Legalizing Recreational Drugs Within the United States

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Recommended: The Pros and Cons of Recreational Drugs

A recreational drug is defined as "any controlled substance used to alter one's mind state or for non-medical purposes, without the permission or supervision of a physician" (Recreational Drug). Recreational drugs include both illegal and legal substances, some of which are extremely prevalent in the United States. The most popular recreational drug in the world is caffeine. Nearly, "80 - 90% of adult Americans consume caffeine every day" (Caffeine addiction). Other popular recreational drugs include nicotine (found in cigarettes), alcohol (found in beer, cocktails, wine, etc.), and cannabis (a.k.a. marijuana or weed) (Recreational Drug Use). These three drugs are found throughout the world and are used by a wide variety of cultures. Some of the other recreational drugs used less often include amphetamines, cocaine, ecstasy, barbituitates, heroin, LSD, opium, mushrooms, and solvents (Top 10 Most Popular). All recreational drugs cause alterations to one's mood but not all are considered by law to be powerful enough to outlaw.

Alcohol and nicotine are among the most popular recreational drugs in the world. These drugs both have addictive properties but are legalized. "Nicotine was first isolated from the tobacco plant in 1828 by German chemists Posselt & Reimann" (Nicotine). Today nicotine is most commonly found in cigarettes that can be bought at corner stores, gas stations, and supermarkets everywhere in the United States. Each year there are a significantly high number of deaths resulting from smoking and second hand smoke related causes. The laws currently state that in most states anyone 18 years or older can obtain cigarettes and other nicotine products. Nicotine users state that using gives them a sense of calmness and relie...

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...y Lexicon. Dictionary.com, LLC. 08 Aug. 2014. .

"Recreational Drug Use." Academic Kids. Web. 08 Aug. 2010. http://academickids.com/encyclopedia/r/re/recreational_drug_use.html#Popular Recreational Drugs.

"Short-term Effects of Alcohol." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 01 Aug. 2010. Web. 09 Aug. 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short-term_effects_of_alcohol.

"The Pros and Cons of Drug Legalization." Freelance Writing - Internet Article Marketing - Publish Articles Online - EduBook. 06 June 2009. Web. 12 Aug. 2014. .

"Top 10 Most Popular Recreational Drugs - Top 10 Lists | Listverse." Top 10 Lists - Listverse. 12 Aug. 2009. Web. 07 Aug. 2014. http://listverse.com/2009/08/12/top-10-most-popular-recreational-drugs/.

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