, as well as the large majority of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-infected heterosexuals, children and infants are believed to have contracted the disease from illegal intravenous drug use"(Nadelman, E: "Drugs; The Case for legalization", Washington Post October 8). The days of people struggling to find any sharp (and often infected object to inject their drugs with would be over; safe needles would become as easy to find as cigarette holders. This health improvement alone would save the United States billions of dollars in the long run, and might be an important impetus in alleviating a deadly, world-wide epidemic.

Legalizing drugs, then, would save the United States a large sum of money, but what about the fight to stop drug use? Several different programs could be set up with the savings that the nation would enjoy as a result of drug legalization. The nation could use some of the billions of dollars it would save to promote better programs on the effects of addictive and mind-altering drugs. The United States could also utilize these funds by creating more hospitals for people who are affected by drug addiction. In addition, the nation could conduct more research to find out how to treat those who are addicted to these drugs; this disease could be treated as such instead of as a crime.