In conclusion, while there are pros and cons associated with legalizing drugs; we must seriously consider how this change will affect our society as a whole weighing up all possible consequences before proceeding down this path! The Wider Impact of Drug Legalization on the Criminal Justice System The Supreme Court will hear a case tomorrow about a football coachs prayers. Legalization would allow for regulation and control of drugs, reducing incidents related to black market activity. Legalizing drugs can be seen as fixing the roof by addressing this root cause through regulation rather than prohibition. The debate over the legalization of the use and purchase of drugs has been ongoing for years now with opponents and proponents expressing their points of view. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. One potential consequence is an increase in drug abuse, as individuals may feel more comfortable experimenting with substances that were previously illegal. Some drugs only require one dose to become addictive or potentially life-threatening. Cancer patients undergoing therapy and those who suffer from depression can benefit from the use of drugs such as marijuana through palliative management. In the end, it is not really an issue of making it legal or not. Should the California measure pass and generate the [expected] budgetary savings, other states would likely follow suit, Miron and Waldock said. This policy has led to a decrease in HIV infections and overdose deaths, as well as an increase in access to treatment for drug addiction. Further, if drugs were legalized, dangers to public health from using heroin, cocaine, and marijuana would be greatly reduced since legalizing drugs would probably reduce the use of harmful drugs. Whether drugs will be legalized or not will always be an ongoing argument. In the communities out there that are struggling with the use of heroin, used needles are often left in the parks and other spaces. Inside the collapse of CNN+: awkward timing and competing philosophies about the future of streaming. This risk produces a disease and injury risk to anyone in that area, especially children. People pursue drugs in secret because they dont want to be caught. They are becoming increasingly legal, posing a potential problem for an increase in addiction for all ages. The idea that only people with personal experience can create art about it is a miserly take on living, the new Times columnist Pamela Paul writes. I am the founder of Burban Branding and Media, and a self-taught marketer with 10 years of experience. Whenever I write about deadly overdoses, some readers ask: Why not legalize and regulate drugs? How would legalization of drugs help the economy? The pros and cons of drug legalization in the U.S. In 2007, there were 5.2 million violent victimization incidents registered by the National Crime Victimization Survey involving people 12 years of age or older. Drug policies comparison shows that cultural attitudes towards drug use can influence the approach a country takes in regulating drugs. His memoir traces his rise from theater kid to YouTube star. By making drugs more readily available and removing the criminal element, some fear that drug use could become more widespread. Miron and Waldock also estimate that in 2008, states across the country spent a total of $25.7-billion on drug prohibition (net of seizures and fines). Oregon voters approved two drug-related initiatives. Home Laws & Rights 17+ Pros and Cons of Drug Legalization (Explained). One perspective is that legalizing certain substances may lead to increased abuse and addiction rates, as well as potentially harmful health consequences for individuals and communities. Moreover, according to federal laws, marijuana remains an illegal Schedule I narcotic, which is considered to have no valid medical use. Thus, it's not clear if legalization in California would necessarily supersede Federal authority in the investigation/prosecution of drug-related crimes. If pricing is a barrier to entry or experimentation for some individuals, then the decriminalization of drugs would encourage them to try something when they may not have done so otherwise. That would mean added costs would come in the form of building assets and training more counselors to handle the needs of the society. If they are not harming other people, the government has no right to restrict what consenting adults do in their personal lives. Decriminalizing drug use does not actually make it legal. Legalization would reduce state and federal deficits by eliminating expenditure on prohibition enforcement -- arrests, prosecutions, and incarceration -- and by allowing governments to collect tax revenue on legalized sales, Miron and Waldock wrote. The amount of revenue, as estimated by the economists can reach billions of dollars. The decriminalization of drugs does not mean that there is a free-for-all with drug use. The link between drugs and crime The prison system, including drugs in prison and its subsequent treatment The perceived links between substance use, self-harm and suicide within the prison system Issues surrounding female substance users Contact Details: Email: tca2@le.ac.uk Telephone: 0116 252 5700 Visit Tammy's staff page There must be logical consequences in the court system to protect the safety of the general population. Decriminalizing drug use does not actually make it legal. In addition, the healthcare system should have adequate resources to provide treatment options for those struggling with addiction. 2. Cons of Legalizing Recreational Marijuana Use - The Liberty Champion Drug Legalization: Pro and Con | Office of Justice Programs Legalizing drugs can have a significant impact on society, including its effect on drug-related crime rates and law enforcement efforts. The current form presents legalization as the practical, hardheaded, and realistic solution to the war on drugs that is being lost. Marijuana is already believed to be the nation's number one cash crop, exceeding the combined value of wheat and corn. This can result to higher crime rates. A drug is a substance that will cause a physiological change to your body when it is consumed. Opponents, on the other hand, contend that legalizing drugs would lead to increased drug use, addiction, and health problems. The disadvantage that comes with decriminalizing drugs is that there are non-violent dangers to society that would likely increase. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff. Proposition 19 is going to add to employers burdens, Jennifer Shaw, an employment lawyer was quoted as saying, suggesting that it could make workplaces less safe, increase liability insurance costs and encourage worker lawsuits.. This can result to higher crime rates. The debate over legalizing drugs has been a hot topic for decades. Legalisation could be seen as an endorsement of drug use as an acceptable behaviour rather than addressing the root causes of addiction and substance abuse. Because drugs can be potentially harmful or be the cause of violent behavior, there must be strong controls placed upon the use of these substances. Two prominent California public figures, Senator Dianne Feinstein and Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, have lined up against Proposition 19. It can reduce government expenditures. They suggest that legalization and regulation could better minimize the risks involved. Public education campaigns could inform individuals of the risks associated with drug use and provide information about harm reduction strategies. Manage Settings As laws have been loosened and certain activities got decriminalized, violent conduct has also been reduced. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Take the news quiz to see how well you followed this weeks headlines. Ultimately, we need solutions that prioritise both individual autonomy and public health outcomes while minimising risks associated with substance abuse. Oregon's bold move to decriminalize small amounts of all hard drugs and expand treatment is now meeting the reality of implementation as the treatment community is divided over the way forward. The Effects of Drug Legalization | Newport Institute is changing its process for setting quotas with advances in data and information technology. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not publish guidelines calling for stricter prescription of opioids until 2016, more than two decades after OxyContin was approved. It was designed to be a system that uses courts to keep the general population from harm. As we now know, those opioids were not as safe or as effective as claimed. German Lopez is a writer for The Morning, TheTimess flagship daily newsletter, where he covers major world events and how they affect people. There are some medical uses of marijuana, but it is argued that these benefits do not justify the full legalization of marijuana under federal law. Stigma reduction: A reduction in stigma associated with drug use might encourage more vulnerable individuals to seek help. Therefore, an effort to decriminalize these drugs has become a point of emphasis for some. AGAINST Legalising Drugs. This sharps risk creates a disease and injury risk to anyone in the area, and especially children. PERSONAL FREEDOM. Get information on COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccines, and updates for Mayo Clinic patients and visitors. That means a greater supply of drugs is available, which could lower the prices. You're also at increased risk of bronchitis and lung infections. Legalize Marijuana: How To Choose A Weed Delivery Service For Marijuana. The article presents Alaska as an example of drug legalization. In the United States, the percentage of people in favor of legalizing the use of marijuana rose from a mere 32% to 53% in the last nine years, according to the last conducted survey. At Ablison.com, we believe in providing our readers with useful information and education on a multitude of topics. That is a problem of unregulated supply. The cities of Denver, Seattle, Washington and Oakland, Calif., have also decriminalized psilocybin . Harmful health effects associated with drug use could increase if drugs are legalized. How would legalization impact drug addiction and treatment programs? Light medicines are often substances that can be equally decent and unfavorable; They are substances that have the capability to become both of those favorable to mankind as well as dangerous to it. Although the purpose may not be to legalize drugs with a decriminalization effort, there is always the potential that this could happen. Public health problem Third, legalization allows taxation of drug production and sale.. Issue of Legalizing Drugs (From Drugs and Society: Causes, Concepts and In the year 2007, 3.9% of homicides were classified in the same way. Just as important, drug legalization would translate into higher tax revenues generated by the sale of these newly-legalized products in the open commercial marketplace. Strong drugs can cause behavioral changes that lead to violence. Depending upon how this was implemented, the expenses could be higher than they are under the present structure. That means there is a greater supply of the drug available, which could lower prices. What specific steps would need to be taken to ensure the safe and responsible use of legalized drugs? In addition, they say, more people can receive treatment if income and taxes from the legal sale of marijuana are channeled to prevention and recovery programs, such as in Oregon and Arizona. What are the disadvantages of drugs? - AnswerParadise.net According to the CDC, the use of marijuana within 24 hours "has an immediate impact on thinking, attention, memory, coordination, movement, and time perception." Long-term, the drug affects brain. Increased access to injectable drugs could result in more severe health risks for exposure in public locations. Additionally, legalization could create a false sense of safety around these substances, leading people to believe they can use them without consequence. And we are not good at having bureaucracies that view their mission as defending the people against the industry.. If youre in the mood to play more, find all our games here. Even when a drug problem must be treated, treatment programs for drug use can encourage people to remain productive members of society. did not respond to a request for comment. The potential negative consequences of legalizing drugs extend beyond the traditional arguments of increased drug use and addiction rates. Once these drugs are legalized on the streets, expenses from enforcing the law of drug prohibition will be eradicated. People believe that legal drugs are medicine that they consume when they are sick. People become people once again without different classes of superiority assigned by the general population to what drugs people use or why they use them. Pros and Cons of Legalising Drugs - Ocean Recovery Centre Advantages and Disadvantages of Legalization of Illegal Drugs: A Review January 2021 Authors: Lavanya Prathap Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals Request full-text Abstract There is a. List of Cons of Legalizing Drugs 1. However, this is not the opinion of some group. Should the United States Decriminalize the Possession of Drugs? These decriminalization of drugs pros and cons suggest that the benefits seen in Portugal could be something that other nations may experience as well. While it may reduce crime rates associated with drug use, some argue that legalizing drugs may send the wrong message about their potential harms and lead to increased usage among vulnerable populations. It may encourage experimentation. Many options exist between commercialized legalization and criminalized prohibition, experts said. Depending upon how decriminalization was implemented, the costs could be higher than they are under the current structure. Sign up and stay up to date with our daily newsletter. Sativex, an oral spray derived from the active chemicals in marijuana, has already been approved in Canada, New Zealand, and several European counties. Drugs may have had a war against them, but it is alcohol that is the primary problem in society today. Economists are also doing researches on its impact to the countrys economy while health advocates are pointing out its implications, both positive and negative. It is possible that if drugs become legal and easily accessible, their use may become more acceptable in society. The legalisation of drugs is a very contentious issue and can raise strong opinions on both sides of the drug legislation debate.