Legalization of Drugs Fails to Resolve Social Problems

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Recommended: the effect of the war on drugs

One need only turn on the 11o'clock news to determine whether the "war on drugs" has been a success or a failure. Border police and the FBI continue to nab ever-increasing caches of illegal drugs, while our "tough on crime" policies haul thousands to jail on drug trafficking and possession charges. Yet, people young and old continue to purchase and consume large amounts of drugs for a variety of reasons, ranging from medicinal to escapism.

Even the most ardent drug enforcers have to admit that the current offensive against drugs has been a dismal failure, because the government cannot prevent what people want to do merely through laws (and their enforcement). But does this automatically mean that drugs should be legalized? We already have a case study to determine whether drug legalization policies will be successful. America's struggles with alcohol provide a ready-made experiment in which the pros and cons of drug legalization can be measured in terms of lives affected and dollars spent.

In the early portion of the 20th century, our government responded to the demands of various temperance groups and prohibited the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages. At about the same time, organized crime gained power in cities such as Chicago and New York. Since the general populace still had a voracious appetite for alcohol, gangsters such as Al Capone made millions dealing in this illicit trade. As their motive was to maximize profits regardless of cost, the gangsters handled rivals in their own, intimate way - as the "Valentine's Day Massacre" graphically showed. The violence contributed to the eventual repeal of Prohibition laws, and America enjoyed the products of fermented grapes, wheat and...

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So, instead of changing strategy in the current war on drugs, we either doggedly try the same old tactics that fail miserably or surrender unconditionally in the name of individual "rights." Well, what about the right of someone to drive without fear of sudden death via intoxicant? What about the baby doomed to a painful life from drug-induced ailments? What about the spouse painted black, blue and red by someone's fists, bat or gun? Or the fan too scared to talk with a blustery drunk for fear of pulverization? Or of anyone paying higher car and health insurance rates?

A famous person once said, "Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it." In this situation, it would be doubly tragic, for "history" continues even today, instructing us on decisions of past generations. And yet once more, we're about to fail the final exam.

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