When people argue to decriminalize drugs they do so by declaring defeat, that in life you either win or lose and as this can never be won we should give up. The problem is that while we cannot win we can absolutely lose and by providing no legal or moral sanction we do no favours to ourselves nor to those who use drugs. Drug laws are one areas where it is clear that most people are against liberalization. But let me go through some of the arguments that are made to support legalizing drugs and put forward reasons why they should not be legalized. Here is a list of some of the more common arguments in favour of legalizing drugs.
Drugs are harmless
Drugs only harm the user.
Alcohol and tobacco are just as bad if not worse
Legal drugs will stop anti-social behavour
Legal drugs will provide revenue
Legal drugs will get criminals out of the drug business
Marijuana is not like other drugs
Every one of these statements is wrong.
Drugs are harmless
This is the most extreme argument, it says that drugs are just another product to put into our bodies, no different to alcohol or food. It's effects are limited and it's only effect is pleasurable. There are no side effects or negative aspect to drug use. Of course hardly anyone accepts this argument as most people have either knowledge of drugs or they can use their common sense. Anything that we put into our body has an effect. What is different about drugs is that they are put into our bodies on purpose to create an effect. The effect is not a bi-product, it is the only reason that anyone takes drugs. If drugs did not have any effect people would stop taking them. That means that even if a drug is not physically addictive, people can become psychologically addicted. Anything that is addictive cannot be called harmless.
Drugs only harm the user.
Addiction takes away the freedom of the user, they now crave something that someone who is not addicted does not need. It is not uncommon for this addiction to interfere with a persons ability to live a normal life and to be a part of the normal economy, in other words it can be hard to keep a job when your mind is craving an addictive substance. If you crave something and you do not have a job how do you pay for your craving? You use up your savings, you stop paying bills, you ask for financial help from family and friends. What happens when these run out? For they will run out. If you still want to satisfy your cravings you have some options, non of them are good. You can steal from your family and your friends, you can steal from random people either by robbing them or burglary, you can beg for money, you can sell drugs, you can become a Prostitute or you can find another way to rip people off. If you have no legal source of income and you want an income you must obtain it illegally, there are only two options available. Every illegal activity is harmful to the drug user and every illegal activity is harmful to people who are not drug users.
Alcohol and tobacco are just as bad if not worse
This is a strange argument as it says that drugs are bad, but so is alcohol, alcohol is still legal so to be fair you must either outlaw alcohol or legalize drugs. It's like arguing at your murder trial, that sure you killed him but your innocent because other people have committed murder and gotten away with it so it would be unfair to punish you and not them. But just as each murder is a distinct event that requires it to be looked at individually, so alcohol, tobacco and each type of drug is a distinct substance. They must all be legal or illegal on their own merit. Just because alcohol use can be extreme does not mean that drugs are benign.
Legal drugs will stop anti-social behavour
The argument goes that if drugs were made legal much, if not all of the anti-social activity associated with drugs would disappear. But sadly making drugs legal does not stop them from being addictive. It is the very nature of drugs, natural or man made that make them attractive to some people. But if drugs are legal how would we compensate for them remaining addictive? We could just make drugs legal and keep other current crimes illegal but how does that help either the drug user or anyone else? We could have a special benefit or pension to support drug users, but now we are encouraging not only drug use but idleness. Idleness is the way to hopelessness, despair and even suicide, why should the taxpayer be supporting any of that? Legalizing drugs also means that those who have no desire to be in contact with drugs now have no way of escaping it's use. Where ever they go there is the chance that they will have to confront drug use, but unlike today where they can call the police, that option is not available, drugs are now legal. Drugs being illegal does discourage young people, not all, from using drugs. When drugs are made legal they are made legitimate no matter how destructive they remain.
Legal drugs will provide revenue
Today drugs are illegal in most places, the profit from drugs goes to shady and immoral people who thrive on human misery. The argument goes that if drugs were legal then that money would not go to these people and instead would be of public good. There are a number of problems with this argument
The Government becomes a drug dealer
If drugs are cheap the Government doesn't get much revenue
If drugs are expensive then drugs will still be sold illegally at a cheaper price
Legal drugs do not stop them from being sold on to people who should not have access to them
The Government must now finance the health problems of drug users, along with every other problem that drug use entails
If neighbouring states or countries legalize drugs each problem becomes more acute with a corresponding drop in revenue
Government will itself become addicted to this money, just as Government is addicted to gambling money, so even when the negative aspects become clear how do you turn off the revenue?
In theory legalizing drugs will increase revenue, the reality will turn out to be very different.
Legal drugs will get criminals out of the drug business
In Victoria where I live we have legal brothels, they were made legal in the 1980's to raise the standard of brothel owners and to drive out those with criminal connections. Street prostitution and private prostitution remained illegal (private prostitution is were a women or a small group of women sell sex from a private home or business). Brothels had to be in industrial areas, away from houses, churches and anywhere that children congregated. The idea was that it would protect both sex workers and their customers from being ripped off, assault and from sexually transmitted diseases. And that those prostitutes who did not work in brothels would start working in these safer places. In theory it should work, but it doesn't. Street and private prostitution continue unabated. The owners of brothels are often found to be covers for criminals and because it is so expensive and restrictive to own a legal brothel there are numerous illegal brothels around. Illegal brothels are run by criminals, some of whom engage in sex slavery. The industry is not cleaner, it is dirtier. I cannot see how making drugs legal will either get rid of criminals who will move to other criminal activity or will make drugs safer, the fact is that drug use is a dangerous activity even in a legal environment. Unless it is a totally free market there will come a time when drugs will be more expensive than users want to pay and guess who will move into the gap.
Marijuana is not like other drugs
Marijuana is often called a soft drug, one that is harmless and not like the other hard drugs. Up to a point that is true but it neglects the negative aspects that even this drug has. When marijuana first became popular in modern times it was a natural plant, but today that is often not the case. It is grown hydroponically and it is much stronger than it was 40 or 50 years ago. It is also claimed that it is not addictive but is only pleasurable, but meeting anyone who has used this drug for a time you will find out first hand that that is not true. All drugs help people to become paranoid, but marijuana seems to be much better at helping people to become paranoid than most other drugs. It is also claimed that it does not have any effect on peoples mental health, but drugs, all drugs are used because they change how the brain works. The user believes that any change is temporary, those who know the user often see permanent changes and hardly ever do they think they are for the better.
Drugs are not just an issue for those who use drugs, they affect us all. When you love someone you do not want to see them come to harm, you want them to achieve their potential. Drugs are not harmless they can destroy lives and we should never think that they are harmless. Drugs will not help people to achieve their potential anymore than alcoholism will. Don't just say no to drugs for yourself, say no to all those who wish to force this curse upon us all.
Upon Hope Blog - A Traditional Conservative Future
Another Article You Might Like?
Principle of defence
Drugs are harmless
Drugs only harm the user.
Alcohol and tobacco are just as bad if not worse
Legal drugs will stop anti-social behavour
Legal drugs will provide revenue
Legal drugs will get criminals out of the drug business
Marijuana is not like other drugs
Every one of these statements is wrong.
Drugs are harmless
This is the most extreme argument, it says that drugs are just another product to put into our bodies, no different to alcohol or food. It's effects are limited and it's only effect is pleasurable. There are no side effects or negative aspect to drug use. Of course hardly anyone accepts this argument as most people have either knowledge of drugs or they can use their common sense. Anything that we put into our body has an effect. What is different about drugs is that they are put into our bodies on purpose to create an effect. The effect is not a bi-product, it is the only reason that anyone takes drugs. If drugs did not have any effect people would stop taking them. That means that even if a drug is not physically addictive, people can become psychologically addicted. Anything that is addictive cannot be called harmless.
Drugs only harm the user.
Addiction takes away the freedom of the user, they now crave something that someone who is not addicted does not need. It is not uncommon for this addiction to interfere with a persons ability to live a normal life and to be a part of the normal economy, in other words it can be hard to keep a job when your mind is craving an addictive substance. If you crave something and you do not have a job how do you pay for your craving? You use up your savings, you stop paying bills, you ask for financial help from family and friends. What happens when these run out? For they will run out. If you still want to satisfy your cravings you have some options, non of them are good. You can steal from your family and your friends, you can steal from random people either by robbing them or burglary, you can beg for money, you can sell drugs, you can become a Prostitute or you can find another way to rip people off. If you have no legal source of income and you want an income you must obtain it illegally, there are only two options available. Every illegal activity is harmful to the drug user and every illegal activity is harmful to people who are not drug users.
Alcohol and tobacco are just as bad if not worse
This is a strange argument as it says that drugs are bad, but so is alcohol, alcohol is still legal so to be fair you must either outlaw alcohol or legalize drugs. It's like arguing at your murder trial, that sure you killed him but your innocent because other people have committed murder and gotten away with it so it would be unfair to punish you and not them. But just as each murder is a distinct event that requires it to be looked at individually, so alcohol, tobacco and each type of drug is a distinct substance. They must all be legal or illegal on their own merit. Just because alcohol use can be extreme does not mean that drugs are benign.
Legal drugs will stop anti-social behavour
The argument goes that if drugs were made legal much, if not all of the anti-social activity associated with drugs would disappear. But sadly making drugs legal does not stop them from being addictive. It is the very nature of drugs, natural or man made that make them attractive to some people. But if drugs are legal how would we compensate for them remaining addictive? We could just make drugs legal and keep other current crimes illegal but how does that help either the drug user or anyone else? We could have a special benefit or pension to support drug users, but now we are encouraging not only drug use but idleness. Idleness is the way to hopelessness, despair and even suicide, why should the taxpayer be supporting any of that? Legalizing drugs also means that those who have no desire to be in contact with drugs now have no way of escaping it's use. Where ever they go there is the chance that they will have to confront drug use, but unlike today where they can call the police, that option is not available, drugs are now legal. Drugs being illegal does discourage young people, not all, from using drugs. When drugs are made legal they are made legitimate no matter how destructive they remain.
Legal drugs will provide revenue
Today drugs are illegal in most places, the profit from drugs goes to shady and immoral people who thrive on human misery. The argument goes that if drugs were legal then that money would not go to these people and instead would be of public good. There are a number of problems with this argument
The Government becomes a drug dealer
If drugs are cheap the Government doesn't get much revenue
If drugs are expensive then drugs will still be sold illegally at a cheaper price
Legal drugs do not stop them from being sold on to people who should not have access to them
The Government must now finance the health problems of drug users, along with every other problem that drug use entails
If neighbouring states or countries legalize drugs each problem becomes more acute with a corresponding drop in revenue
Government will itself become addicted to this money, just as Government is addicted to gambling money, so even when the negative aspects become clear how do you turn off the revenue?
In theory legalizing drugs will increase revenue, the reality will turn out to be very different.
Legal drugs will get criminals out of the drug business
In Victoria where I live we have legal brothels, they were made legal in the 1980's to raise the standard of brothel owners and to drive out those with criminal connections. Street prostitution and private prostitution remained illegal (private prostitution is were a women or a small group of women sell sex from a private home or business). Brothels had to be in industrial areas, away from houses, churches and anywhere that children congregated. The idea was that it would protect both sex workers and their customers from being ripped off, assault and from sexually transmitted diseases. And that those prostitutes who did not work in brothels would start working in these safer places. In theory it should work, but it doesn't. Street and private prostitution continue unabated. The owners of brothels are often found to be covers for criminals and because it is so expensive and restrictive to own a legal brothel there are numerous illegal brothels around. Illegal brothels are run by criminals, some of whom engage in sex slavery. The industry is not cleaner, it is dirtier. I cannot see how making drugs legal will either get rid of criminals who will move to other criminal activity or will make drugs safer, the fact is that drug use is a dangerous activity even in a legal environment. Unless it is a totally free market there will come a time when drugs will be more expensive than users want to pay and guess who will move into the gap.
Marijuana is not like other drugs
Marijuana is often called a soft drug, one that is harmless and not like the other hard drugs. Up to a point that is true but it neglects the negative aspects that even this drug has. When marijuana first became popular in modern times it was a natural plant, but today that is often not the case. It is grown hydroponically and it is much stronger than it was 40 or 50 years ago. It is also claimed that it is not addictive but is only pleasurable, but meeting anyone who has used this drug for a time you will find out first hand that that is not true. All drugs help people to become paranoid, but marijuana seems to be much better at helping people to become paranoid than most other drugs. It is also claimed that it does not have any effect on peoples mental health, but drugs, all drugs are used because they change how the brain works. The user believes that any change is temporary, those who know the user often see permanent changes and hardly ever do they think they are for the better.
Drugs are not just an issue for those who use drugs, they affect us all. When you love someone you do not want to see them come to harm, you want them to achieve their potential. Drugs are not harmless they can destroy lives and we should never think that they are harmless. Drugs will not help people to achieve their potential anymore than alcoholism will. Don't just say no to drugs for yourself, say no to all those who wish to force this curse upon us all.
Upon Hope Blog - A Traditional Conservative Future
Another Article You Might Like?
Principle of defence
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