In Favor of a More Liberal Drug Policy Essay - 826 Words

In Favor of a More Liberal Drug Policy In William J. Bennett’s address entitled â€Å"Drug Policy and the Intellectuals,† Bennett maintains that the drug problem in America can be ultimately solved. In my opinion, the drug problem in America is one that cannot be completely resolved to the point where drug use no longer exists in America, but drug abuse can be alleviated. One effective way to do this would be to legalize the personal use of drugs that are more common and less potent (like marijuana), and to stop wasting time and tax dollars punishing minor offenders. Legalizing the use of soft drugs would help bolster the U.S. economy, partially because the government would have the ability to tax these drugs. This includes†¦show more content†¦A policy that focuses on imprisoning all drug users and dealers is the type of policy that is prone to hurt America economically. Drug prohibition may be a factor that is actually encouraging the spread of harder drugs. As government officials and police officers become more skilled in capturing drug smugglers and dealers, the pushers find more efficient ways to transport and conceal drugs, creating a larger supply and often making hard drugs more accessible and affordable to the common user. Although the government has succeeded in raising marijuana prices from $20 and ounce in the 1960’s to $200 an ounce today, the price of cocaine has fallen from $50,000 a kilo in the 1970’s to $10,000 a kilo today. Also, the potency and composition of these drugs is often unpredictable. If the government legalized these more minor drugs, as Milton Friedman pointed out in his essay â€Å"There’s No Justice in the War on Drugs,† they’d have the ability to regulate them and make them less dangerous than they would have been if they’d been sold on the street. Bennett’s arguments against the legalization of drugs are somewhat one-sided. This may have been why I was more convinced by Friedman’s essay, which relied more on concrete facts than on the pretense that the opposing argument was trivial. In â€Å"Drug Policy and the Intellectuals,† Bennett says, â€Å"To call it a ‘debate’ suggests that the arguments in favor of drug legalization are rigorous, substantial,Show MoreRelatedLiberal Vs. Liberal Views On A Political Issue876 Words   |  4 PagesConservative Versus Liberal and Their Views on a Political Issue: Liberals believe in government assistance to solve problems. The government’s job is to protect its citizens’ rights and the civil liberties. It is also to ensure that no citizen is in need and provide the equality for all humans. In regards to abortion, liberals believe in women’s right of choice. They don’t view a fetus as human life, not granting it separate rights. They also believe that abortions should be funded by taxpayer dollarsRead MoreThe Social Security Act ( Ssa ) Of President Franklin D. 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