Legalization of Drugs - Essay Example

Day Time Scheduled Position Paper Presentation A. Legalization of Drugs B. Against the Legalization of Recreational Drugs C. Costa, Antonio Maria. Drugs: Cash Flow for Organized Crime. Remarks. Warsaw: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2005.Daily Kos. Obama: A Fundamental Responsibility. 14 March 2009. 22 March 2009 .Peele, Stanton. Why We Cant Legalize Drugs. 12 March 2009. 22 March 2009 .D. Recreational drugs being allowed to flood the marketplace puts us all as American citizens in jeopardy.

Looking at the recent events in Mexico provides an all-too-close picture of what happens when drug enforcement is not a government priority. To protect our children and our country, we cannot allow drug dealers and addicts to wreak havoc on those things we as Americans finds most valuable. The government must uphold its moral responsibility in protecting American citizens from clear and present dangers, which recreational drugs clearly pose. Legalized drugs will only lead to greater rates of usage by children and other vulnerable demographics, and an increase in organized crime.E. Point One: American should never legalize such drugs as marijuana, ecstasy, methamphetamines, heroin, and cocaine for two reasons because of this country’s deep rooted opposition to these drugs.

In a democracy, public policy ought to be shaped by what the people want. However, the people do not want to voluntarily spread the disease of drug addiction and abuse, or increase the likelihood that their kids will irresponsibly consume these drugs recreationally (Peele).Point Two: It is a myth that legalized drugs will eliminate organized crime. Organized crime did not disappear after Prohibition’s repeal in the 1920s. The price of drugs, if legalized, would go down and the likelihood of a child’s access to these drugs would increase and put all children at risk (Costa).

Point Three: The current administration of the United States correctly believes that “protecting the safety of our food and drug supply is one of the most fundamental responsibilities government has”. This inevitably includes protecting citizens from the effects of releasing very harmful substances into the marketplace. The government, to uphold its responsibility of protection, must prevent this market activity from happening (Daily Kos).A. Legalization of DrugsB. For the Legalization of Recreational DrugsC.

StoptheDrugWar.org. Medical Marijuana: Study Finds It Can Help With Pain. 16 February 2007. 22 March 2009 .Umanoff, Dan F. Hypoics are born, not made. 12 June 2000. 22 March 2009 .Yates, Dennis M. The Legalization Of Marijuana: Part III. 2003 10 February. 2009 22 March .D. The War on Drugs is one of the most catastrophically inefficient and unjust of governmental policies in the history of the United States. Ever since its launch, it has put countless harmless individuals in prisons for crimes that have almost no negative impact on society.

Jailing is not a deterrent for drug sale or abuse; it only serves to pull families apart unjustly. It also prevents drug addicts from seeking and getting the help they need in breaking their habits. These drugs can also play a positive role in the lives of those suffering with incurable diseases like multiple sclerosis.E. Point One: Possession or sale of marijuana brings with it criminal charges that fill up our jails with individuals who have very little negative effect on our society. It is expensive to house for extended periods of time those convicted of such minor crimes.

According to FBJ statistics, 59,000 inmates were added to overcrowded prisons in 1992, to a record 833,600 inmates nationwide. This is a greater than 160 percent increase since 1982 and is mostly attributed to drug violators (Yates).Point Two: Medicinal marijuana must be legalized for those individuals who need its special ability to relieve pain. A study by researchers at the University of California-San Francisco led by Dr. Donald Abrams has found that marijuana provides significant relief to people suffering from neuropathic pain.

Up to four million US residents suffer from neuropathic pain, including many HIV/AIDS patients. Indeed, it is time for Washington to stop playing politics with patients lives and advance this important scientific discovery (StoptheDrugWar.org).Point Three: The War on Drugs prevents addicts from getting the help the really need for treating their addiction to recreational drugs. If such drugs were legal, individuals could seek help and rehabilitation in the same way that addicts on alcohol can seek readily available treatment programs.

Thus, our current prohibition only hinders individuals’ abilities to become functional members of society again, and is actually counterproductive (Umanoff).