NCJ Number
165838
Date Published
1997
Length
31 pages
Annotation
The argument for drug legalization focuses on the basic belief that prohibitions against marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and other drugs impose high costs in terms of tax dollars, crime, and infringements on civil rights and individual liberties, but the authors view drug legalization as a high-risk alternative in the war on drugs.
Abstract
Although drug legalization has been debated since passage of the Harrison Act in 1914, no logical and concrete proposals have been structured. Drug legalization is complex, and issues to be addressed in any proposal to legalize drugs concern what drugs should be legalized, what potency levels should be permitted, age limits, where drugs should be sold, whether the drug market should be totally free, what types of restrictions on drug use should be developed, and what government bureaucracy should be charged with enforcing drug legalization statutes. Considerable evidence exists to suggest that drug legalization will create public health and behavioral consequences. Cost-benefit considerations in drug legalization are noted, the drug-violence connection is examined, and drug legalization is discussed in relation to current drug use trends. Effects of marijuana, crack, cocaine, and heroin are addressed, as well as public opinion toward drug legalization. 77 references, 8 notes, 5 tables, and 3 figures