2008 Woodie Awards
Legalizing drugs would help more than hurt
Prevention and rehabilitation programs are a better tool for combating drugs and peripheral drug crimes than prison time.
By: Bryan Coplin
Issue date: 8/30/07 Section: Opinion/Editorial
This means the supply of drugs cannot be touched; our prison numbers show jail is not a deterrent to the demand.
Federal regulation and production would do just that.
The benefits of this would be massive. It would cripple drug cartels; the cost of producing, shipping and distributing drugs could never compete with locally produced drugs.
The hardest drugs would be given away for free. This is because hard drugs like cocaine and heroin cause addicts to commit other crimes in order to pay for their habit. Some estimates from the Cato Institute, a libertarian policy group, say 40 percent of thefts are committed for drug money.
This would not only remove a huge tax burden as a result of far fewer inmates, excise taxes placed on less harmful recreational drugs like marijuana would pay for effective programs to help addicts recover.
Former Judge James P. Gray, of the Superior Court of Orange County, points out that rehab centers cost anywhere from $3,000 to $14,000 per individual. In turn, it costs taxpayers $16,000 to $25,000 to imprison a felon for one year.
Appropriate legal actions, such as ordering an addict to rehab rather than sending him or her to jail where drugs are still available, will in turn make drug users' reintegration into society easier.
Misinformation undermines efforts to prevent and limit drug use. If you smoke a joint, your brain won't melt. Prevention and rehabilitation programs are a better tool for combating drugs and peripheral drug crimes than prison time.
This will not erase every junkie in America. Ultimately, an individual has the freedom to live their life as they please. To paraphrase Richard Cowan of the Cato Institute, society will never be drug-free, but individuals can have more personal freedom.
Federal regulation and production would do just that.
The benefits of this would be massive. It would cripple drug cartels; the cost of producing, shipping and distributing drugs could never compete with locally produced drugs.
The hardest drugs would be given away for free. This is because hard drugs like cocaine and heroin cause addicts to commit other crimes in order to pay for their habit. Some estimates from the Cato Institute, a libertarian policy group, say 40 percent of thefts are committed for drug money.
This would not only remove a huge tax burden as a result of far fewer inmates, excise taxes placed on less harmful recreational drugs like marijuana would pay for effective programs to help addicts recover.
Former Judge James P. Gray, of the Superior Court of Orange County, points out that rehab centers cost anywhere from $3,000 to $14,000 per individual. In turn, it costs taxpayers $16,000 to $25,000 to imprison a felon for one year.
Appropriate legal actions, such as ordering an addict to rehab rather than sending him or her to jail where drugs are still available, will in turn make drug users' reintegration into society easier.
Misinformation undermines efforts to prevent and limit drug use. If you smoke a joint, your brain won't melt. Prevention and rehabilitation programs are a better tool for combating drugs and peripheral drug crimes than prison time.
This will not erase every junkie in America. Ultimately, an individual has the freedom to live their life as they please. To paraphrase Richard Cowan of the Cato Institute, society will never be drug-free, but individuals can have more personal freedom.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 6
shelly
posted 4/17/08 @ 5:33 PM CST
When i first saw this website i thought it might be ignorant but i continued to read and hoped that i was wrong. Instead it wasn't ignorance that i read it was stupidity!! I think only drug users want to leagalize drugs. (Continued…)
Kevin
posted 5/06/08 @ 3:57 PM CST
I think you have no say, considering you can't even spell legalize you moron. Maybe you should do drugs.
Nathan
posted 8/18/08 @ 3:40 PM CST
I think he is on drugs that is why he wants to legalize them. Poorly written editorial!! No reference to stats from countries that have legalized drug use. (Continued…)
Bradward
Brad Schumacher
posted 9/03/08 @ 8:53 PM CST
In reference to "I Like to Make Things Personal", it's hard to disagree with Bill Hicks. I'm not a big fan of the concept of victimless crime.
However, as far as giving away free hard drugs, who's going to be producing all of this free smack? Are you suggesting the government should use tax money to manufacture heroine and cocaine, or would private companies be allowed to create and give out the product i. (Continued…)
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