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Drug Use Should Be Legal in America

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Next year, America will have undergone two changes that seem to run counter to each other. Absinthe will be legal, while the hallucinogen salvia is currently in the process of becoming illegal in the states. While absinthe has long been maligned as a hideous threat to life and society, salvia is known to be rather harmless unless smoked or chewed in very high doses. However, the potential for harm with any drugs does not conern me. What does is their legal status. I think that all drugs (including cigarettes, alcohol and even meth) should be made legal for anybody 18 years or older. Drug legalization will not cause the downfall of society, it could easily save some lives and it would cerainly put more money in government coffers, allowing more funding for things like road improvement, technology research and education.
First things first. Alcohol was once abhorred to the point of being banned in America, on the grounds that it would cause irreparable damage to the structure of society. As we all learn in school, Prohibition didn't last all that long. Since alcohol was re-legalized, it has clearly not destroyed the U.S. Alcohol use is generally not allowed at most workplaces, and such would be the case with any other drug. Also prominent is the fact that many drugs which are prohibited in America are not in the Netherlands. Dutch society is not some hellish, broken world and Holland is a thriving first world country. I am skeptical (to say the least) that letting people eat magic mushrooms will kill America.
This is probably a good time to address methamphetamine. My opinion is that if someone is stupid enough to cook up things like cough syrup, ammonia and lithium, then smoke the product, those people might not be the most valuable members of society anyway. They can go right ahead and mess up their lives.
Drug legalization would, on the other hand, be able to save many other lives. Just like with cigarettes and alcohol, the government could regulate production and prices of any drugs. Varying potencies and warnings could be established. If drug strength and content were regulated and drugs legalized, manufacturers who make drugs in unhealthy ways would become obsolete and drug use might easily become much safer.
Legal drugs would also allow the government to collect more taxes. More government funds can spell more money being spent on improvements in fields such as education, transportation and technology research.
Drug use should be legal in America. It would benefit the government and not harm the populace.





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Andrew M. This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Dec. 6, 2012 at 9:20 pm:
I agree 100% with this article. The legal status of a drug does not prevent anyone from using. I choose to smoke marijuana on occasion, althought this is illegal, and have never touched tobacco in my life, because I understand its dangers. If drugs were legal, more people wouldn't do them, just less people would die of overdoses. Also more people could go to detox and curb their addiction rather than dying or spending their lives in jail. Thank you for having some sense! It is quite ref... (more »)
 
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Kalyn92 said...
Jul. 18, 2012 at 11:31 am:
Can you actually prove that thousands of people died from pot?
 
TheSihlouettedMan replied...
Aug. 2, 2012 at 12:01 pm :
Oh and don't give me any of that sh#% about it being used for medical reasons! That's only when someone is suffering an illness that will inevitably lead to death and they need a way to numb the pain.
 
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TheSihlouettedMan said...
Jul. 5, 2012 at 7:33 pm:
This is precisely the kind of thinking that scares me about the newest generation and what they might fight for in the future. AND I'm PART OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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TheSihlouettedMan said...
Jul. 5, 2012 at 7:33 pm:
This is precisely the kind of thinking that scares me about the newest generation and what they might fight for in the future. AND I'm PART OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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Gage R. said...
Jan. 11, 2012 at 7:15 am:
jordan smith (jordan s.) you live on woodpecker road in tecumseh Michigan 49286 gose to tecumseh middle school and ur in 7th grade and ur 13 and chubby
 
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Gage R. said...
Jan. 11, 2012 at 7:11 am:
i dont think meth should be legal it is bad fo yo teeth
 
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Kalyn92 said...
Nov. 26, 2011 at 6:19 pm:
The only drug in my opinion that should be legal is Marijuana. Its natural and NO ONE has died from pot. People get it medically! It helps cancer patents eat and relax. I know when i used to smoke pot, i never got angry or went on a rampage. Ive never seen anyone get angry on pot. Now with Meth and herion?...I do not see how that is safe for anyone.
 
TheSihlouettedMan replied...
Jul. 5, 2012 at 7:36 pm :
I don't intend to be a jerk but I have to tell you that it is actually a proven fact that thousands of people have died from the use of pot and the only reason that it is legalized for hospitic use is because if someone has a deathly illness that will kill the in the future the drug pot, can be used to lessen pain.
 
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swcricket98 said...
Jun. 27, 2011 at 12:57 am:
Honestly, I didn't even feel like I needed to read this. I don't believe that any of you realize why these drugs are not legal in the first place. People DIE because of drugs. People make idiotic mistakes while under the influence. People can't make desicions while they are high. NO way. This is absolutely ridiculous. Are there any responsible people in the world any more?
 
Thoreau420 replied...
Jul. 3, 2011 at 7:24 pm :
There are people looking for freedom. It if it harms no one but yourself, why should you be restricted? I hate drugs like meth and crack and heroin and even alcohol. If I was the supreme ruler, Marijuana would be the only legal drug. But I'm not, I realize others want to poison themselves, so why should I care if they do? They're going to do it anyway, whether it's legal or not, so why not at least try to regulate it effectivley instead of this phony war on drugs. In fact, I bet that the amount ... (more »)
 
Fluffy2772 replied...
Jul. 19, 2011 at 12:12 pm :
Prohibition clearly proved that making drugs illegal does NOT work at all. If the government regulated drugs, it would also control what is currently the largest source of income for street gangs.
 
swcricket98 replied...
Aug. 10, 2011 at 7:25 pm :
Whatever ya'll want to think.
 
TheSihlouettedMan replied...
Jul. 5, 2012 at 7:44 pm :
Thank you, I cannot share how much I understand how you feel swcricket98! I'm afaraid the number of responsible people may be dwindling too.
 
TheSihlouettedMan replied...
Jul. 5, 2012 at 7:52 pm :

To Fluffy2772: Not true, prohibition obviously was not a good move, but alcohol use can be controlled. If prohibition were used as an example it doesn't show why all the other laws keeping drugs illegal are working. Honestly, legallizing this stuff only lets gangs and dealers and everyone else come out from under their covers and sell the stuff out in the open, turning America into a real h#ll hole.

A saying to be used:

"Lowering the need to enforce standards in societ... (more »)

 
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rockyraccoon said...
Jun. 17, 2011 at 9:29 pm:
i agree the goverment could control the drug trade maby make weaker versions of strong drugs and use the profits to help with other things it would hurt and even stop many gangs all over the place.
 
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tori@101.com said...
Apr. 22, 2011 at 9:16 am:
I think all drugs should be banned to everyone no matter what age
 
Evie52 replied...
May 25, 2011 at 4:31 pm :
i think the same thing as you drugs are bad for you unless they are legal and used in the right way
 
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tati_pax said...
Apr. 14, 2011 at 12:28 pm:
ithink that pot should be legalized..there are very few other things that ithink would be worth the risk of legalization
 
bored_schoolboy replied...
May 13, 2011 at 12:19 pm :
Your right, its easy to defend marijuana being legalized but thats because its the safest drug out there. People die more from Asprin than most other illegal drugs but were not about to make that illegal
 
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