The issue of legalizing drugs is a debatable one and so far nations, people and society at large haven’t come up with one voice on this matter. In many countries drugs are illegal, and this makes their sale or use criminal. The commonly abused drugs include drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, heroin to name but a few. However, there are those that are legal for instance caffeine and alcohol and therefore available to the public. There are many side effects that come with the use of these drugs, and this encompasses the economic effects, social and health issues on the users of these drugs. There have been efforts coming from all spheres of life in bid to do away with their use and sale. In equal measure campaigns have come up to make these drugs available more especially on medical grounds by prescription. This indeed is the way to go if we are committed to saving the world from the side effects caused by the use of drugs. While it can be said that morally it is wrong to encourage the use and of course the sale of hard drugs, it is also important to note that criminalizing the acts of using hard drugs will not bear much fruits (McVay, Douglas 1). Drugs should be legalized to save the society from the adverse effects that are coming along with making these drugs illegal.
The issue of drug use and trafficking of the same is no news to this planet. Many people have so much benefited by making these drugs illegal (Leuw, Ed, and Marshall 129). They have earned large sums of money by selling the drugs to the users at exorbitant prices, and this makes individuals and states lose money that could have been used in constructing the country and raising the living standards of people. In a nutshell, legalizing will make the drugs readily available since many people will engage in the business and as we know where there is competition, the market regulates the prices. Additionally, the massive fines imposed on the users and sellers of these drugs will be used for other functions that are beneficial to the society as a whole. It is true that however much we will try to illegalize the utilization of these drugs the black markets will exist for the benefit of a few greedy individuals who are after making money from the sale proceeds.
Notably, prohibiting these drugs has led to the application of the law discriminatively. The black drug sellers and users are not treated in equal measure more especially in the western world. More often than not the blacks receive harsh sentences as compared to the white counterparts engaging in the use and sale of the illegal drugs. Illegalizing of these drugs is costly when it comes to drug prohibition. Also, it implies that taxes relating to drug use and sale cannot be collected, and this is a detriment to the governments. Only a few individuals and probably those without means are caught and prosecuted (McVay, Douglas 2)
The best reason that can be explained on the legalization of the so-called hard drugs is that those who are willing to use them have the free will and liberty in their well-being determination just as those other people on the other side of the law who are using the legalized ones such as alcohol. In a society that is considered the presumption is and should be that it is the people who know what is their best interest and not the government. People must be left to determine what to consume, and this includes the use of hard drugs.
On the other hand, it is important for the society and governments to come to accept the naked truth that legalizing the drugs will make their use safer and thereby save the lives of users. Research has shown that those states and governments that have enacted the laws against drug use have experienced high levels of infection especially the HIV pandemic. In the United Kingdom, there is a significant rise of Hepatitis C amongst those individuals who are using drugs. This is a clear indication that legalization of the same is by far better (Leuw, Ed, and Marshall 109).
Those who are against the legalization of drugs say that legalization will lead to the availability of these drugs to the common man (Caulkins, Jonathan, and Reuter n.p). This, as a result, will make their use increase thereby affecting a large number of people. There are high chances that new users will be tempted to try them out since the drugs will be readily available. They also argue that legalizing of the drugs will lead to the black market forming to undercut the market that is regulated.
Caffeine is the most available drug to almost every person, both rich and poor. It is served in drinks such as coffee, soft drinks, cocoa and even tea. Those people who have used caffeine for a long time develop various complications and among them are having sleepless nights, becoming nervous, restless and irritable. Additionally, these people have the risk of developing health worries among them respiratory ailments and possibilities of bone loss. Research has shown that the use of caffeine can to the drastic drop in blood pressure and this can result in the feeling of faint among the old folks especially after they have eaten. Caffeine is therefore considered one harmful drug that can be sold to the young generation.
There is need by the society and governments of the day to come to terms that the use of hard drugs is real, and it should be dealt with in a noble way rather than putting sanctions which in the end are benefiting the sellers (cartels) of the drugs and causing more harm to the users than good. Legalization will make people more responsible than when the drugs are pronounced illegal. Prohibiting of the drugs has a lot of harm than good to an individual and society at large.
Works Cited
Caulkins, Jonathan Paul, and Peter Reuter. The meaning and utility of drug prices. RAND, 1997
http://faculty.publicpolicy.umd.edu/sites/default/files/reuter/files/Working%20Papers/The%20Meaning%20and%20Utility%20of%20Drug%20Prices.pdfLeuw, Ed, and Ineke Haen Marshall. Between prohibition and legalization: The Dutch experiment in drug policy. Kugler publications, 1994.
https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=2mAVkStNG5EC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=Leuw,+Ed,+and+Ineke+Haen+Marshall.&ots=865_XklUF6&sig=9fZGLOaiiXYqHAwlOkxvkSGfU78&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Leuw%2C%20Ed%2C%20and%20Ineke%20Haen%20Marshall.&f=false
McVay, Douglas. "Marijuana legalization: the time is now." The Drug Legalization Debate. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage (1991).
