Drug Legalization

Work Cited

Since the late 1800s, the government of the United States has engaged in efforts to prohibit its citizens

from using certain drugs. The first law that prohibited the use of a specific drug was an 1875 San

Francisco, Calif., ordinance that banned the smoking of opium in opium dens. Illegal drug use became a

highly visible issue in the U.S. in the 1960s and 1970s. Rising crime rates were attributed to an increase

in drug use. Since President Richard Nixon first launched a "war on drugs" in the 1970s, the U.S. has

become even more aggressive in its fight against illegal drugs. America's drug war also influences its

policies with drug-producing countries like Colombia, Peru, and Mexico. Some people claim the war on

drugs has led to racial profiling, violations of civil liberties, and an alarming rise in the prison population.

Others see the legalization of marijuana as the next step in fighting the illegal drug trade. But despite all

the efforts made to curtail the supply of illegal substances, these drugs continue to be available.

"Topic Overview: Drug Control." ProQuest LLC. 2012: n.pag. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 12 Nov

MEXICO CITY—Voters in Colorado and Washington state who approved the recreational use of

marijuana Tuesday sent a salvo from the ballot box that will ricochet around Latin America, a region

that’s faced decades of bloodshed from the U.S.-led war on drugs.

Experts said the moves were likely to give momentum to countries such as Uruguay that are marching

toward legalization, to undercut Mexican criminal gangs and to embolden those who demand greater

debate about how to combat illegal substances.

“The trend is toward legalization,” said Jorge G. Castaneda, a former Mexican foreign minister who’s an

The decision by voters in Colorado and Washington to legalize marijuana for recreational use puts those

states—the first to approve outright legalization—at loggerheads not only with the federal government

but also with global treaties that label marijuana a controlled substance.

Johnson, Tim. "US Votes to Legalize Pot May Encourage Latin American Efforts..." McClatchy

Newspapers. 07 Nov 2012: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 13 Nov 2012.

As a former chief federal prosecutor in Washington state, I observed firsthand our nation's

dangerous marijuana policy. Decades of experience demonstrates marijuana prohibition has failed to

reduce use by tens of millions of Americans.

Instead, international drug cartels, violent gangs and street pushers control the trade and reap the

profits. Our sworn officers and agents put themselves at risk every day to defend this flawed policy.

Public safety suffers under marijuana prohibition and so does public health. Marijuana use is not

without risk, but these risks are nothing like those of heroin, cocaine or meth.

Leaving marijuana in the hands of black-market profiteers prevents us from regulating potency

or purity, testing for adulterants or requiring accurate labeling.

Opponents of reform argue that legal access for adults will increase use by kids. Youth already

have easy access to marijuana. Street dealers don't check ID, and they don't have to worry about losing

their business license if they offer more dangerous drugs like heroin, cocaine and meth.

We don't need to arrest adults for using marijuana to discourage children from doing the same.

Academic and scientific studies have shown that removing criminal penalties for marijuana use does not

increase use among teenagers. In fact, peer-reviewed studies published in the Annals of Epidemiology

have shown a decline in marijuana use after laws have been reformed.

We also have a proven track record of influencing youth decision-making about substance use

through information campaigns, bans on advertising directed at our youth, and reshaping cultural and

We should legalize marijuana for adults, while tightly regulating and taxing its manufacture and

sale. Some argue we should wait for federal law to change before changing state laws. Our experience

with alcohol Prohibition suggests otherwise, and on Election Day, Washington state voters will lead the

way toward much-needed change in federal law and policy.

McKay, John. "Legalize Marijuana for Adult Users." USA TODAY. 30 Oct 2012: A.10. SIRS Issues

The United States' drug policy, often referred to as "the war on drugs," seeks to limit, prevent and

punish the importation, distribution, possession and use of illegal drugs. Brought to national attention in

1969 by President Richard Nixon, who deemed drugs "America's public enemy number one," drug policy

has changed and been updated many times since the nation's founding. Questions of health, morality

and free will are all raised in the debate concerning the country's restrictive drug policy, which prohibits

the use or misuse of most known illegal drugs.

Opponents of current US drug policy claim that the complete prohibition of drugs, based on the

assumption that even occasional drug use is morally wrong, does little to prevent drug abuse.

These critics claim that research and education, as well as social programs addressing poverty and

unemployment, will have more of an effect on the drug problem. They compare the country's zero-

tolerance drug policy to the United States' prohibition of alcohol between 1920 and 1933, which

spawned organized crime and ironically contributed to increased national alcohol consumption.

Other critics note the seemingly arbitrary nature of drug legalization, claiming that many illegal drugs

are no more dangerous -- and are sometimes less dangerous -- than many legal drugs such as tobacco,

caffeine and alcohol. Critics claim that even so-called "hard" drugs like cocaine and heroin have

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