Irrefutable

The current drug policies aren’t working, it's time to change.

~Alexander Murdough

There are approximately 1.2 emergency visits to the hospital, and approximately 25,000 deaths annually due to gang violence in the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, drug trafficking, drug manufacturing, and drug disputes are some of the main causes of gang violence. Simply legalizing drugs stops unnecessary violence, the current drug system doesn’t work, and forcing ideology onto people doesn’t work.

     As of now, there is too much crime and violence related to illegal drugs; however, there is a solution. Legalizing all these drugs. Yes legalizing drugs could result in higher amounts of drug use, but it would undeniably stop the unnecessary assaults, unnecessary homicides, and unnecessary drug scandals because everyone can simply go to a store, buy their drugs, avoid any gang involvement or sketchy situations, and simply go do their own thing. Since there would be no need to commit any sort of violence or scam, the amount of people going to the ER would drop, the number of assaults would drop, and the number of homicides would drop. Surely it is worth risking higher amounts of drug use in exchange for fewer deaths and injuries caused by drugs being illegal. Right now, statistics have shown that drug abusers commit crimes to obtain their desired drug. If one of these drug abusers could simply walk into a store and buy their drugs, they wouldn’t feel the need to go out and steal or assault in order to acquire what they want. Instead of being ignorant and stubborn, it is time to be practical and reasoning.

     The same drug policies have been in place for 50 years; not only has drug use increased, but it has also created an enormous drug market. The drug market is one of the main stems of violence and corruption, and the reason that the drug market exists is because drugs became illegal, which forced the drug dealers and users to adapt. Since it is illegal the places and people doing these drug deals are mostly sketchy, and in many cases there are weapons or firearms present. When doing something illegal, everyone gets edgy and tensions usually get high. Add weapons to high tensions, illegal drugs, and often gangs, that is a recipe for disaster; however this disaster is fixable. If drugs were legal, the environment where they are purchased and sold wouldn’t be hostile or sketchy, there wouldn’t be weapons, and it would be legal! It doesn't take a person with much intelligence to understand that legalizing drugs has more pros than cons.

     Humans are by nature independent creatures. Each of us have our own opinions, own needs, and own problems. No one enjoys being forced into anything, or being forced to not do something. So when the government makes drugs illegal, the citizens of the U.S. feel like  some of their freedom is taken away, we want our freedom back and respond by doing what we were told not to. If the government were to legalize drugs, no one would feel the need to try to gain their freedom back by taking these illegal drugs. There are also cases where other countries have legalized drugs. According to Open Society Foundations, in Portugal, the use and possession of all drugs were decriminalized in 2001. Since then, drug use has remained under the EU average, and there was also a “huge drop in drug-related HIV transmission.” Legalization of drugs has worked in Portugal. Why wouldn’t it work in the United States? 

     In what way have the current drug policies helped anyone?