Legalization Of Drugs

Legalize it or not to legalize it?, this is the question.

For several decades drugs have been one of the major plights that we are incapable of stopping its devastating growth. There have been escalating costs spent on the war against drugs and a huge amount of money spent on rehabilitator, however, the predicament still exits. The rate of drug addiction among people all over the world is tremendously increasing regardless to the restrictions and penalties placed by governments. There's a huge variety of drugs being abused among people; soft and hardcore drugs. Nowadays, the request of legalizing drugs could be clearly heard in many well known songs and seen in a lot of popular movies. Drugs are becoming a serious catastrophe, and the time has come for an effective and realistic action. The legalization of drugs would have an adverse effect on the society in terms of work, public health and crime rate; as it will be affordable and available.

Some users spend so much time under the influence of drugs or thinking about getting drugs and they neglect their families, friends, and work. In some cases, their actions harm the people closest to them. Pregnant women who take drugs can cause harm to their unborn children. All drug users risk injury or death to themselves and others if they are socializing while they are under the influence. Drug users may resort to theft, prostitution, or selling drugs to pay for their drug habits. Drug users in the transportation industry, such as bus drivers risk threatening the public. Young people begin using drugs for various reasons, some experiment with drugs because their friends use them. Many young people find it difficult to resist peer pressure. Also, young people often have a sense of invulnerability, that death or other severe consequences of drug use will not affect them personally. Users of tobacco, drugs and alcohol at that age may be attempting to appear grown up by imitating other adults. Therefore, legalization of drugs would promote youth to experiment drugs at a very young age.

The question weather to legalize drugs or not is a controversial and a very important issue in today's world. Legalizing drugs might have some benefits, however, its disadvantages outnumbers its few advantages. One of the most crucial problems that the society will face if drugs are legalized is its dreadful effect in workplace; which is a dangerous and expensive problem. "Over recent years, one important development actively supported by the ILO, has been the growing realization in many countries that drug abuse is an important workplace issue." (ILO) Not only does drug abusing affect the the work performance of employees, it results in higher rates in absenteeism, accidents, and illness. "Absenteeism is two or three times higher for drug and alcohol abusers than for other employer." (ILO). Apart from absenteeism which could be considered the least harmful, deadly accidents are very possible to occur. "In many work places, 20 to 25 percent of accidents at work involve intoxicated people injuring themselves and people around them" (ILO)

In addition to this, legalizing drugs will threaten the well being of the economy as a whole. When the majority of the public are on cocaine, or high on marijwna, they will never function properly at work and this would lead to lower productivity. This will encourage firms to hire workers overseas, or just move to locations where drugs are illegal. "The issue of drug abuse at work place has traditionally been met by a dismissive attitude and the reflex of trying to sweep the problem under the carpet, based on moral precepts than a concern for health issues involved. Yet, drug and alcohol abuse is not a problem which can be isolated from the workplace." (ILO).

The legalization of drugs will not only severely impact the work place; it will also create catastrophic health problems. "One of our world's most serious public health problemsÐ'--drug abuse and addiction." (Dareymple). Drug legalization would lead to a large increase in health problems and will overburden the medical system. "Drugs are illegal because of their intoxicating effect on the brain, damaging impact on the body, adverse impact on behavior, and potential for abusers. Their use threatens the health, welfare, and safety of all people." (Hartnett).

Legalization opponents believe that drug legalization will threaten the public health, " as their will be more overdoses, more aids patients, and more illness stemming from addiction."