Upon reading Gore Vidals "Case for Legalizing Marijuana" one may wonder why drugs are not legal in the United States of America. Afterall, several valid reasonings were made throughout the article. There is a demand for drugs and many people are supplying them, while also making a small fortune. If drugs were made legal and sold for high prices, their market would decrease because many people would not be able to afford them. Most people involved in the drug world do not know the consequences of that which they consume. If drugs were labeled with the affects that they have, it is likely that people would turn away from them. However, it would be the users choice to continue drug use if they wished. People are simpily uneduacated about the realtites of drug use. Sometimes drugs can be benifical to ones health but they can also be deadly. If there was an open market for drugs and Americans’ were educated on the effects drugs can have on their bodies, the monopoly for drugs would rapidly decrease. Drugs are outlawed in America yet prohibition has never been successful in America. Anytime the government has tried to stop the distribution of a substance people have always jumped at the chance to make …show more content…
Since marijuana was legalized there have been dramatic results. States that allow the use of marijuana have increased the public’s awareness of the drug’s effects. After an increase in public awarness, many people are setting the drug aside due to long-term effects. If other drugs were made legal in the United States and their long-term and short-term effects were taught, it is very likely that there would be a decrease in their use. People are less inclined to get hooked onto drugs when they realize it could kill them. If drugs were legal in the Untied States and people were educated on their affects, the drug world would eventually eradicate
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Show MoreIn a 1970 article about drugs, narcotics, and the government, “Drugs: Case for Legalizing Marijuana”, Gore Vidal explores how the illegalization of marijuana has created the opposite effect of what the legislation has intended to do. Vidal’s explanation and reasoning behind this idea is not entirely associated with drug users and the population in general, but also has a strong link to monetary gains in government bureaus and large-scale mafias. These financial motive claims are supported by logical appeal and evidence.1 To begin, Vidal points out that, “both the Bureau of Narcotics and the Mafia want strong laws against the sale and use of drugs because if drugs are sold at cost there would be no money in it for anyone” (par. 10). This statement
I completely agree with Gore Vidal’s opinions on the legalization of drugs expressed in his controversial essay. Mr. Vidal captured my ballot within the first two sentences declaring,” It is possible to stop drug addiction in the United States within a very short time. Simply make all drugs available and sell them at cost.” The authorize of narcotics would obtain many positives to the United States. Also, disputing the complications that originate from exploitation of drugs.
The belief that the most effective way to stop people from using drugs is through enforcement is not backed by data. Rather, a look at these numbers reveals how this act, which focused on enforcement only, was not effective and did not achieve its initial stated
Overall, Gore Vidal’s argument of legalizing drugs is very compelling. The style of writing is unique and keeps the reader interested. Vidal takes a popular argument (in 2016) and provides a sound argument in support of
The consumption of drugs have always been a part of society, from tobacco used by the native Americans to the coco leaf used by mayans, people exhibit a tendency to use narcotics. While drugs were used for medicinal purposes risks were still associated with them as they are today. As with most things, narcotics can be harmful, and even dangerous, while drugs do not usually cause a society to collapse, it does have a profound effect on how societies function as in the case of the 1900s. While there were positives to the initial inaction of prohibition it was more detrimental than beneficial.
In the article “Character and Ecstasy: Against the Legalization of Drugs”, political scientist James Q. Wilson explains why we are better off overall when hard drugs are prohibited. One reason is that legalizing hard drugs would probably
The previous decades saw increased the decriminalization of certain drugs, such as marijuana, as they began to be used more casually. However, the 1980s and the specifically the Reagan administration saw the “War on Drugs” start. Led by Nancy Reagan, the “Just Say No” campaign dominated the headlines as parents became concerned about their children using drugs (Goode & Ben-Yehuda, n.d.). Under new leadership, the government began to criminalize drug use to unprecedented levels.
In the world today people use illegal and prescription drugs regularly day in and day out. People lose their families, their houses and can lose their lives. Abusing drugs, prescription or illegal, can and more then likely will kill a person. Getting drugs these days is as easy as going to the store and buying a gallon of milk. One can literally walk two blocks down the road and get any and every drug they need or want, and very cheap at that.
To approach the war on drugs in the United States is quite a challenge. Our political system cannot agree on providing universal health care, decent education, and stable retirement to its citizens, and do begin addressing the problem of drugs seems impossible. Likewise, one out of twenty-eight children has an incarcerated parent, meaning that those children are more likely to struggle in life because of the psychological and emotional effects. Therefore, drug policies need to be reformed because millions of people fall to be victims of those racist and sexist laws that only serve to perpetuate inequalities and injustices. One of the primary goals of the drug reforms should focus on decriminalizing drugs.
Politically, in many ways, they are correct. John P Walter, the former director of The White House Office of National Drug control policy, points out that failure to fight against drug legalization in the country works against International anti-drug efforts. This could then weaken ties with Nations that have been strong trade partners and political allies, thus weakening our country's position in the world. In opposition to this point, some argue that the weakened trade alliances could benefit our country by encouraging businesses to remain in the United States rather than outsourcing their businesses
However, is it doing more harm than good? Countries all over the world should legalize drugs, and treat them as a commodity. Drugs impact various aspects of society ranging from personal liberties (bodily autonomy), economics,
In juxtaposition to this governments still allow big pharmaceutical companies to produce and sell drugs legally to the public under the guise of them being good for your health. In reality these legal drugs can be just as addictive and dangerous to your health as illegal drugs, in some cases even more
If marijuana is regulated and taxed properly, it can generate millions of dollars that can help pay the debt of the US and/or help cities rebuild a better infrastructure. Marijuana has become the third most popular drug in the US behind alcohol and tobacco. It is a renewable resource and is not just used for smoking; it can be used to make paper, oils, and cloth. Every year millions of tax dollars are being spent to enforce marijuana laws. If these laws were repealed and marijuana was legalized, we would not only make money from the marijuana, but we would also be using a lot less money to enforce marijuana laws.
Make something easier and cheaper to obtain, and you increase the number of people who will try it,” said Walters (2002). This is why, if drugs were legalized, it will not make the situation better but make it worse. There will be no penalties anymore and the price of the drug will be cheaper. People will always try to use something which exists around the society with a cheap price and easy to obtain. It would increase drug demand because it allows people to consume them freely and it would be a daily need for them,
As of recent, the war on drugs has been a very often discussed topic due to many controversial issues. Some people believe the War on Drugs has been quite successful due to the amount of drugs seized and the amount of drug kingpins arrested. I believe this to be the wrong mindset when it comes to the war on drugs. The war on drugs isn’t a winnable one so we must do all that is possible to assist those who struggle with drug addiction and decriminalize small amounts of drugs. These minor changes in the way we combat drugs will create significant change and have lasting effects.