Pros and Cons of Light Drugs Legalization (Essay Sample)

PRO’S AND CON’S OF LIGHT DRUGS LEGALIZATION (e.g. MARIJUANA)
Kelvin Maina
Sample Test
April 23, 2015
The issue of legalizing or not legalizing light drugs has caused a heated debate in the last few decades. This particular referendum has received a yes node in various countries as well as a stern no in some other countries. The bone of contention in this case is the advantages and disadvantages of allowing these particular drugs to have a free legal market in our society. In this essay, the pros and cons of legalizing light drugs such as marijuana will be discussed in details.
First we shall consider the pros of legalizing these drugs. As it is a custom, light drugs are always trafficked in black markets, this means that if they are legalized the profits from their taxation would be put into good use such as improving community infrastructure. Due to the numerous arrests made as a result of individuals possessing these drugs, State prisons are always overcrowded; legalizing the drugs will ease prison population. Prohibiting the drugs means hindering personal freedom, every country is obligated to respect individual personal will and rights. There is no direct harm caused to the third party unless the drug is used in activities that are prohibited while under intoxication such us driving. If these drugs are legalized, the companies producing them would be liable and open to lawsuits and this would enhance health standards in production.
The war on recreational drugs has negative effects on the user’s friends and loved ones, since in some instances they are jailed for being suspects or crime mates. Cases like obesity kills millions of people each year but the government does not control how people eat therefore, it is not valuable for the law to determine or forbid individuals from willingly exposing their bodies to direct harm. Prohibiting the drugs does not stop traffickers from selling the drugs or customers from buying them, the prices of the drugs increase to abnormal values due to the black market status thus, causing drug users to commit crimes and break laws in order to fund their quest. It has been documented that countries that have legalized light drugs have registered positive outcomes.
On the other hand, legalizing light drugs have its negative side. If these drugs are legalized, it would be easier for individuals to access the drugs therefore, creating new customers other than rescuing the immediate ones. Theoretically, the use of light drugs such as marijuana consequently leads to the use of hard drugs. Legalizing drugs will create a negative notion in children that using drugs is an acceptable norm in the society. There is a direct dangerous effect to persons next to the drug user in terms of violence and other related vices such as drug users neglecting their children and committing crimes while being “high”. Recreation drugs are addictive and they rob the user a sense of free will since, the user cannot make an informed decision on stopping to use the drug since it destroys his or her ability to think rationally. The obligation of the state is to protect the interests of its citizens and the state cannot take hand in distributing a substance that the population at large considers immoral. It is possible that drug dealers would sell the drugs to anyone including children; school reports indicate that kids can easily get light d...