Free Market Addiction

The country should take a new look at drug legalization as a solution to a problem that has been long out of control. Although a person may feel that he or she can't live without their particular addiction, there is no scientific proof or medical test for an addict. Since drug legalization is the topic of this essay let us focus on alternatives to the War on Drugs. One possibility for controlling drug abuse is to legalize illegal drugs. In contrast to today's society where drugs are illegal there is not much difference. If the government would legalize and regulate drugs a substantial industry and tax income would result. The jail overcrowding problem would be reduced by fifty percent in some estimates and violent crime would decline. Of course there are those who believe that legalization will turn our whole country into drug addicts. There is no evidence to support this. In fact, it is morally wrong to arrest and jail people for taking drugs. The government should not be allowed to prosecute non-violent offenders for consensual crimes committed in their own homes. Perhaps the criminal justice system wants to keep collecting fines and politician's kickbacks for building new prisons. Should drugs be legalized, we can expect several immediate results. Opponents believe that prevention will do the trick, but drug use continues to increase even though tougher laws have been passed. Next, the criminal drug market will dry up. The market for drugs is one of supply and demand and people demand illegal drugs. Organized crime has moved in to fill this vacuum and is making billions of dollars. Legislation will force organized crime from the drug business. In return, the government can regulate the market by licensing, enacting laws on sales to minors, and monitor the quality of the product. Dependent users would not have to resort to crime to get their supply since it will be regulated and the price lowered. Our legal system would be freed up and our prison