Despite society's continued dissatisfaction with efforts to tackle illegal drug smuggling, use, and distribution, there is a lack of consensus on the most effective approach. The increasing rates of drug use and associated crimes have led some Americans to view the existing drug laws as being too lenient towards offenders.
Society is grappling with the difficult question of whether it is possible to eradicate illegal drugs and their use. In the United States, there is a growing belief that if complete eradication is unattainable, an alternative could be to legalize and regulate drugs. Many people argue that this approach would help reduce the mindless violence often associated with illicit substances. Despite moral concerns opposing drug legalization, it seems that legalization could offer a potential solution to the problem. However, this proposed solution has caused division within society. The criminal justice system
...frequently receives criticism for not taking sufficient action against drug offenders and incarcerating them. This leads some individuals to believe that if they are not personally confronted with the problem, it ceases to exist.
Despite locking up every drug offender, the justice system does not resolve the problem. Drug offenders within prisons and jails still participate in illegal sales and drug use. The presence of drugs being used and sold in correctional institutions is evidence that constructing more prisons will not solve America's drug issue (Ostrowski 28). The demand for legalization or decriminalization is not a new idea. However, until recently, only a few proponents, such as libertarians, advocates for separate marijuana treatment, and certain conservative economists supported it. Most advocates for drug legalization defend their stance with extensive evidence showing that current criminalization policies
are ineffective. They also highlight the contradictions in prohibiting certain mind-altering substances that can potentially cause addiction while allowing the production, sale, and consumption of others like tobacco and alcohol.
Advocates for drug legalization argue that the war on drugs is similar to Prohibition, as both disrupt thriving industries of mind-altering substances. Critics claim that the drug issue has been muddled by failing to differentiate between health problems related to drug abuse and addiction and the overall impact of an illegal drug ban (Nadelmann 84). Politicians, like former Baltimore mayor Kurt L., are also questioning current drug control policies.
During congressional hearings in September 1988, Schmoke became the first person to propose a nationwide discussion on drug legalization (Morse 117). Advocates for drug legalization argue that regulations similar to those governing alcohol sales could be implemented, rather than completely unrestricted access to dangerous substances. These regulations would include age and location restrictions to prevent children from obtaining drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Moreover, a regulatory system could be established to make it more difficult to acquire cocaine and heroin compared to marijuana. The war on drugs has ignited extensive political and cultural debates throughout the United States. Despite efforts by the Clinton administration, many Americans now perceive the current drug policies in the country as ineffective, leading them to call for a new approach.
In order to address the problem, Americans need to come to a consensus on the specific areas that require enhancement. It is clear that prohibition is not an efficient remedy.
Works Cited: Ostrowski, James. "Has the Time Come to Legalize." USA Today Magazine 119 (1990): 27-30. Morse, Stephen J. "War on Drugs Produces Crime."
Los Angeles Times 08 Apr.
The information contained in this paragraph is an article citation with the title "U.S. Drug Policy" written by Ethan A. Nadelmann. The article was published in Foreign Policy in the spring of 1988 and can be found on pages 83-108 of volume 1991, section 2, issue 7.
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