Utilitarianism: The Role Of Legalization Of Drugs In The United States

Utilitarianism is a hypothesis in standardizing morals holding that the best good activity is the one that expands utility. Utility is defined and characterized in different ways, yet is generally identified with the prosperity of the public. This paper argues whether prohibition of drugs maximize utility or not. In this paper, we shall discuss which of the above mentioned two statements will bring the most happiness to the public.
Legalizing hard drugs in United States will not only leave a bad impact on youth but will also affect economy in ways that we cannot think of. Illegal drugs are smuggled into the United States. If these drugs are to be legalized, then their prices will be reduced to such an extent that they could be bought easily

If we use utilitarianism to see the cost of legalizing hard drugs by considering the outcomes that were obtained when liquor was legalized, we can certainly rule out the bad effects of these hard drugs too. The economy of the United States can be boosted by legalizing these drugs and reducing smuggling of these drugs to an extent, where they do not affect the economy of the country. Some of the states of the U.S. want to legalize some of these hard drugs just to uplift the drowning economy of the country. DEA (Drug Regulatory Authority) must pay their informers who bring intelligence about drug mafias. This payment is carried by the money of the U.S. tax payers who earn this money by their sweat and blood. Legalizing these hard drugs will not only reduce the informers but will also cut jobs from the DEA itself which will be huge relief for US tax payers. Making these drugs legalized will create a sense of freedom in the American citizens. This very freedom will reduce stress and depression from the public. Some of the patients who are in acute chronic pain do not get the requires dosage of these drugs (medical marijuana) by the doctors because the doctors are too afraid to prescribe their high quantities. Constant and prolonged pain will trigger depression in the patients. Legalization of these drugs will not only relieve pressure from the doctors but will also free the average

Statistics prove them wrong. When in 1960, heroin use was legalized for medical purposes, there were 68 heroin addicts and this number rose to 2000 by 1968. In early 1980’s 40 percent increase was recorded in average drug addicts. In 1982, there were 20000 drug addicts in London alone (page152, Wilson). Now if similar strategy is applied here in United States then there is no doubt that drug addicts will increase even if it is legalized only for medical purposes. Many youngsters are clean from these drugs just because they have the fear of being caught by the law enforcing agencies or they don’t have such huge amount of money to buy these drugs. If these drugs are legalized then both of the above-mentioned causes of their prohibition from drugs will vanish and there will be no one to stop them from using these