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Legalize Drugs: Just Say Never

NCJ Number
136923
Journal
National Review Dated: (April 1990) Pages: 42-44,59
Author(s)
M S Gold; E Van Den Haag; M S Gazzaniga
Date Published
1990
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Three opinions on the legalization of illicit drugs are presented in this article.
Abstract
The first writer opposes the legalization of drugs, arguing that current drug prevention programs are reaching large numbers of adolescents and are reducing overall levels of drug abuse; that legalization of drugs, particularly crack cocaine, will increase the number of addicts; that the legalization of tobacco and alcohol is no reason to decriminalize other dangerous substances; and that most drug-related crimes are committed while the user is in the drugged state, therefore legalization will not reduce associated crimes. The second writer advocates instituting tougher sanctions for drug buyers as a means of deterring recreational use of drugs and of reducing the demand for imported drugs. The third writer, who favors legalizations, bases his arguments on several points: that the legalization of tobacco underlines the duplicity and confusion of policy issues concerning drug abuse, that drug-related crime rates have not increased with the advent of crack, and that research shows that casual cocaine users avoid crack because of the publicized dangers of its abuse.