Is It Necessary to Legalize Drugs?

In the modern times of today, there are varying opinions on drugs and the people who use them. With Portugal having legalized drugs and the Philippines massacring people who use them, it’s clear that it is an issue that spans internationally. You have Soundcloud rappers boasting their excessive use of pharmaceuticals and conservatives on FOX news telling you they’ll send you to hell; it’s understandable that some people are confused on what they should believe.

Everyone knows that the real problem with illegal drugs is the fact that they are a costly addiction, with addicts seeking desperately for a way to get their fix. Most drug addicts resort to committing crimes in order to escape all their problems of reality; most of them, if not all, have lost their job because of it. If only people could go down to the nearest McDonald’s and order a crack burger or fries seasoned with cocaine, then people wouldn’t have to knock out a poor old grandma and grab her purse, or set up a heist for a home invasion. But first, we must make illegal drugs legal. Second, we must make them easier to obtain. And finally, we must use the drug for economical benefits and profit from all the benefits that will come.

Now you might be asking yourselves what’s the point of even legalizing illegal drugs in the first place? Well, according to the an article written by government official Terry Zoeback, Americans spend about $100 billion dollars annually on drugs. This shows that illegal drugs are a significant part of the American economy. If illegal drugs became part of the economy there will be legitimate jobs, products, and services. Statistics show that more than 2 million people are arrested for drug abuse in a singular year, meaning that drug use is a vast problem for law enforcements. At this point it’s pretty clear to say that drug abuse contributes to property crimes as well as violent crimes such as theft and assault. People wouldn’t have to go into anymore alleyways and ask drug dealers for a pound of crack, then get stabbed. For these reasons, all drugs should be legal, inexpensive, and easy to obtain.

I am certain to say that one of the most captivating issues concerning drugs is that it encourage crime. Crime is an unlawful direct result of drug abuse, as it is often committed by drug abusers to feed their habit. If we calculate the amount of people who are arrested for drug related crimes, we can estimate that about 1.2 million people are arrested. These crimes include violations of the law such as possession and trafficking, assault, robbery, domestic violence, vandalism and theft. Crimes such as theft capitalize more on attempts of smuggling or allow a massive unhindered use of money earned from trafficking. To put it simply, some of these crimes are committed in order to obtain a large amount of money, while other crimes are committed because the person is intoxicated and aren’t in control of their actions at the moment. On the other hand, you have drug addiction getting in the way of saving lives.

The story of Alysa Ivy is a sad one, albeit it provides an idea of what drug users have to go through everyday. According to the New York Times, Alysa Ivy, 21, was found in a motel, dead. She had overdosed on heroin while with a group, but instead of calling the ambulance to rescue her, they all left her in fear of getting caught by the police. This tragic event repeats all over the United States as opioid overdoses taking the lives of 72,000 in 2017. With narcotics being a crime, rather than protecting, it kills. Over 72,000 families have to mourn someone – someone who was a 911 call away from being saved.

Another major issue is that the drug market takes money and work away from legitimate business activities. Addicts are more likely to get their money by illegal ways rather than working at a job. Besides that, the money that these druggies get is used to feed their addiction, rather than being used on necessities for living. When they receive their salary, it will all go into buying drugs. The presence of drug dealers and buyers in a workplace would not only destroy the business’ reputation, but also scares potential customers into entering. Crime often occurs in the places where drugs are dealt. The drug dealers have to bully addicts to collect money from them through force or encouragement on buying drugs to sap the life out of these soulless people.

Drug dealing is an immoral business that relies on the addiction of the client to keep earning money. Both dealer and buyer are in the wrong, further feeding into the safety of the abuser as being caught would result both of them going to jail. These components show that besides the increasing crime rate, drug-related activities that harm the legitimate economical activities. This is why drug legalization is beneficial – it would put a stop on the harm it does on businesses and help grow the overall economy We might as well make drugs available near by place such as Seven Eleven, H.E.B., McDonalds, and Walmart in order to decrease drug abuse.

Although your conservative grandpa might claim that drugs are ruining America at Thanksgiving dinner, he’s no more than a delusional man who is unable to keep up with modern times. The fact of the matter is that society has developed to a point where criminalizing others for what they can’t control isn’t accepted anymore. It’s like racism but for drug addicts. Drugs being illegal without helping the ones affected is like watching someone get robbed and going after the criminal without helping the victim. It’s a bad bandaid on the gaping hole that drugs have left on America; a poor attempt at fixing things by Nixon.

Let no person tell me that this solution is impossible, proper parenting and supervision on our children. Parents need to teach their children morals and be nurtured by their loved ones to reduce the amount of crimes due to drug abuse. Society needs to see change for the people. Society needs to see less people fall victim to violence and crime. Humanity itself must see less property violations, less assault, and fraud in order to make the world a better place. Thus, I can gladly say that it’s clear that drugs should be made legal, inexpensive and accessible. I am not making this in order to benefit myself to simply earn profit and not make an excuse to sniff lines of cocaine. I am just a normal person that wants to try to make the world a better place.