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Pros And Cons Of Decriminalization Of Drugs

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The view of the people towards the decriminalization of drugs has drastically changed over the past few years. Yes, drugs change the chemicals in the brain by interfering with the process of which neurons send and receive signals. Yes, ingesting drugs can change a persons mood, emotion, as well as their perceptiveness. Therefore making it extremely difficult to quit once one has been using drugs for a significant period of time. The process of decriminalizing drugs would allow people to rather than spend their time behind bars for limited amounts of one substance, to receive the help of others and obtain access to rehabilitation. Although those in possession of a controlled substance should receive punishment, decriminalization would grant …show more content…

In “The Decriminalization Of Drugs | Here Are The Pros & Cons”, Northeast Addictions Treatment Center states that, “The decriminalization of drugs would remove criminal penalties for drug use and possession of equipment associated with drug use (such as needles and syringes) and low-level sales.” Northeast Addictions Treatment Center is acknowledging how the decriminalization of drugs is to be used and that it would only lower the number of incarcerations throughout the world. Further in their article, Northeast Addictions Treatment Center mentions that “In 2001, Portugal decriminalized all drug use but did not legalize it. Citizens who buy, possess, or use up to a ten days supply of illicit drugs are referred to substance abuse treatment programs instead of jails or prisons.” This is a sole example of how the world has proceeded cautiously when dealing with cases involving illicit drugs. However, instead of referring one in possession of illicit drugs to a jail or prison, they are referred to a rehabilitation center. As previously mentioned, allowing those to receive treatment rather than being locked up and entered into the justice system, has and will continue to better society and the view on those involved in the buying and selling of illegal …show more content…

In Kailash Chad’s article, “Head to Head: should drugs be decriminalized? Yes,” he mentions that, “decriminalization of heroin and other hard drugs has allowed addicts to be treated as patients” and “hardly any new heroin addicts are registered while existing users are supported and have been helped to get jobs.” Chad talks of how the decriminalization of certain drugs has allowed many people to be treated as patients and have been allowed to refrain from using drugs. He also mentions how former users have received help and have been granted the chance to achieve well-paying and competent jobs. While those receiving treatment due to the decriminalization of drugs are continuing to succeed in life, others who are still partaking in the practice of using drugs are driving themselves deeper into trouble and making it significantly more difficult to receive help and live the average life they may dream

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After conducting some research I have reached the conclusion that drug offenders are the population in which could be more successfully controlled and rehabilitated in less secure correctional alternatives. There are a couple different beneficial aspects to transferring drug offenders out of prisons and into programs. The first is that is saves money while also being more effective. When you place an inmate into a program that is designed to help them with their specific problem your results improve. The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment’s final report on NTIES noted that “In summary, we observed a pattern of substantially reduced alcohol and drug use in every type of treatment modality, with reductions typically between one-third and two-thirds

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Randy E. Bartnett claims that “drug laws cause more harm to addicts and society than drugs themselves.” According to Bartnett, “Drug prohibition makes drugs so expensive, the addicts trying to crime in order to obtain money to buy them. Furthermore, drug prohibition is unfair in that it punishes users for committing a “crime” that has no victim.” Some people might agree with the idea that legalizing drugs would benefit addicts because then they would not be able to obtain drugs so easily.

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Upon reading Gore Vidals "Case for Legalizing Marijuana" one may wonder why drugs are not legal in the United States of America. Afterall, several valid reasonings were made throughout the article. There is a demand for drugs and many people are supplying them, while also making a small fortune. If drugs were made legal and sold for high prices, their market would decrease because many people would not be able to afford them. Most people involved in the drug world do not know the consequences of that which they consume.

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Although it is a debated method, it has been proven to work. According to Dreifuss, “Drug related deaths had been reduced by 50%”. This tactic of slowly working the need of heroin out of user’s systems is used by numerous countries including Uruguay and Portugal (Dreifuss). In addition, later in her article, Dreifuss goes further on her claim including prisoners as those needing equal detox treatment. Dreifuss says “If the goal is to keep people alive these treatments need to be available on demand… including people in prison.”

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government provides help to drug addicts, such as helping them find jobs and providing them with housing, instead of locking them up or punishing them, the cost of drug control in the United States will increase significantly. The most important reason for taking punishment is that the US government does not expect to gain economic benefits and support by providing help to drug addicts. On the contrary, they want to spend the least amount of money to reduce drug trade as effectively as possible. Let's imagine that when the US government punishes drug addicts, they only need to build a prison to isolate drug addicts, and hire some prison guards to watch them until they no longer crave drugs, or simply fine drug addicts. These are the most effective and cheapest means of arresting drugs.

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Selling and distributing the drug would still be a criminal offense. It could mean rehabilitation, a fine of however much the state decides on the convicted, this means less incarceration for drug users and addicts. Countries such as the Netherlands, Switzerland, England and Italy have controlled both drugs and crime, whereas in the United States harshly punitive programs have increased the supply of both crime and drug use. Considering these harsh consequences, this is part of the reason why so many are incarcerated in the U.S. 46.2% of the population of people incarcerated at the moment is for drug offenses.

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For example, agencies have been established with the sole intent to manage drug use and distribution and technology has been exclusively developed to detect the presence of drugs. Yet, evidence has indicated that such exhaustive efforts have been relatively unsuccessful. First, it has been assumed that drugs have perpetuated violence in society and based on this rationale, it was believed that by the suppressing the pervasiveness of drugs that incidents of violence would simultaneously diminish. However, reality has failed to align with the expectations that had initially been anticipated. Research findings have suggested that the decriminalization of drugs would result in a less adversarial drug market in which conflicts have tended to arise among dealers as well as between dealers and buyers (Common Sense for Drug Policy, 2007, p. 21).

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The fight against drug use is not just an individual’s effort. Fighting drug use and stopping drug abusers requires a collective effort. State governments’ agencies, nonprofit organizations, health care providers and even friends and relatives must work to reduce the number of people willing to buy and use

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What positive societal (and individual) impact does Johann Hari suggest could happen if drugs are decriminalized? By decriminalizing drugs, or at least drug use, the positive impacts would be phenomenal. It would give the addict “something to get out of bed for in the morning” (Hari, 2015). It would help them to “rediscovered purpose, [and help them to] rediscovered bonds and relationships with the wider society”

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In the name of fighting drug abuse, governments unleashed a war on drugs that continues to rage today. Drugs have numerous negative consequences that can result from an addiction, but some can have positive effects when used appropriately and under the care of a healthcare professional. The War on Drugs is a government-led initiative aimed at stopping illegal drug use, distribution, and trade by issuing increased prison sentences for drug-related offenses, and it increased federal funding for drug-control agencies and treatment efforts. Instead, it has resulted in a disproportionate amount of incarcerations of minorities.

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Today many countries try to regulate the numbers of drugs users as many as they can by using the scary promotions and commercials to attract the attention from people, albeit ineffective. Rather than using the outmoded methods, legitimacy should be announced for all drugs in order that the regulation will process more ease for the government. In this procedure, the government can legislate the limitations for drugs consumption and people will be able to understand drug disadvantages profoundly. Therefore, allowing drugs as ordinary substances will abate the drug consumption. The aforementioned issue, in brief, the drugs is a too danger to leave it as it is so it should be legalized.

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The continuous use of narcotics results in addiction, and financial struggles due to the costly upkeep. “Financial problems are one of the major side effects of drug and substance abuse” (Buaggett, 2015). Addicts cannot adequately take an active role in the economic activities, as the use of drugs inhibits the abilities of the users to earn a daily living. Due to the instability of finances, this would result in selling personal belongings to continue funding the substance of choice, and depending on the addicts living situation, this could lead to losing their house or being removed from their current housing. While being under the influence, an addicts voice of reason is jeopardized, resulting in criminal activities which raise the chances of being apprehended by the law enforcers, as well as, heavy fines are imposed.

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However, there are many that argue that the decriminalization of possession of drugs would redirect focus of the law enforcement system of any country to put more effort into arresting dealers and big time criminals, instead of arresting minor criminals for mere possession, and thus be more effective. It also has more focus on the drug user instead of drug lords which is a more humane approach as compared to the others. Decriminalisation then includes diversion programmes instead of incarceration. Decriminalisation also removes the stigma attached to a criminal conviction for the use of

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Principle Arguments For and Against Legalizing Drugs of Abuse For many years, people have gone back and forth arguing whether or not we should legalize drugs. After learning and seeing the results of Portugal going on 14 years of decriminalization of illicit drug use, we also argue whether or not the United States should follow in Portugal’s footsteps. Before one person can base their own opinion on the subject, we need to look at the principle arguments for and against legalizing drugs of abuse. To be more specific on the subject, we will focus on marijuana and cocaine.

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As of recent, the war on drugs has been a very often discussed topic due to many controversial issues. Some people believe the War on Drugs has been quite successful due to the amount of drugs seized and the amount of drug kingpins arrested. I believe this to be the wrong mindset when it comes to the war on drugs. The war on drugs isn’t a winnable one so we must do all that is possible to assist those who struggle with drug addiction and decriminalize small amounts of drugs. These minor changes in the way we combat drugs will create significant change and have lasting effects.

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