-- Legalizing Marijuana

Several states have followed California's lead and have either amended their laws or tried to amend their laws to allow the use of marijuana, particularly for medicinal purposes. This move is being fought by the federal government which views marijuana as an illegal substance and the use of such as a crime. The United States government has been fighting the "War on Drugs" for many years, and most of the lifetimes of the U.S. citizens living today. Has their fight been successful? Doubtful.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, arrests for drug possession grew from less than 500,000 in 1980 to over 1,500,000 in 2005 (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/glance/drug.htm). A three times increase in twenty five years can hardly be called a success. Note that these figures are for adults. Throughout this discussion when I speak of drug use, I will be referring specifically to adults, as I don't believe that children should be using drugs.

By the DOJ's own statistics, it's fairly easy to see that our current war on drugs is failing, so what can be done? The most logical answer is to legalize drugs. Immediately this suggestion will get most people in an uproar, making such claims as that children will be using drugs, and people will be driving while high, and that pushers will be free to walk onto playgrounds, and all kinds of other nonsense. As in any issue, the first thing that needs to be done is to put emotions aside and look at the problem logically. This, then, is my rational, logical approach to dealing with drugs.

First, legalize all drugs, not just marijuana and not just for the sick. By legalizing drugs they will be brought into the light and out of hiding. No, legalizing drugs is not going to entice more people to use them, any more than legalizing alcohol encourages more people to drink or legalizing cigarettes encourages more people to smoke. It merely allows those who choose to do so the freedom. Nothing more.

Legalizing drugs has several serious advantages, however. First, those 1.5 million adults arrested would not be, thus allowing our police to go after actual criminals. You know, the ones who are knocking over liquor stores, raping young women and shooting innocent bystanders. It also frees up room in our prisons, hopefully reducing the overcrowded conditions in some, and making building more unnecessary. It will also mean less money spent by our government on trying these people, thus saving the taxpayers money.

More importantly, it provides a source of revenue for our government, which should result in lowered taxes for the rest of us. Just like liquor and cigarettes are taxed, so too would drugs be taxed, so instead of being a debit for our country, they'd be an asset. Legalizing also allows the government the ability to regulate them, ensuring that the drugs that reach the market are safe and have been manufactured (or grown) under strict standards.

Since drugs will now be available at the local market (or liquor store, or whatever each state chooses), drug cartels will be a thing of the past, as will gangs supported by drug money. In fact, much of the drugs can be grown here in the United States thus reducing the traffic coming across our border, since some of that traffic is for illegal drugs. And since we have a free enterprise system in this country, different drug manufacturers will undoubtedly have different prices, thus driving costs down for the users. This might not sound like a good idea, but consider that many drug addicts currently commit crimes in order to get the money to purchase very expensive drugs. By making them more affordable, the potential of reducing crime exists.

It is important to note that not all people who use drugs are addicts, any more than all people who drink are alcoholics. There are a great many men and women who can handle the effects of alcohol, and only drink in moderation. There are just as many men and women who use drugs in the same way. For those who are addicts, by keeping drugs illegal it makes it more difficult for them to get help, as doing so would force them to admit that they're criminals. Legalizing drugs allows addicts (and their familes) to see their problems and possibly get help.

The laws for drugs would be the same as for alcohol, namely that its use is limited in public, and driving under the influence can cost you your license. Added to that, violent crime committed while under the influence will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, since violent crime is violent crime regardless of the situation.

Legalizing drugs would reduce the money spent by the government on arrests and trials, increase the money paid to the government in the way of taxes, reduce the drug lords and cartels that increase crime in this country, and allow those who are addicted to get help. I really don't see a downside to this.