Introduction
All drugs should be legalized because it would free up some finances that the government spends on the criminal justice system. For example, most governments, such as the United States, spend billions of dollars on correctional services, courts, and law enforcement on many drug abuse cases. On the other hand, prohibiting the use of drugs and treating it as a crime has not helped much because people still consume them. The criminalization of drugs has not eliminated the use of such substances. Although there has been a decline, the reduction has been insignificant. The war on drugs is controversial and expensive and has been more costly to society than the perceived effects of such drug substances. For example, in 1998, the US government spent an estimated 16 billion US dollars of federal funds. In this case, such an amount was significant to be used to fight drugs that people were already using. All drugs should be legalized because they would be beneficial in various ways, such as enhancing public health, promoting safer neighborhoods, reducing crime, and saving governments billions of dollars annually.
Background
The right policy to handle drugs is to legalize them with the primary intention of minimizing their harm. Hammond et al. (2020) and Rieder (2021) provided a detailed account of the topic of why all drugs should be legalized. For example, Rieder (2021) argues that ending the war on drugs is a form of racial justice. In this case, the author sees the fight against drugs as a form of racial discrimination against some races that are known to use drugs more often than others. In addition, the author recognizes that the war on drugs is unethical. The article’s author highlights various relevant points to follow in helping legalize drugs. For example, Rieder (2021) points out that everyone imprisoned for selling or using drugs should be set free. The author also asserts a need to decriminalize recreational drug use. Hammond et al. (2020) also have some valuable arguments for legalizing all drugs. In this case, people who use drugs support their legalization while those who do not oppose such a move.
Comparing Perspectives
Rieder (2021) highlights the necessity of ending the war on drugs by decriminalizing and legalizing the use of such substances. The article has relevance in linking the need for racial justice to the legalization of such drugs. According to this article, a society that decriminalizes drugs removes the risks associated with incarceration and enforcement. Henceforth, people who use drugs become more open and no longer worry about violating policies related to drug use (Hammond et al., 2020). Therefore, all who use drugs can use them at will without fear of being arrested. Such people also use the drugs more safely and feel free to seek medical treatment without worrying about the underlying repercussions. If people who use drugs need emergency services, they can do so without panicking about anything.
According to Hammond et al. (2020), people who use drugs advocate for their legalization and its decriminalization. On the other hand, those who do not use such drugs oppose legalizing such drugs. In contemporary society, advocates for legalizing substance use claim that it benefits individuals and the community. However, some oppose such a move because they think it will lead to moral decadence and promote criminality (Rider et al., 2021). People who consume drugs have some particular beliefs that make them advocate for decriminalizing such substances.
Discussion of Shared Question or Argument
Both Rieder (2021) and Hammond et al. (2020) support the legalization and decriminalization of drug use. Although Hammond et al. (2020) have some arguments that people who do not use drugs cannot condone their legalization, the primary ideas are about making the substances lawful. From a historical perspective, all policies and laws related to the use of drugs were only meant to criminalize the users of such substances without caring about their human rights (Rieder, 2021). In addition, possession of such substances was treated equally as their use, and most people felt it was a misuse of the criminal justice system.
For many years, most people found possessing or using drug substances have been met with racial injustice. In the US, the use and possession of drugs have always been associated with some races, such as Blacks. Therefore, legalizing the use of drugs is also a way to fight racial injustice and discrimination linked to some people. In this regard, it is crucial to decriminalize recreational drugs and support some vital legal regulations (Hammond et al., 2020). There is also a need to drop all charges related to nonviolent offenses linked to the use of drugs. Henceforth, all the people serving sentences related to such crimes should be released to achieve an end to the war on so-called illegal substances or drugs.
Exploratory Synthesis
The two articles significantly contribute to my understanding of the issue of legalizing all drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. My thoughts have completely changed because of the valuable insights from the sources. For example, I now have a deeper understanding of how criminalizing and prohibiting the use of drugs amounts to racial injustice to some people. Races aside, I believe it is wrong to deny people who use drugs their right to use substances because it would violate their human rights. If drug substances are legalized, all people will feel treated equally, and discrimination will be a thing of the past.
I believe denying people to use drugs will not stop them from using such substances. So, the only solution is to legalize such substances so that people can be free to use them. Putting legal restrictions on the use of drugs only complicates the issue as some people will try to find out why they are being denied the freedom to use such drugs. I also think the government will save a lot of money fighting drug use in the criminal justice system (corrections, courts, police).
Conclusion
In conclusion, legalizing the use of drugs would be beneficial because it will help the government save a considerable amount of money used in the criminal justice system, such as in courts, corrections, and law enforcement. On the other hand, legalizing drugs will help to decriminalize their use and set people free. In some countries like the US, drug use is associated with races such as Blacks. If drugs are legal, it will bring racial justice to such people who get criminalized because of the stereotypes related to using drugs. Most illegal substances are less harmful than alcohol and cigarettes. Therefore, it is high time drugs get treated like other substances such as alcohol and cigarettes.
References
Abouk, R., Ghimire, K., Maclean, C., & Powell, D. (2021). Does marijuana legalization affect work capacity? Eidence from workers’ compensation benefits. SSRN Electronic Journal. Web.
Hammond, A. S., Dunn, K. E., & Strain, E. C. (2020). Drug legalization and decriminalization beliefs among substance-using and nonusing individuals. Journal of Addiction Medicine, 14(1), 56–62. Web.
Rieder, T. N. (2021). Ending the war on drugs requires decriminalization. Does it also require legalization? The American Journal of Bioethics, 21(4), 38–41. Web.