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As with most topics of debate, the issue of whether to legalize drugs or not often takes
its turn at center stage. Would legalizing drugs increase the number of addicts? Would
taking away street dealers decrease the number of users? Does the current drug policy
working for America? While proponents of the legalization of drugs may contend that
specific issues, such as the possibility of decreased levels of crime, or the reduction in
costs associated with policing and regulating the drug epidemic argue that the drug war is
a losing battle, there are many more opponents that contend that use of drugs, leads to the
destruction of human character. (663) William J. Bennett, “Drug Policy and the
Intellectuals”, believes that drugs should remain illegal, and backs up his statement with
Advisory Council for Drug Abuse Prevention in 1972, also believes in keeping the policy
as is. In his essay “Against the Legalization of Drugs”, Wilson (backs up) his opinion
The most addressed question raised with the issue of legalizing drugs is this: Would
legalizing drugs increase the number of addicts and crime associated with drugs? Both of
the writers and their commentary lead to the point that it would. Bennett claims “that if
were easier to obtain, drug use would soar” (662). He uses the change in availability of
crack as an example. In his essay, Bennett explained how difficult it was to obtain crack
when there was a shortage, but once it became readily accessible, its use greatly
increased, especially with the poor (662). Bennett also compares legalized drugs to
alcohol prohibition. During the prohibition, Bennett describes that that there was less
alcohol consumption, less fighting, and less alcohol related health problems. “And
contrary to myth,” he states,” there is no evidence that Prohibition caused big increases in
crime” (663).
James Wilson uses Britain’s failed policy to support his opinion. He told the story of
when Britain tried to use clinics for their heroin addicted “patients”. The patients would
argue with the doctors to get larger doses, and, according to Wilson, “would use some of
their ‘maintenance’ dose and sell the remaining part to friends, thereby recruiting new
addicts” (670). The number of addicts in Britain is far less than that of America. If this
country attempted to use clinics or physicians, Wilson suggests that “we could have far
worse results (…) for no other reason than the vastly larger number of addicts with which
we began” (670). If we are having trouble controlling drug use now, how will our police
be able to handle such a large increase? Still, there are those who will advocate the
legalization of drugs because they believe that the U.S. Anti Drug effort is an expensive
bust. In 1999, Gary Johnson, the governor of the state of New Mexico called for the
legalization of everything from marijuana to heroin. "Control it, regulate it, tax it,"
Johnson said of recreational drugs. "If you legalize it we might actually have a healthier
society." (CNN.com)
Taking money away from the drug dealers is another argument for the legalization of
drugs. William Bennett speculates that many people who enter into the drug business
believe that they will earn a large profit for themselves. In reality, this just isn’t true.
Many of the dealers make little money, eventually start doing the drugs themselves, and
Bennett, “invariably leads to murder and prison” (661). By keeping drugs illegal, we are
hopefully hindering people from trying or selling them. Bennett also points out the fact
that “research indicates that most drug criminals were into crime well before they got into
drugs” (661). James Wilson also believes that pushers may not be affected by
legalization. He notices that even when Britain’s policy of having doctors administer the
drugs, “a youthful drug culture emerged with a demand for drugs far different from that
of the older addicts” (669). America is seeing this today. Our younger generations seem
to have newer drugs that we did 15 years ago. “Pushers do not produce addicts”, writes
While both authors agree on majority of the drug issues, there is a major point where
they disagree. Wilson insists that by keeping drugs illegal in 1972, “we did not lose. We
did not win, either (…) the problem was contained and the number of victims minimized,
all at a considerable cost in law enforcement and increased crimes. Was the cost worth
it? I think so” (673). Although our drug policies could always be better, Wilson feels
that our nation is not at the beginning of a drug induced plague. In contrast, Bennett
believes “what is brutish, corrupt, and sinister is the murder and mayhem being
committed in our cities’ streets” and that “the current situation won’t do” (665).
Works Cited
Barnet, Sylvan, and Bedau, Hugo, Current Issues and Enduring Questions. 8th Edition.
Boston:2008.
CNN.com. 06 Oct.1999http://www.cnn.com/US/9910/06/legalizing.drugs.01/