Decriminalization on drugs is the removal of any criminal penalties related to drug law violations for personal usage. The policy has been adopted in numerous states and cities of the United States. The article “Reflections on Drug Policy” looks at the different alternatives to drug use such as decriminalization, medicalization and rehabilitation. The various alternatives are important and necessary for drug users and the country (McBride et al. 75).
The article “Four Points about Drug Decriminalization” looks at the importance of decriminalizing drugs use as a way to reduce drug trafficking violence and reduces the process of rehabilitation of offenders since when sent to jail, the drug related problem will not be solved. Additionally, the article looks at the importance of people who complete the rehabilitation program as productive in the society. When such individuals are sent to jail, they become unproductive since they do not receive the required rehabilitation measures (Husak 25).
The article “On the Decriminalization of Drugs” looks at the decriminalization in the negative essence. The article argues that when the use of drugs is not criminalized, there will be a possible oversupply of drugs in the streets of the cities in the United States thus inflating on the prices. As a result, more people will be able to purchase the drugs. As a result of curiosity, the country will end up with more drug users than before thus losing the war against the use of drugs. The article also looks at decriminalization as an expensive process due to the huge number of drug users in the United States (Sher 31).
The United States government should thus work on a way to decriminalize the use of drugs in the country only limiting the policy to some drugs. Some drugs such as heroine should not be decriminalized due to their adverse effects on the human health. Decriminalization of other drugs will be a better way to improve diversity in the society.
Works Cited;
Sher, George. "On the decriminalization of drugs." Criminal Justice Ethics 22.1 (2003): 30-33.
Husak, Douglas. "Four points about drug decriminalization." Criminal Justice Ethics 22.1 (2003): 21-29.
McBride, Duane C., et al. "Reflections on drug policy." Journal of Drug Issues 39.1 (2009): 71-88.
