Free «Drug Legalization» Essay Sample

According to Schmalleger (2012) some of the arguments for legalization of drugs include increase in tax revenue since they would be taxed just like cigarettes and alcohol, reduction in opportunities for corruption cases related to illicit drug trade and reduction in criminal cartels that deal with production and sale of controlled substances. Legalizing drugs would also lower their prices and decrease cases of prostitution, gambling and pornography which mostly occur out of the need to make money to buy drugs. In addition, legalizing drugs would free the government of billions of dollars that it spends to wage war on drugs.

Some of the arguments against legalizing drugs include increase in the number of drug users and abusers and drug addicts, thus leading to more health problems. Besides, legalizing of controlled drugs would lead to more public health costs and lower economic productivity, especially on those workers who are addicts and depend on drugs for energy to work.

If the war on drugs is to be won, then controlled substances should not be legalized without subscription, because legalizing of controlled substances without prescription would increase addiction and health related problems. Since drugs have an intoxicating effect on the brain, taking them without prescription can be detrimental for the body and negatively affect an individual’s behaviour. In addition, legalizing of controlled drugs without prescription will lead to premature deaths as a result of under dosage or over dosage. As a public health measure, all controlled drugs should not be legalized because there is potential for drug abuse. In addition, people who are under intoxication of drugs are more likely to commit crimes. Statistics have shown that legalizing of controlled substances leads to a high crime rate in society such as rape, robbery, murder, assault and other violent crimes.