Drugs Wars; Marijuana
"The U.S. drug war, which costs an estimated $35 billion a year, has had a minimal impact on consumption of illicit substances," journalist Dan Eggen tells us. This makes me wonder what preventable problems this large sum of money can be put toward. $4 Billion dollars is put forth in the effort of merely arresting minor offenders, and prosecuting marijuana crimes, for a product where the demand is not decreasing. With a record number of arrests of those selling and in posession of marijuana, is the drug 'war' being lost?
Marijuana is the most widely used drug, steadily increasing still in the past few years. The problem here is not the congestion of jails,or a high crime rate (which is historically low), but the increasing potency of the drug. Amongst teen users, mental health problems have been on the rise. Rather than wasting money to imprison minor offenders, we should offer alternatives like rehabilitation.
If this drug was legalized, the quantity and quality would be controlable, decreasing the health problems associated with marijuana. The government would most likely impose a sort of sin tax on this product as an attempt to discourage consumption and generate revenue. Overall profit would boost the economy, and provide more funding for social programs. Black market effects of the drug like crime, overdosing, and corruption would be significantly reduced, with small opportunity costs, or course. With technology and other resources in this equation, more recreational uses for this drug could be discovered. Remember, deaths attributed to marijuana usage are a rare occurence.
5 comments:
First off, is this article claiming that drug laws notably those that deal with marijuana, are completely ignored by the population? If you look at the numbers, a lot of people use marijuana, but far more do not. But also, consider how many people drink alcohol underage. Yes there are laws, but many people disregard them. However, does this mean that nobody thinks to themselves about the consequences of marijuana or alcohol? I think not, I think there a large amounts of people who do not use the drug because it is illegal.
Second of all, this article hints that there really aren't any health problems attributed to marijuana, however, later on the article suggests that the people should have rehab. Which in my opinion could be classify that person as having a health problem. Furthermore, the article mentions that in teenagers mental health problems are on the rise because of marijuana, and then it turns around and wants to make the product more easibly available?
Last of all, the article says that deaths attributed to marijuana are a rare occurance. However, according to a 1994 report from the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University states that marijuana is commonly called "the Gateway drug", meaning that users typically become bored with the drug and move on to more 'harder' and dangerous drugs like cocaine and heroin. So I have to disagree, I think that marijuana should stay where it is, illegal.
I agree that the states money would be better spent on rehabilitation rather than imprisonment for marijuana, especially for young uses. However, I think this writer is severely underestimating the intrinsic effects of marijuana legalization. Yes, if the product could be tracked, a sin tax could be imposed to raise money for the economy, but the "small opportunity costs" mentioned would not be small at all. If the product was legalized, the supply curve would shift... more marijuana would be produced, more would be sold, and therefore, more would be consumed. How does this effect America? There will be more health problems, more spousal and family abuse, more addiction. There's defiantly a tradeoff. And obviously, up to the present, the intrinsic effects of legalizing marijuana are thought to be more severe than the black market effects.
I also agree that this money could be spent in a more affective way including rehablitation, but I do not think that if it was to be legalized it could be controlled. I don't see how it could be controlled. Yes, a tax could work, but people would continue to use it and more would be used because of the easier avalibility. Eventhough, some people would be excited if it was to be legalized, but I don't see how it would work effectively and it the costs of it definitly play a huge role in why it is not.
I also agree that the money could be spent on rehablitation rather than putting them in prision. If it were to be legal yeah they could put a sin tax but would that would not stop people from growing it themseleves and then it still would not be controlled.
Are you suggesting that the government just give up on regulating people bringing illegal drugs into this counrty? i do see some virtue in legalizing and regulating marijuana by the govt to take power from the drug smugglers and dealers though. It isnt an easy descision to make.
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