Without the legalisation of banned drugs human progression I fear shall continue to remain slow. With narcotic drugs being illegal, crime will continue rise and more lives shall be lost then indeed saved. Burying our heads in the sand, thinking that this drug system may eventually somehow end up working, simply isn’t good enough. It’s time to wake up to drugs properly and take a good long look at it.
If the last hundred or so years have taught us anything about narcotics, is that banning them simply does not work. It wouldn't matter how far we pushed the laws and punishments surrounding drugs, people will still choose to do them. It wouldn't matter if a new law came out tomorrow and said "If you were to take illegal drugs, your sentence would be 100 years imprisonment". Or even if the most hardy over the top health warnings came out saying " cannabis causes users brains to explode"...... people would still take it.
Of course... legalising narcotic drugs now would not solve all our problems and I don’t claim it ever would. However it would vastly tackle key issues affecting our every day to day societies around the world. One of the key points against the legalisation of illegal drugs is the argument that it would promote the taking narcotics is OK and that it would eventually lead to more people becoming addicted. However... take this into consideration. Most people who would say that, would also agree more needs to be done to tackle the psychological issues surrounding drug addicts and more money needs to be invested in clinics and rehab centres, plus education of drugs. If hypothetically drugs became legal, mandatory minimum sentencing would be abolished, prisons would become less over-populated, and taxing narcotic drugs would bring in a much needed cash flow. All of this would save money which would lead to much better education and understanding of drugs and more money can be invested into treatment and clinics for drug addicts.
Not only will money be saved, but I genuinely think more LIFES will be saved as well. With illegal drugs we need to look at the much bigger picture rather than the story of the one man who died of a cocaine overdose down the street or the criminal drug gang in our city. How many people around the WORLD die a day due to these key factors of drugs being ILLEGAL. Any death is a tragedy but and unfortunate event which cannot be avoided. Most people also forget the people who work and deal with drugs on a day to day basis, like the drug farming and criminal gangs and how many people die to make these drugs to turn an illegal profit.
There are many reasons why people die due to drugs being ILLEGAL and most could be avoided if it became legal.
• Cutting agents - A lot of drugs related deaths are not due to the drug itself, but what they are cut with. Making Drugs legal would insure purity.
• Crime - Criminal activity would fall dramatically. Criminal gangs would be toppled and the hundreds if not thousands of people who die a day (DUE TO THE FACT THAT DRUGS ARE ILLEGAL) working for the crime families, producing, selling, debt collecting, distribution, farmers, the funding of war lords. They would be free from the shackles of having to work with there lives threatened everyday and could work to produce, make and sell these drugs safe and legal.
• No knowing what you’re taking - Even something as simple as this can cost you, your life. What's to say that ecstasy pill that someone has bought is really ecstasy? I wonder how many people loose their lives from simply not knowing what they are taking.
• Poor education - Try as the government might, they are still WAY WAY behind the times with drugs. Good education on drugs is crucial to keeping people who use drugs "more safe". Of course no one can ever be "safe" whilst taking them its just like getting into a car. A good metaphor would be its better to be equipped in your car with seat belts and airbags than without.
I honestly believe if drugs became legal, over half of our problem would be solved and we would only be left chasing one key issue. Addiction, which of course if hypothetically by then drugs were legal all our time, money and resources can be spent in tackling this ISSUE!
Unfortunately most people would disagree with my opinions... which of course is all they are at the end of the day, but just ask yourselves this. Has the drug issues ever been solved whilst illegal?...NO! Will the drug problem ever be solved whilst illegal?.....probably NOT. Will bringing in new laws and sentencing work which is all that governments seem to do (NO AND LET ME TELL YOU NOW, IT NEVER WILL! WAKE UP AND FACE REALITY)!
A new way of thinking and going forward has to be taken. Drugs are here to stay whether you like it or not. Legalising drugs wont solve are problems... but I think would go a long way in helping!
