America's Unjust Drug War

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Recommended: Argument on the legalization of drugs

The argument over drug reform and the current prohibition has been going on for years. It seems to be an argument between a wise parent and a young teenager, but as generations change more and more of the parents seem to switch sides. While prohibitionists say the mainstream drugs like cocaine, heroin, LSD, and marijuana are harmful and immoral, legalizers argue the opposite (Rachels 223). While they are both valid and interesting arguments the drugs named above still remain illegal. Many organizations and respected citizens have come to America’s attention in their support for drug reform or complete legalization of certain drugs. These people range from normal citizens who support the recreational use of marijuana to judges and ex- law enforcement agents who say the war on drugs has been a failure. The drug issue in the United States of America has been going on for years with the counterculture of the sixties up until the more recent medicinal marijuana debates today, and it seems that it is not going to go away anytime soon.

The debate between prohibitionists and citizens who believe in the legalization of illegal drugs provide many arguments. Since there are many drugs that are illegal there are many different arguments on what should be legal and what shouldn’t. The biggest debate, and the argument that I will mostly focus on, is the reform of marijuana. Prohibitionists argue that marijuana has adverse health, safety, social, academic, economic, and behavioral consequences (Goldberg 183). Not only do they claim that it causes all of those consequences but it also can cause harm to others including family and friends (Rachels 228). The obvious argument in harming others is driving under the influence of the drug but proh...

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...und in ecstasy and various amphetamines. Is it only the recreational use of them that makes them immoral? Every year seems to have another state with the legalization of marijuana for medical use, but when used for recreation it is deemed immoral and illegal. In no way do I condone the use of drugs of any kind, but in no way do I see why drugs are illegal.

Works Cited

Goldberg, Raymond. Taking Sides. Dubuque: McGraw- Hill Companies, 2006. Print.

Gottfried, Ted. Should Drugs Be Legalized? Brookfield: Twenty-First Century, 2000. Print.

"LEAP's Mission Statement." Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. Web. 9 Mar. 2010. .

"NORML Chapters." NORML. Web. 9 Mar. 2010. .

Rachels, James, and Stuart Rachels. The Right Thing To Do. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2010. Print.

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