Ms. Dania Adra
English 203
21 October 2015
Legalizing
Drugs, A Benefit or A Curse?
The debate over
legalizing drugs has been taking over throughout the world in the past several
decades. Nevertheless, various countries granted this as a right for people to
possess, and legalized it within its borders. As a matter of fact, “Danny
Kushlick”, the political activist and founder of the Transform Drug Policy
Foundation, argues through his article "The War on Drugs has Brought Only Casualties" for changing the methods used to conquer
illegal drug usage and replacing it by alternative solutions, of which is
legalizing drugs and having it under control. I quiet disagree with this voice,
for it implies harmful effects on the society and the globe as a whole entity.
Despite the fact that drugs are being used extensively throughout the world
whether legally or illegally, legalizing them would increase the percentage of
this usage which in time turns to abuse usage. Bearing in mind the impact of drugs
on our bodies from symptoms of sickness, depression, liver and kidney problems,
and way to mental and psychological hazards that some cases have up to now no
treatment makes it difficult to accept the idea of legalizing drugs. In
addition, drugs are known to implement in our bodies, penetrate through our sub
consciousness and generate a desire for more and more. I wonder whether the
governments of the countries that legalized drugs were aware of the
consequences. Ever since that policy rose, the rate of crimes increased, people
abused drugs and suffered its side-effects, and hospitals were overweight with
patients from several situations… A study shows that 59 people died of
Marijuana (used in drugs) over dose in Colorado and Washington after
legalization within weeks; a ratio that is at its own a good evidence on the
gravity of this issue.
Yet,
Danny Kushlick had some light in his argument. He articulated that the enforcement-led
approaches to control drug usage are producing rather negative results than
positive ones. It is an obligation that systems update and pertain alternative
methods to cure the problem. But to solve any problem completely you must find
a solution that does not generate other problems. To generalize this fact,
legalizing drugs is not a good solution for the problem, rather, it generates
various other problems; of which are mentioned above. Governments, however, as
Kushlick claims, shall find the alternatives and reduce the negative effects of
the so-called “unintended consequences” that the UNODC faces.
Work cited:
Kushlick, Professor Danny. "The War on Drugs has Brought Only Casualties". The Guardian N.p.
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