by Sydney Mitchell

Created on: October 13, 2011

Drug Legalization

Bright orange VW vans filled with hippies is a classic symbol of the 1970’s which is often linked with drug use in the United States. Illicit drugs were not legal then and they are not legal now. Legalizing drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and heroin has become a topic of people’s rights more than a health concern. Drug use should be a civil right with the government not funding needle exchange programs, but instead funding programs to help those that are addicted and further education on the use and effects of drugs.

When a young adult turns 18 or 21, they are at the legal age to drink alcohol. The argument for the legalization of alcohol and for illicit drugs is all within the
same right. Drugs and alcohol cause a loss of judgment, are addictive and can cause harm to others in society, still one is legal for adults and one is not
in a majority of the world’s countries. Drugs then have to be smuggled in
illegally from another country. This creates drug gangs which transport and
smuggle drugs which causes a rise in organized crime. Innocent civilians are
killed every day by drug-related violence. Even peaceful regions of a country
in a drug war, like Costa Rica, are plagued with violence due to drug
trafficking and gangs. Abuse of drugs would still happen if they were
legalized. This happens currently with the abuse of alcohol. The abuse of a
substance does not take away a person’s right to chose whether or not to ingest these harmful substances.

A prime example of drug decimalization is Portugal. Instead of having jail time
for possession of drugs, therapy is required for drug possession. After a five
year trial, the drug use in teens has declined and the therapy treatment rate
has doubled. By making drugs illegal it means that more people will use the
same and possibly infected needles, which can carry HIV and AIDS.

In Portugal the rate of HIV/AIDS has also gone down because drug users no long share needles that may be infected. Decriminalization of drugs is becoming more common in Europe in countries like Spain, Portugal, Italy, the Czech Republic but that does not mean that it is legal to grow and transport it. Only if the drug is found in possession and use is therapy offered over prison. In Europe it is more common to have a government-funded needle exchange opposed to the United States where it is illegal to have government-funded programs.

Studies have shown that a government-funded exchange program does not increase

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