Arguments for and against drug legalization in America

War on Drugs

Would You Apply This Strategy Across the Board or Employ Different Stances Depending On the Substance?

The same approach will be applied to every drug for them to become decriminalized.

Defend your Position

Drug legalization is a very complex issue. Most Americans are not in favor of it, but there is still a powerful and very audacious lobby in the United States that is of the opinion that the proper course to take is legalization (Hartnett, 2005). Proponents of this drug legalization are of the opinion that current drug policies have proved harmful to individuals, families, and the society at large. They oppose current drug laws and policies for different reasons.

To some people, these laws are impingement of individual liberties. Some see these laws as a huge waste of government resources and cite the opinion that legalizing drugs could yield millions in revenues from taxes, while putting drug dealers out of business at the same time, and ensuring quality controls in drug production. Some believe that legalization would minimize crime generally.

Some also argue that the laws are a kind of institutionalized racism created to keep the minorities as a permanent disenfranchised underclass, holding them behind bars, making them addicted to drugs, or completely dependent on government aids. Others accept what they believe to be humanitarian approach, with the argument that some substances should be legalized for medical uses. Some have decided to identify the issue as harm reduction rather than drug legalization in a clear attempt to make it appear like a lighter issue and make it appear more humanitarian.

Still, to some, the ban on drugs is nothing, but a very flawed and unfeasible strategy that has aggravated crime and hostility and has contributed to a deep sense of despair and hopelessness for several Americans. It is also noteworthy to mention that these proponents of legalization include the supporters from across the entire political sphere, and libertarians on the far right to progressives on the far left. Charles Rangel, the Liberal Democratic Congressman, has stubbornly opposed the legalization of drugs, while William F. Buckley, the columnist and conservative icon, has long campaigned for the legalization of drugs. According to Congressman Rangel, legalization is a very dangerous idea that should be buried once and for all (Rangel, 1998).

According to the advocates of legalization, once drugs are legalized, that will become a financial windfall for the American economy. They are of the belief that all the money wasted on enforcing drug laws and all related issues would then be channeled to areas like health care, education, infrastructure and social services. As earlier mentioned, some are of the belief that it is possible to tax drugs eventually, thereby creating the much-needed revenue. One central legalization tenet is that it would remove underground drug markets, since drugs would be openly available (Mineta, 2010).

How You Would Advocate for That Population

The best way to lend voice to the clamor for drugs to be legalized is to join an already existing activist group. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) is among such groups you can join. Five police officers came together to form this group in 2002, in Medford, Mass. After spending their lives doing police work, they came to the conclusion that the war on drugs was doing more harm than the intended good. Today, there are over 150,000 LEAP members in about 127 countries in the world. Retired prosecutors, judges, police, and probation officers who had a firsthand experience about the war on drugs came to the conclusion that the downsides are far greater than the potential advantages. The group does not favor drug use, but advocates for a new system of legalization and regulation it believes will bring an end to all drug-related violence, minimize crime rates, safeguard the children, minimize addiction, and put tax payers' money into better use (Green, 2015).

One other effective way to end the war on drugs is by telling everyone like representatives, family members, and friends about the things that inspire your position on drugs, which are science, health, compassion, and human rights. Every community around the world feels the impact of the War on Drugs. Television programs, newspapers and radio shows always run stories that relate to the ban on drug and drug policy reform. LEAP Rapid Response Team members get email alerts from LEAP to inform them about any breaking news. These team members then submit their comments about these popular stories to the blog, website, or newspaper that published the trending story. Rapid Response team leaves their comments in these popular forums to spread the word about LEAP and their rational, simple approach to drug policy reforms (LEAP, 2016).