Why Should U.S Government Legalize Recreational Drugs? Why Shouldn’t U.S Government Legalize Recreational Drugs?

The Legalization of Recreational Drugs in the United States

The legalization of recreational drugs in the United States has been the subject of unending discussion. Recreational drugs are chemical substances that are used to provide pleasure, enjoyment, or just to better one’s life in some way. According to several studies and research, marijuana is often used as a recreational substance in the United States; nevertheless, marijuana consumption has decreased in recent years. According to a recent study, approximately 130 million Americans have been directly or indirectly involved in drug usage during the last 12 years. A majority of them were of the opinion that some drugs could be used for recreational purposes and, hence according to them, they had nothing vile against it (Hall & Weier 65).

The Move to Legalize Recreational Drugs

The move to legalize some recreational drugs is already a reality in some areas. For instance, states such as Washington among others have permitted the use of some drugs like Marijuana for recreation. This has for over the last nine years seen an upsurge in the percentage of people that are in support for legalization of marijuana from 32% to 53% (Pardo 77). Those people who support legalization of recreational drugs differ only on the auxiliary policies that may surround legalization of such drugs like the age of purchase, time and place of use. So is it the right or wrong move to legalize recreational drugs?

Argument for the Legalization of Recreational Drugs

Based on research from economists, financial figures show that one of the beneficiaries of legalizing recreational drugs is the government. A study done by ’CATO’ institute suggest that there would be a generation of over 46.7billion dollars in revenue with the legalization and taxing of recreational drugs in relation to the tax imposed on alcohol and tobacco. An estimated $32.6billion may be collected from the legalization of Cocaine and Heroin, $8.7 billion from the legalization of Marijuana and the deficit would be raised from the legalization of all other drugs (Khatapoush & Denise 52). In Colorado, Marijuana sales tax and excise tax put together was $121.2 million, according to marijuana policy groups (Pardo 28). Legalization of these drugs will take the risk out of the investment and consumption which will in turn increase not only the demand for the products, but also increase the investors willing to take part in the business.

A recent study also shows that government expenditure can be reduced by 41.3 billion, with the legalization of these drugs (Khatapoush & Denise 51). The expenses which come from prohibition enforcement, incarceration, arrests and prosecution may be relocated to more pressing priorities.

Less Money to Support Organized Crime

It is no secret that regardless of the prohibition drugs are still sold and consumed in large quantities in the United States, the money collected from such sales is tax-free and is used in funding the illegal drug and organized crime syndicate across the county. These illicit drugs rings are associated with violence and deaths, and the profits from such trades sometimes go into the funding of terrorist groups. Legalization will in no doubt go a long way in cutting down the income generated by drug cartels in the black market and reduce the violence associated with the purchase and sale of drugs. The high violence related to drugs comes as a result of the inelastic demand and the higher-profit margins in the drug business (Hall & Weier 67). Legalization will reduce the illegal profits gained thus reducing the urge to engage in the business due to taxation consequentially also see a decrease in such criminal behavior. Legalization may also increase the number of legally employed people who deal with the distribution and growth of recreational drugs this takes away the need to have illegal underground rings and gives the opportunity of real employment to those already selling the drugs (Pardo 33).

Safety Control and Medical Use

With the current situation of drug use in the country, it is challenging putting in place control measures that can reduce unsure safe consumption of any recreational drugs this causes high chances and risk of having drug overdoses and poor quality drugs on the market. According to world health organization, prohibition of drugs makes it impossible for the government to impose a measure on cultivation, harvesting and distribution of drugs such as Marijuana (Hall & Weier 71). Additionally, regardless of the regulations against the consumption of drugs, use of the drugs is still very high. It would be reasonable therefore to legalize the substances and maintain standard measures that ensure the consumers are getting quality products and consuming them in ways that will not be harmful to their health (Room 45). Studies on prescribing heroin to addicts have been more successful than any other treatment prescribed.

Some of these recreational drugs also have a medicinal and other value that they can bring. Marijuana, for instance, has proven medical benefits for cancer, AIDS, Glaucoma and other diseases. Other drugs like Ecstasy have been shown to treat and cure post-traumatic stress disorder. It would be to allow the use of such drugs because of the medical value that comes with it (Room 47). However, the argument to legalize these recreational drugs can be countered by equally persuasive arguments against their use.

Argument against Legalization of Recreational Drugs

Regardless of the benefits associated with recreational drug use, it’s central to annotate that drug habit has adverse medical implications. With the legalization of these recreational drugs more people will justify the use of the drugs, and in turn, there will be a larger population of people using the drugs and in the long run addicted to the same Drugs. Recent statistics posit that marijuana prevalence in Colorado increased from 21% pre-legalization to 31% post-legalization (Khatapoush & Denise 75). The government should protect its citizens from the harm that can be caused by the constant use and addiction to drugs. The entire drug control restraint has been granted to individual states in the United States to oversee the usage and regulation of drug within their jurisdictions. This has to be done through various educational programs and any other legally binding laws which aim at protein minors from drug addiction.

Drug use among young people is sensitive to price and a move to legalize recreational drugs will lead to an influx of such drugs in the market. An abundant supply leads to a decrease in the price of products, this will cause an upturn move among young people who are addicted to recreational drugs, and this will affect the general national health standings. Prohibition, however, causes an increase in the price of the drugs and consequently reduces the number of people willing to spend money on drugs (Khatapoush & Denise 76).

Economic Argument

Although proponents of the idea of legalizing drug use argue that the government will gain a lot of revenue by the move, they forget the fact that just like any other drug regular use causes addiction and addiction is a disease that will have to be treated. More than half of the people who get into drug users end up getting dependent and addicted to the drugs. In 2007 the government collected $24 billion in tobacco revenue, but spent more than 200 billion in treating tobacco-related illnesses and other tobacco-related expenditure (Khatapoush & Denise 84). The statistics with legalized drugs will not be any different, the revenue collected from the drug use will in no way match the amount of money to be used in covering the drug-related expenses. This will, therefore, cancel out all the revenue incurred in the drug sale and purchase and at the end, cause the government to spend even more on the expenses. Also, the move to tax recreational drugs will lead to a black market, which will create a counter move of funding the police to fight the black market, this will take us back to the start to the war against illegal drug distribution (Hall & Weier 79).

Violence Control

It is evident that Crime rate and drug use go hand in hand. The drug use forecasting program which was tasked with assembling data on drug use among urban areas did research that indicated that among the resilient pointers of criminal actions is the frequent use of drugs and that most people arrested for violent crimes and theft in the United States are drug users. Excessive drug usage has the potential of causing severe harm to brain damage and mental illness which can be a direct cause of criminal behavior (Room 53). Use of drugs also alters behaviors and causes people to do things that cannot be done when they not under the influence of the drugs that they may be using. If the use of drugs increases with the legalization of drugs, it means that cases related to drug violence will consequently increase with time (Pardo 49). Proponents of legalization believe that drug-related violence is as a result of people trying to purchase drugs. However, the United States Drug Enforcement states that the crimes are not perpetrated by people trying to buy drugs, but rather by people on Drugs (Hall & Weier 90). The effects of an increased addiction rate and drug use due to the legalization of recreational drugs outweigh any current crime harms that are related to the drug use.

Conclusion

During this debate on the legalization of recreational drugs, it is essential to take into account all the factors that may result from the move. Both proponents and opponents have valid reasons for their belief. However, proponents seem to highlight the benefits while considering economic and national stability in the long run while opponents are looking at the value of human lives and the damage that the move may cause to the consumers and ultimately the country as a whole.

It is also important to also note that each choice has its consequence. It is up to the people to weigh them out and pick the lesser of the two evils, one that the country as a whole may live for years to come. Ultimately, we will bear the consequences of whichever oath we choose to take on this great debate on the legalization of recreational drugs.

Work Cited

Hall, W., and M. Weier. “Assessing the public health impacts of legalizing recreational cannabis use in the USA.” Clinical pharmacology & therapeutics 97.6 (2015): 607-615.

Khatapoush, Shereen, and Denise Hallfors. ”Sending the wrong message”: did medical marijuana legalization in California change attitudes about and use of marijuana?.” Journal of Drug Issues 34.4 (2004): 751-770.

Pardo, Bryce. ”Cannabis policy reforms in the Americas: a comparative analysis of Colorado, Washington, and Uruguay.” International Journal of Drug Policy 25.4 (2014): 727-735.

Room, Robin. ”Legalizing a market for cannabis for pleasure: Colorado, Washington, Uruguay and beyond.” Addiction 109.3 (2014): 345-351.