Should Drugs Be Decriminalized - 1666 Words

Should Drugs Be Decriminalized? Recreational drug use has been controversial for years. Government has deemed the use of certain drugs to be dangerous, addictive, costly, and fatal. Governmental agencies have passed laws to make drugs illegal and then have focused a great deal of attention and money trying to prohibit the use of these drugs, and many people support these sanctions because they view the illegality of drugs to be the main protection against the destruction of our society (Trebach, n.d.). Restricting behavior doesn’t generally stop people from engaging in that behavior; prohibition tends to result in people finding more creative ways to obtain and use drugs. However, just knowing that trying to control people’s behavior†¦show more content†¦Switzerland reports a â€Å"90% reduction in property crimes by those participating in the programme† (Wolf, 2011, para. 7), which has a significant impact on the workload of the local police force. The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) reports that treating this population of drug addicts is significant, because it is the group in which â€Å"negative consequences of long-term drug use are pronounced† (EMCDDA, 2012, para. 10). The EMCDDA (2012) asserts that treating this group of users can lead to major curtailment of crimes that occur to fund the users’ drug habits. Decriminalization will save taxpayers a large amount of money because of arresting, prosecuting, and incarcerating fewer people for drug use and possession (Lang, 2013). The number of prisoners has risen â€Å"from 300,000 in 1972 to 2.3 m[illion] today, the highest rate of incarceration in the world, overwhelmingly because of the war on drugs† (Wolf, 2011, para. 7). The Federation of American Scientists’ Drug Policy Analysis Bulletin (as cited in The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws [NORML], 2014) states that in the United States, arrests and prosecution for marijuana violations cost between $7.5 billion and $10 billion each year, and â€Å"90% of theseShow MoreRelatedDrugs : Why They Should Be Decriminalized2049 Words   |  9 PagesDrugs: Why they should be decriminalized Imagine this scenario, you and a friend are at a party. The host offers you and your friend to smoke a joint. Thinking that it’s a cigarette you and your friend both take one, without realizing it’s actually marijuana. You and your friend enjoy it so much thinking it’s a different brand of cigarette that you end up smoking more than usual. Before leaving you grab a handful of marijuana. You and your friend end up driving back home, but you two are pulledRead MoreEssay on Should Drug Use Be Decriminalized?824 Words   |  4 PagesShould Drug Use Be Decriminalized? To begin examining this statement, one should first examine what drugs purposes are and if they have a worthy enough purpose to be excepted into society. Drugs such as Marijuana have been legalized for strictly medical purposes only. Marijuana has been found to treat the nausea suffered by cancer patients and also treat the wasting of AIDS patients. Both fatal diseases with no cures. But what effects overall does Marijuana and otherRead MoreVictimless Crimes Not To Be Decriminalized Essay1120 Words   |  5 PagesVictimless crimes, the illegal act(s) that involves consenting adults and lacks a complaining participant, have been the topic of heated debate for some time now (Kendall, 2014). This debate centers primarily on the question as to whether these acts should be crimes at all. The arguments take several forms. One of the controversies involves the importance of personal freedom versus society’s idea to uphold moral standards. A second issue addresses the problem of the conception of harm. People whoRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1331 Words   |  6 PagesWar On Drugs Decriminalization provides a solution the problems related to drugs. Decriminalization is not making drugs legal, it is treating the drug addicts as a patient instead of making them feel like they are criminals and putting them into a jail although selling drugs is still illegal. Drugs must be decriminalized because decriminalization has proven that the death rates and crime rates have decreased and the use of drugs have decreased in decriminalized countries such as PortugalRead MoreIs Decriminalizing Drugs A Right Move?1216 Words   |  5 PagesIs Decriminalizing Drugs A Right Move? There always seems to be debate on whether the decriminalization of drugs would be of great public interest. It is a very important and controversial issue that has many people wondering if legalizing drugs would be a right move or not. In the article, â€Å"Decriminalization Would Increase The Use and The Economic and Social Costs of Drugs† by David Mineta, Mineta argues about why drugs should not be decriminalized and how keeping illicit drugs illegal outweigh theRead MoreWhy Marijuana Is The United Kingdom?902 Words   |  4 PagesThe United Kingdom is one of the largest consumers of illegal drugs in Europe. The United Kingdom lies on the Northern Route of drugs. Cannabis is the most widely used drug in the UK and 58 tons of it are needed to keep buyers satisfied each year (UNODC). Domestically produced cannabis currently accounts for over 50% of the UK market (UNODC). Cannabis is imported by various modes of transportation, or it is secretly grown by consumers. London, Liverpool and Birmingham are the three most popularRead More†¢Legalizing Marijuana Is Beneficial For A Person’S Mental717 Words   |  3 Pages†¢ Legalizing marijuana is beneficial for a person’s mental and emotional health Marijuana should be legalized because it is beneficial for a person’s mental and emotional health. Marijuana is beneficial for a person’s mental and emotional health because it helps decrease anxiety, relieve stress and it provides a mental break from pain for those who are suffering physically. Firstly, marijuana is beneficial to one’s mental and emotional health because it helps decrease anxiety. Anxiety affects 12%Read MoreEssay on The Fight to Legalize Marijuana1043 Words   |  5 Pagesrecreational and illegal drug in the world. The most significant ingredient is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinal, it is commonly referred to it abbreviated form THC. This drug should not be legalized because it would lead to hard core drugs, there would be an increase in obesity, and it affects the heart, lungs and the brain. There are legal, social, and medical reasons that marijuana should not be decriminalized. Some legal reasons that marijuana shouldn’t be decriminalized are it would lead to experimentingRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legal?1363 Words   |  6 PagesNielsen Extra Credit SOC Drugs 3150 OPTIONAL EXTRA CREDIT PAPER This video I watched â€Å"Should Pot be Legal?†, brought up some really good points about the legalization of marijuana and it showed both sides of the argument. There was two people back and forth debating if marijuana should be legal or illegal. Hutchinson was against legalizing marijuana and Ethan Nadelmann was for legalizing marijuana. As it goes for me I agree with Ethan Nadelmann, I think that medical marijuana should definitely be legalRead MoreDr. Hart As A Guest854 Words   |  4 Pagesprofessor of psychology and psychiatry at Columbia University. His field of interest is that of drug abuse and addiction, he recently wrote a book about these topics titled â€Å"High Price†. Dr. Hart has a very interesting point of view when it comes to drugs in society, for example one of his beliefs is that all drugs should be decriminalized in America, another one of his controversial opinions is that drug users can be fully functioning members of society as opposed to how they are regularly viewed