Prohibition Definitions Essay Example

entering a whole new world. In that moment, I sensed change coming, but uncertainty remained due to warnings about drug use. To address my concerns, I conducted research by examining health and Rolling Stone magazines and reading articles about the sixties. Additionally, I casually spoke with individuals who had previous experience with drugs. Through this exploration, I discovered intriguing information.

The war on drugs is placing a heavy economic burden as the federal government spends billions of dollars each year on drug enforcement and additional funds for drug-related offenses and punishments. According to CNN, the United States spends approximately $200 billion annually on this anti-drug campaign, equivalent to an average of $770 per person. It's worth noting that these calculations do not include the expenses borne by state and local governments. Despite significant investments in enforcing drug laws, the results have been unsatisfactory.

Based on United States history, the prohibition of alcohol during the eighteenth amendment has proven to be ineffective and counterproductive. Similarly, the illegalization of drugs today also lacks effectiveness and contributes to significant profits for drug traffickers, enabling other criminal activities. Research indicates that as the funding for the war on drugs has significantly increased, so has drug usage. CNN's study reveals a twenty percent rise in marijuana consumption.

Contrary to previous beliefs, it is now known that most illegal drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, are less dangerous than once believed. In the past, cocaine was praised for its ability to relieve pain and reduce stress with minimal side effects. However, misuse of the drug led to fatal consequences from excessive inhalation, resulting in a government ban.

Similarly, heroin has been found to be not

as terrible as initially thought and can serve as an effective painkiller. The main concern with heroin lies in its high addictiveness and potential lethality when consumed excessively. However, many prescription drugs carry similar risks. For instance, consuming too much Tylenol or ibuprofen can also lead to fatal outcomes. If heroin were strictly used for medical purposes under close regulation by doctors instead of solely being prescribed by them, it could potentially have beneficial applications.

The issue of marijuana is also present. Every year, approximately twenty thousand individuals lose their lives due to incidents related to alcohol. Additionally, around thirty thousand people die annually from diseases linked to tobacco use such as lung cancer or emphysema. It is surprising that there have been no recorded deaths directly caused by marijuana. The only fatalities associated with marijuana involve murders connected to drug dealers and traffickers. Legalizing marijuana would effectively eliminate these deaths. Moreover, the negative effects of marijuana are relatively insignificant compared to the side effects of alcohol. The only side effects of marijuana are increased appetite and "cotton mouth," a dry and pasty feeling in the mouth. In contrast, alcohol's side effects include nausea, potential vomiting, loss of coordination, and damage to the liver and stomach. Similar to cocaine and heroin, marijuana may also possess medical benefits. THC, which is the chemical in marijuana that affects the nervous system, can be used to counteract chemotherapy's adverse effects on cancer patients. Essentially, there is hardly any legitimate reason for maintaining marijuana's illegality.

I personally advocate for the legalization of certain drugs while ensuring stricter regulations for their medical usage. Instead of imposing a total ban and eliminating both

the positive and negative aspects of these drugs, the government should pass laws that control the availability of prescriptions for medical purposes.