Legalization of Drugs
Legalization of Drugs
Legalization of drugs has been a very controversial issue in the United States for many years. Drugs being legalized can have both advantages and disadvantages on society. On one hand, certain drugs, such as aspirin has long been used as a common medicine to many people, to cure diseases and help people with their personal problems such as headaches, toothaches, to name a few. Some people even take the drug daily as a therapy to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. On the other hand, legalization of all drugs could potentially lead to over use; putting the young generations at great risk due to their unawareness of the effects and damages some substances can cause. This issue becomes directly connected to the debate on whether or not the government should make drugs legal. The debate while rooted in concerns over public health, crime and violence, is also about values, a question of personal choice among individuals to use or abuse drugs.
The book “Morality and Moral Controversies” (John Arhur) provides insight on topics related to drug addiction. The article “Addiction and Drug Policy” written by Daniel Shapiro argues about the legalization of drugs. According to the author, an individual’s social and cultural environment and a person’s mindset are the things that influence and predict whether or not a person will abuse drugs. Shapiro also argues that what drugs are composed of and the effects drugs have on the brain does not directly lead to addiction or abuse. Author points out that “hospital patients that get continuous and massive doses of narcotics rarely get addicted or crave the drugs after release from the hospital” (Shapiro, 532). Shapiro also brought out an example for using alcohol responsibly: “People learn to use alcohol responsibly by observing their parents. They see their parents drink at a ball game or to celebrate special occasions or with food at a meal, but rarely on an empty stomach; they learn it’s wrong to
Legalization of drugs has been a very controversial issue in the United States for many years. Drugs being legalized can have both advantages and disadvantages on society. On one hand, certain drugs, such as aspirin has long been used as a common medicine to many people, to cure diseases and help people with their personal problems such as headaches, toothaches, to name a few. Some people even take the drug daily as a therapy to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. On the other hand, legalization of all drugs could potentially lead to over use; putting the young generations at great risk due to their unawareness of the effects and damages some substances can cause. This issue becomes directly connected to the debate on whether or not the government should make drugs legal. The debate while rooted in concerns over public health, crime and violence, is also about values, a question of personal choice among individuals to use or abuse drugs.
The book “Morality and Moral Controversies” (John Arhur) provides insight on topics related to drug addiction. The article “Addiction and Drug Policy” written by Daniel Shapiro argues about the legalization of drugs. According to the author, an individual’s social and cultural environment and a person’s mindset are the things that influence and predict whether or not a person will abuse drugs. Shapiro also argues that what drugs are composed of and the effects drugs have on the brain does not directly lead to addiction or abuse. Author points out that “hospital patients that get continuous and massive doses of narcotics rarely get addicted or crave the drugs after release from the hospital” (Shapiro, 532). Shapiro also brought out an example for using alcohol responsibly: “People learn to use alcohol responsibly by observing their parents. They see their parents drink at a ball game or to celebrate special occasions or with food at a meal, but rarely on an empty stomach; they learn it’s wrong to