What are the advantages and disadvantages of legalizing drugs

Another advantage deriving naturally from the legalization of drugs is the decrease in crime and disease. Illicit drugs are expensive and drugs addicts are exploited. So, a large amount of social crime – like robbery and assault – is done by addicts who have no money and crave for drugs. With the easier availability of drugs, addicts will stop committing crime to get their daily ration. At present, Aids is spread by the sharing of needles among drugs users. With drugs becoming legally available, this practice will disappear and Aids as well as contagious diseases will be controlled to some extent.

A study of social history shows that in many communities, the use of drugs especially from plants – was common. In the East, opium smoking was a social practice. Hashish was widely used in the Near East and Europe, marijuana in North America and coca in Latin America. The North American Indians probably offered to guests, marijuana to smoke as a form of welcome and peace. Such drugs, including tobacco, apart from relieving and softening the mind, are still smoked to relieve physical and mental tension, sometimes as a medicine. Some people have become so addicted that they depend on these drugs to survive. Legalization will clearly help them.

One of the advantages of legalized drug is that the law will respect the freedom of choice of the individual. This freedom now exists for alcoholic drinks, cigarettes smoking, gambling and other activities. One interesting consequence of the legalization of drugs taking may be a sharp reduction in drug consumption. We know that in terms of psychology, it is the prohibition that leads people to break the law. In the Scandinavian countries which were the first to legalise pornographic films, it was found that attendance to such films drastically fell. Perhaps, the same things will happen after the legalization of drugs.

But governments and sociologists are not all willing to take the risk of legalizing drugs. A hasty legalization of drugs may have a boomerang effect. So, one strong disadvantage is that if drugs are made freely available, their consumption may spread so much and so fast that the expected aims will not be reached. Their may be a fast moral degradation shaking the foundation of the society. Young and old people may get addicted and neglect the more serious activity of life. Social and economic stability may be in danger. This is one main factor that makes government and other authorities fear legalization.

Also, just as alcoholism and smoking account for a lot of social and personal problems, high mortality and family break down, legalised drugs taking may turn the whole family into drug user. A large part of the family budget will go into such drugs. This may in turn to more family and social problem including child neglect and poverty. Such problems will rival with others like abortion, divorce, violence which plague our modern society. This is a strong disadvantage that it will be difficult to counter. Legalization may lead to a point of no return.