The Class C Narcotics in England and the Netherlands - Research Paper Example

The Decriminalization of Marijuana is a Sensible Solution Introduction Several countries throughout theworld are working to decriminalize or legalize less harmful drugs such as marijuana, currently classified as a Class C drug, as a means of addressing the growing problem of the war on drugs. Rather than providing the United States and other countries with the elimination of undesirable drugs as was anticipated, the war on drugs has instead served to heighten violence, contribute to the development of organized crime, fill the prison system past capacity, consume large amounts of capital and has still had very little effect on the availability of these drugs or the numbers of individuals who use them. It has been suggested, and in some cases demonstrated, that legalizing or at least decriminalizing less harmful drugs, such as marijuana, can help to reduce the violence, significantly decrease the numbers of people incarcerated for drug use, allow more individuals to remain a contributing member of society and free up funds and manpower to combat against more harmful substances. History Although marijuana was included as a restricted substance as early as 1937, there has never been sufficient evidence to support claims that the drug causes widespread violence and destruction all by itself. “There never was any scholarly evidence that the [anti-drug] laws were necessary, or even beneficial, to public health and safety and none was presented when the laws were passed.” (Schaffer). With the number of Vietnam vets returning from war addicted to narcotics, President Nixon officially declared the opening of the War on Drugs in 1971, primarily directed against heroin addiction. The positive effects that were seen coming out of this early stage in the anti-drug movement has been attributed to the fact that a larger proportion of the funding available for this struggle was directed toward treatment, rather than law enforcement. (Thirty Years, 2006). Throughout these early years, marijuana was seen as a low-level drug until a group of mothers, concerned at finding marijuana at a 13-year-old’s party, founded the Families in Action anti-drug group in 1976. The movement gained strength and direction under President Reagan in 1981 after the drug cartels in Colombia had violently made their presence known in Miami. While Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No to Drugs” campaign included marijuana as one of the drugs to avoid, the focus of the war on drugs remained targeted on cocaine as the cartels gained increasing power and organization. The focus was finally turned to marijuana smugglers because of their connection to cocaine trafficking in the mid-80s. (Thirty Years, 2006). Good Intentions, Terrible Result America’s war against recreational drugs is an example of good intentions gone terribly wrong. Just as the laws have proven incapable of keeping drugs out of the country, so has the limitation of supply not been sufficient to deter demand for the products. Paradoxically, the laws against drugs have instead served to increase their appeal among potential users. While the government has worked diligently to include anti-drug programs within the national curriculum, there remains significant seduction in the use of these drugs precisely because they are unacceptable, placing them in prime position for abuse by those individuals who wish to explore options beyond the status quo. The most recent and most successful campaigns interestingly combine alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana as opposed to other types of drugs and tend to focus on a new slogan – “Be Under Your Own Influence” rather than the old “Just Say No” program of the 80s. “Strong fear appeals regarding alcohol and marijuana, we’ve learned over the years, are typically not effective with teens,” (Slater, 2006) tending typically to bring to mind examples of friends and relatives who have used drugs or alcohol with no obvious problems and underscoring the need for social resistance. But even in these newer programs, the status of Class C drugs such as marijuana are continued to be downplayed as it is becomes more generally recognized among both parents and teens that marijuana poses at most the same type of threat as cigarettes or alcohol. Alternate to Legislation Decriminalization implies different meanings to different people. To some it means simply legalization which takes the profit, thus the crime out of the drug trade. One interpretation involves three steps. The first is to make drugs such as marijuana legal under restricted circumstances, but not as controlled as it is now. Secondly, sound reasoning should prevail in substance abuse policies. The government should form a policy that is harsher in regards to alcohol and tobacco but not by enacting criminal laws. The third aspect is to manage our tax money more wisely and discontinue wasting billions of dollars on criminal law enforcement techniques. Instead, these funds should be diverted into treatment and abuse prevention. When speaking of the decriminalization of drugs, prohibition policies should be examined to determine their costs in relation to benefits, and then compared with other options. Many citizens believe that the best combination of costs and benefit may look much the same as legalization. Varying degrees of decriminalization is often confused with total legalization. Alcohol is legal, for example, but it is not legal to operate a car under its influence or to sell it to those less than 21 years of age. Conversely, people speak of cocaine and the opiates as illegal, but doctors prescribe these drugs everyday. (Nadelmann, 1990). Conclusion The choice is not simply a black and white issue of whether or not to legalize, decriminalize, etc. While drug laws are relaxed regarding the Class C narcotics in England and the Netherlands, they still remain against the law. The decision whether or not to arrest a person found to be in possession of marijuana in England remains in the hands of the policeman in charge and can depend upon a variety of factors, such as whether the person was smoking alone within their own private dwelling or outside at the park in front of children. Policies that work to decriminalize drugs, reducing the severity of punishments, or to reduce harm, shifting the focus back to treatment and education, can also be used to help reduce the negative effects of the war on drugs. Works Cited Schaffer, Clifford A. (n.d.). “Basic Facts About the War on Drugs.” Schaffer Library of Drug Policy. December 10, 2009 Slater, Michael. “New Anti-Drug Program Shows ‘Phenomenal’ Success by Focusing on Positives.” Medical News Today. Sussex: MediLexicon International. (March 5, 2006). “Thirty Years of America’s Drug War: A Chronology.” Frontline. New York: PBS. (2006). December 10, 2009 Nadelmann, Ethan. “Should Some Illegal Drugs be Legalized?” Science and Technology. Vol. 6, pp. 43-46. (1990). Read More