Should Drugs be legalized?? Taylor Allen Book report

Should Drugs be legalized??

Taylor Allen

Book report

I have honestly read this book, this quarter from cover to cover_________________________.

1. Title:Should Drugs be legalized?

2. Author:Susan Neibeurg Terkel

3.Pages:159

4.Characters and their roles.

There are no characters in this book, however there are many different variables that effect the situation.

Number of Users-- Would drug legalization dramatically increase drug use?

Money Spent-- Should we spend more money on a cause we are already losing?

Decriminalization-- Should drug use be decriminalized?

People in prison because of drug use-- Should they be in prison? Does it help the situation?

Taxation of drugs-- Is taxation of drugs possible?

Is it worth the risk?

5.Book rating: I would rate this book a 4. The book was very informative. It maintained a very neutral standpoint. It is well written. It has a variety of different sources. I found frustration, however, with the age of the book. The book was published in 1990. I feel as though I have a good concept of the consequences and different variables of drug legalization, but I know that the majority if not all of the facts that I read are outdated.

6. Law Terms

Legalization-- The repeal of laws against recreational drug use.

Decriminalization-- When violation of a law is treated as civil instead of a criminal offense.

De facto legalization-- When law enforcement ignores a law

Convention-- Treaty or agreement

Money laundering-- Funneling the cash profits from illegal drug sales into legitimate bank accounts, businesses, and other operations.

Interdiction-- Seizing drugs in transit or upon arrival at a country's border

Iatrogenic addiction-- Doctor-caused addiction

Extradition-- Surrendering a suspect to another jurisdiction or country for prosecution

Eradication-- Destruction of illegally grown drug crops, for example, by spraying herbicides.

7. Book Summary

Should drugs be legalized??

There are many different concepts in this book I will try to cover the majority of them chapter by chapter of the book.

1 Prophecies of Change

2The government of the United States has tried to stop drug use for about 90 years now. We still have not succeed against turning the tide of drug use, and the consequences it has. Are we adding to this problem by trying to regulate something that is above our control. Is there a better way to try to regulate drugs? Over 14 million Americans use drugs regularly. Does Criminalization of drugs hurt more than it helps?

3 History of Regulation

4 Iatrogenic addiction, is addiction that is caused by a physician prescribing a drug that the patient cannot stop taking, even when the treatment is complete. In the 18th and 19th centuries opiates were used extensively in medicine for pain, sleeplessness, diarrhea, anxiety, and insanity. They were often prescribed for malaria, smallpox, syphilis and tuberculosis. Many people became addicted to opiates. Narcotics were also widely prescribed.

5 Coca- Cola had cocain in their soda until 1903. During the 20th century, drug use began to be regulated by the government.

6 Laws against Drugs

7This chapter deals with the current regulation of drugs. The controlled substance Act of 1970, established the regulation of all drugs. Drugs are placed in five categories that are determined by their 1) Possible Medical Use 2) Potential for Abuse AND 3) Safety or Dependence Liability. These five categories or schedules determine what the drugs may be used for. This chapter also discusses who how enforcement currently works and what the penalties are for breaking the law.

1 How would legalization Work?

2This chapter gives several possible scenarios of how drugs could be legalized and how it would work, while including advantages and disadvantages of each. There are three ways of how drug law could be reformed, By a court decision, a statute, or by popular vote. There are several options when it comes to drug reform. All laws restricting drugs could be repealed. Certain drugs could be legalized. De Facto Legalization and decriminalization can be used.

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4 A Right or Ridiculous Idea?

5People do dangerous things all the time. They go skydiving. They smoke cigarretts, or they drive a motorcycle when a crash or fall is generally inevitable. Is it our place to regulate the behaviors of others? Do people have a right to use drugs? Discussion of fourth amendment rights.

6 The Billion Dollar Industry?

7Drugs are currently sold in the black market. If drugs were to be legalized, much, much less money would go straight to the black market which invitably ends up supporting additional crime. Instead drugs could be taxed. It is estimated that 10 billion dollars per year could be taken in by the government. This money could be used for treatment, prevention, ext.....

8 Can Legalization reduce crime?

9Many arrests are made in the behalf of simple recreational drug use, without violence ext. . Most prisons are overfilled, and there is not room to house recreational drug users. If drugs are legalized criminals will take in less money from selling drugs as they will be more readily available and which will decrease the costs.

10 Do Drug laws overburden enforcement?

11Attempting to enforce all drug use is very difficult. Might our efforts be better spent in another fashion? Interdiction is largely innefective. As is attempting to further sealing of the boarders. Eradication is harmfull to the environment, the people who grow drug plants to support themselves and their families. There is a large burden on the judicial system to try all these people as well.

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13 The Effect of Legalization on foreign policy

14Not all countries are cooperative to comply with attempting to stomp out drug use. Drug Cartels have a great control over governments in the area and often kill mercilessly to maintain their position. Treaties are mainly ineffective and many countries do not honor them. Few countries extradite their criminals. We have some DEA agents in other countries working to improve the global situation.

15 What's the Gamble??

16There are many different variables to the situation, and we are unsure of how things will change if drug policy is reformed. Would reform eventually lead to improving the situation or would it create more problems? What about the drug use of minors? It would most likely be illegal but, largely minors are the ones who are using drugs.

Conclusion: It is hard to know if drug reform would help or hurt the situation, but additional evauation of the situation, and action is necessary if we hope to have a better situation. We put a man on the moon. We have the intelligence to come up with a solution. We need to implement one, as there are many problems with the current situation.