Wednesday 10 August 2011

Should drug be legalized?

Nowadays, drug abuse is a serious problem in the world. It can cause numerous issues such as loot, violence and rape. Drug’s legalization is a controversial issue. A lot of people think drug should not be legalized, whereas other people believe that drug should be legalized. Which opinion do you agree? According to Drug Abuse Help’s statistics, 75% of domestic violence is caused by drug addicts. Also, heroin and cocaine contribute to 70% of illicit drug addiction problem problems across America. Of course, drug abuse absolutely causes many problems, it makes crime rate increased. When I sawThe New York Times, a headline named “On Idyllic Cape Cod, Growing Drug Problem Fuels a Rise in Property Crimes” caught my interested.

This article mainly reports about there are a lot of loot, steal crimes in Dennis, America. The thieves usually steal cash, electronics and jewelry because they have to buy drugs. Also, there have been a bank robberies on Cape Cod. Last year, a robber broke in a shop where about 300 flat-screen televisions and took it away. According to Lieutenant Mawn said that if some person breaks into your home and steals your flat-screen TV, it means they’re not looking to make a pledge payment; in contrast, they are looking to buy drugs.

This article points out so many issues related to drug abuse. As everyone knows that drug abuse causes a lot of serious problems such as crimes, deaths and lower production. At the moment, drug problem is getting worse. Numerous people steal or rob, because they need money to buy drugs to fulfill their physiological and mental requirement.

From my point of view, drugs should not be legalized. First of all, drug legalization can cause drug abuse and crime problems. People who long-term addicted to drugs such as alcohol, amphetamines, narcotics and opiates leads to a people that only cares about its next dose. In order to get money to buy drugs, some of them do not have high salaries, so, they have to steal or rob other people’s money or jewels. Moreover, drug abuse can cause health problem. Drug abuse is a disease of the brain, and the drugs change brain chemistry, which results in a change in behavior. As we know, it has the negative effect on people’s health. If they take some drugs long – term, drug adductors can die. When people inject drugs to their body, it is also possible causes HIV/AIDS, stroke, c disease and a host of related maladies. Beyond the personal health issue and community crime, drug addiction has a major impact on the economy. Governments have to pay money on treatment for drug adductors, incarceration, and law enforcement. Even though some drugs can use in treatment for patient, it also can cause a lot of negative effect whatever on people’s health or society. Therefore, drug should not be legalized.

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References
Zezima. K and Goognough. A(2011,Aug,7). On Idyllic Cape Cod, Growing Drug Problem Fuels a Rise in Property Crimes. The New York Times. Retrieved August 10, 2011 from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/08/us/08crime.html?pagewanted=1&ref=us

7 comments:

  1. I think drugs, all drugs, including heroin, alcohol (which is already largely legal), yaa baa, marijuana (increasingly legal), and so on, should be legalized because that would reduce all of the problems mentioned. This reduction in social and personal problems is the strong practical reason, but the moral reasons favouring legalisation are even stronger.

    I can't think of any good reason (not one) for making some drugs illegal, as is currently the case.

    Obviously, I disagree with Gloria, and I have not presented the arguments to support my opinion - don't worry, I will, but I'm curious to see what others think first.

    So, who supports legalization of the sale and use of drugs, and who favours the currently popular, disastrously failing policy of criminalisation?

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  2. I agree with Peter. If drug sales is legalized, the function of a free market will greatly reduce the profit of drug dealers and shift them to other business field with less risk and pressure.

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  3. I'm with you Gloria! If all drugs were legalized, they would bring many problems.
    If drugs were legalized, so it means that everyone in society, including kids, can possess them legally...

    I don't think that is a good picture to see 6 years-old kids smoking marijuana in public place...Although it can be used in medical term, but I don't think it should be used in normal life.

    Plus! Drugs can cause various problems to the users; for example, lack of concentration, sleepless disorders, and problem of sociability.

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  4. Tang,
    Drugs are illegal now, and there are enormous problems. I think that the problems are made much worse because the drugs are illegal. It is the law and government policy that actively contributes to the problem. I think the evidence we see and hear about almost everyday is that the current policy is a total failure - do you think it is successful?

    If drugs were legalized, would more or less people use drugs?
    Would there be more or less drug related crime? Would there be more or less corruption?
    Would there be more or less health problems?
    Would there be more or less economic costs?

    What evidence is relevant to helping us answer these factual questions? Why is it the right sort of evidence?
    What sort of ideas cannot be the right sort of support for answers to these questions? Why not?

    I agree completely that drugs are unhealthy, harmful and generally bad news, especially alcohol, which is actually legal, but I also think that current policy makes most drug problems much worse, especially the crime, health and corruption problems, whilst at the same time it does not help anyone, except corrupt police, judges and politicians, and vicious criminals who profit greatly from the government supported high prices.

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  5. Drugs should not be legalized! Why do we offer addictive things that destroy physical and mental health to people? Why do we allow selfish people to sell drug while they do not care that their customers will have hallucination, kidnap, and kill innocent people?
    What is bad for you health and mind is still bad for you though you legalized it. I don't believe that we can solve problem that easily. Just like when Thai government made "หวยใต้ดิน" (illegal lottery) to be legal by doing that business themselves. This cannot solve gambling in Thailand.

    I look forward to hear more comments. It's fun to share.

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  6. Moreover, I need more comments from people who study laws: can laws be anything? For me, laws should stand for what right and justice in society. If we don't use laws, we use norms and morals to judge things. Laws is the most fundamental rules in society; however,it should not be against bad things?

    Peter, thanks for your comment. I know that drugs problems are severe. Alcohol cannot make you crazy as easily as other addictive drugs. It is legal and cause many problems in societies such as accidents, violence in family, etc. I do not say we should make alcohol illegal but how can we be sure about other drugs? The problems will be solved if we legalize them?

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  7. Naya,
    I like your questions, which push as to consider further relevant issues on this complex topic.

    And I'm glad that not everyone is agreeing with me - I think that healthy and honest disagreement is a very good thing, and an essential element of a well functioning democracy. It's also important in academic work - academics argue.

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