Link:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tony-newman/drug-legalization_b_3473098.html
Summary:The Drug Policy Alliance are committed to ensuring the decriminalization of all drug use becomes a political priority. Criminalization is not only failing to effectively control drug use, it's a barrier to protecting individual and public health. As long as drug use is a crime, people are going to be afraid to get help. Decriminalization means nobody goes to jail and nobody gets punished simply for possessing a small amount of a drug. It has now been 42 years since President Nixon launched the "war on drugs" yet illegal drugs are as available as ever. There is growing awareness that our drug law enforcement is essentially a war on minorities, with Latinos and especially blacks getting arrested at several times the rate of whites despite similar rates of drug use. The Global Commission on Drug Policy's calls for decriminalization and fundamental reforms of the drug prohibition regime have generated unprecedented media coverage over the past two years. They said that jailing people for personal drug use constitutes a human rights violation and called for abolishing criminal penalties. "Subjecting people to criminal sanctions for the personal use of drugs, or for possession of drugs for personal use, infringes on their autonomy and right to privacy." They join a surprisingly broad coalition that includes groups such as the Red Cross, who said that drug use should not be a crime in a statement to the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs last year.There is simply no basis in principle or evidence-based policy for bringing someone into the criminal justice system solely for drug possession. Most Americans know it doesn't make sense from either a human or fiscal perspective to lock someone up in a cage because they possess a drug -- and the time is now ripe to translate this into a fundamental shift in how we address drugs in our society.
Questions:Are you in favor of decriminalizing drug use? Do you think it would be beneficial for our country? If so, how? If not, why?(consider the fact that our country the holds the largest population of people in jail)
I do believe that decriminalizing drug use will help those who do have a drug problem to be more willing to get help because they won't be as worried about the repercussions of jail time. Although this is important to society's safety and health, I don't believe that decriminalizing drugs will significantly aid in treatment and prevention. This decriminalization could prompt more use of these drugs if people aren't worried about serious repercussions that could follow. In the past decriminalizing usually opens a door for legalization, which can introduce an added set of problems.
ReplyDeleteI believe that decriminalizing drugs would help the United States in the long run. The issue with drugs, is that people caught using them are often have minimum sentences, just for one incident. The United States needs to look into the larger effects of drugs, and possible ways to legalize less harmful, recreational drugs, such as marijuana. A way they could do this is simple-the same way cigarettes and alcohol are legal. With a minimum age to be used, and taxed. Quite frankly, given today's society, the U.S. needs to catch up, and get with the times.
ReplyDeleteIf we decriminalize drugs little by little I do believe that it could be beneficial to our country. If at first we make marijuana legalized then the more extreme drugs maybe their will not be as much of a frenzy to do all of the drugs right a way. It would also decrease the country's expenditures on increasing jail sizes and will force police officers to focus more on people who commit more extreme crimes. Decriminalization could also reduce taxes and spending and at this time in America's history any possible chance at saving money is needed and should be taken advantage of.
ReplyDeleteI think the decriminalization of drugs could help the US, but it depends on the severity of the drug, and the amount in possession. I feel like marijuana should be the only drug that is decriminalized, because I think eventually, decriminalization will lead to legalization, and we don't need to legalize hard drugs that have more severe safety and health issues. If we decriminalize drugs, then we would hold a lot less people in jail, meaning that people would pay less taxes. But I also think it could lead to the abuse and misuse of the dicriminalized drugs which would then only creat different problems.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion I don't think that people should be put away for possessing a small amount of marijuana, since it is already legal in a couple of states, but harder drugs should have harsher penalties. Decriminalization of drugs is important because people are getting put away on charges that are pointless. Housing this many people in our jails shows that there is something wrong with our criminal justice system and we need to change that. Also we are spending tax dollars taking care of prisoners who shouldn't even be in jail, rather than spending that money on something important like education.
ReplyDeleteI thik that it is rediculous to have someone put in jail for having a small amound of marijuana. All this is doing is holding too many people in jail and causing the governemnt to spend more money and using more tax paying dollars. Our jails should be reserved for people whose crimes are more punishable. I beleive that the decriminilization of drugs will benefit our country by ruducing taxes and improving our criminal justice system.
ReplyDeleteLike Rose, I don't believe that people should be put away for possessing a small amount of drugs. AS our jails are very populated and cost taxpayers thousands of dollars, I don't find druggies as dangerous as murderers and would rather have taxpayer money spent on real threats to society. Drugs may be confiscated but people should not be given as steep consequences. Marijuana in particular isn't very dangerous and has already permeated society. No law can really stop it without very intense legislation. It would also benefit our society by keeping the stereotypes of targeted minority drug use away from the news.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the US should decriminalize drug use, but only for certain drugs and certain amounts. There could be many positive impacts, as it would decrease the number of short-term prisoners and it would encourage more people to go to rehabilitation programs. I believe that it would be beneficial to decriminalize marijuana use, but to still have reprocussions for possession; at the end, illegal is illegal, and while punishments should not be severe, there should still be reprocussions. However, there could be drawbacks, as more people would be willing to experiment with drugs, as they are not as afraid of the consequences. For larger-scale operations, I don't think that the government should decriminalize at all, as their negative impacts are far more widespread.
ReplyDeleteDecriminalization wpuld be beneficial for the economy for many reasons. First being that keeping people in jail is extremely expensive and second, that marijuana becoming a taxable item that is part of our economy would increase profits for businesses and the government.
ReplyDeleteDecriminalization wpuld be beneficial for the economy for many reasons. First being that keeping people in jail is extremely expensive and second, that marijuana becoming a taxable item that is part of our economy would increase profits for businesses and the government.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that decriminalizing certain drugs will be whats best for America in the long run. This would help decrease the number of incarcerations and help control the overpopulated prisons. Along with this, it would allow extra tax money be directed towards other important causes than to the prisons. However, I believe if we decriminalized drugs such as cocaine, meth, heroin and other hard drugs there would be huge negative effects across the country.
ReplyDeleteI believe that people should only be put in jail for drug possession based on how much they have in possession and how illegal the drug is within the United States. For example, someone who possesses small amounts of marijuana is less severe than other drugs because in many states, the drug is legal and with green cards, people can even grow their own amount as regulated and limited by the state. Other drugs that maybe are not as severe but are possessed in large quanities, especially in the case of selling, this should be taken more strictly and a punishment should be just and set accordingly, not necessarily always jail time. The same can be said for very illegal drugs that are found in someone's possession, the punishment for the crime should be just and fair, not necessarily debunking immediately to jail time. Decriminalization can be useful, helpful, and beneficial for the United States, but just like all other ideas, there is always room for improvements.
ReplyDeleteDrug possesion shouldn't be a severe punishment for drugs that are legal in someway. Unless they are used in a public area and causing a disruptive or offensive manner. The possesion of drugs such as cocaine or methanphetamines should be severely against the law and if any drugs are intended for sale the punishment should be established for any possesion and intention to sell to anyone. Decriminalization is not a useful or intended to improve.
ReplyDeleteI am in favor of decriminalizing. I think we as a society should not be shaming those with problems but reaching out to help them. And, honestly, the US can not keep up with the expenditure of housing all the inmates we currently have. Having a culture of shaming is not good overall as a nation because it discourages altruism and collaboration.
ReplyDeleteMarijuana being less destructive on the body than tobacco or alcohol, is definitely something worth legalizing if not to make the people happier with their own gov. but to eliminate the overcrowding of jails in a country that loves to brag about its freedom.
ReplyDeleteI believe in the decriminalization for possession of small amounts of almost all currently illegal drugs. The problem I believe, is that We as a country have been treating users and addicts as deserving of their own fate, not worthwhile to save. Moreover, drug addiction has not been treated as a mental illness, like most other addictions, but as a crime. A crime, that in fact, often has Minimum sentences of 20 years without parole. Many of these addicts must often accept plea deals, since if they took their case to court they would almost certainly lose and be stuck with a mandatory minimum sentence. Not only is this a gross violation of their rights, it is an erosion of our freedoms as a country. Some other countries have had great success with the complete decriminalization of drugs; the Netherlands and Portugal, for example, have seen their rates of addiction plummet and their prisons less crowded. Only the sale of moderate to large amounts of drugs should remain illegal; the people committing theses crimes are 99 percent of the time not users, but cartels and mafias. In short, the real people we should be after.
ReplyDeleteInteresting perspective from a well spoken conservative.
ReplyDeletehttp://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/09/29/opinion/david-brooks-the-prison-problem.html?referer=&_r=0
Decriminalization would be just one part of a solution.
Decriminalizing drugs would have both positive and negative effects. It could provide a benefit to the economy and it would be safer if people could do it legally. However it is very dangerous and could create problems. It will be important to watch how Oregon and Colorado develops over the next few years following the legalization of marijiuana. If things go well there, then we could see more states making the change. If it fails, then states won't follow and it will remain illegal. There hasn't been enough time yet to see how the experiment goes but it will reveal a lot.
ReplyDeleteIt is proven that legalizing marijuana use would benefit the country. Based purely on the fact that the taxes would bring in immense revenue and the lowering of people in jails would save even more money. Add in the people who die trying to move the drug and all the money that gangs and cartels will stand to lose due to the loss of business the choice is obvious.
ReplyDeleteYes, it would be very beneficial, it would reduce the amount of people in jail. It would reduce the amount of citations that are given out because of drugs. Blacks and Latinos would be given a sense of equality and being equal to whites. Downsides would be a greater supply and access to these drugs would be easier and it would be around more. Leading to kids trying these things and experiencing bad things at a young age.
ReplyDeleteI think that if drugs are decriminalized, it is the responsibility of the government to promote anti drug education in schools and within the community. I think the government should attempt to pass along as much information about the detriments of drug use to the students. Additionally, the government should provide other services such as a drug abuse hotline or other free services to help addicts and users.
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