Drug LegalizationCould legalizing drugs be a good thing for America?
Issue Background
The War on Drugs has for a long time been a controversial issue in American Politics. The international illegal drug industry is estimated at $320 billion dollars a year, and has become a major political player in countries such as Mexico, Columbia, and Afghanistan.
Key Arguments
» Yes
- Drug laws make criminals out of ordinary Americans. 1.5 million citizens are arrested every year on drug charges. This creates a culture of resistance that perpetuates the distribution and consumption of illicit drugs.
» No
- Drug laws are an important tool for community and local police to protect law abiding citizens.
- Drug laws effectively deter people from using drugs. Legalizing drugs would remove this deterrent and there would be an increase in drug consumption.
- There would be no comprehensive or effective method to regulating the drug market. High taxes and regulation would not be able to suppress the black market.
- There is no way to insure that legalizing drugs would get rid of the corruption in drug producing countries such as Mexico and Afghanistan. If an economy is dependent on a single export then there is inherently a trend towards corruption, regardless of its legality.
