Pubdate: Sat, 27 Sep 2014
Source: Miami Herald (FL)
Copyright: 2014 Miami Herald Media Co.
Contact:  http://www.miamiherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/262
Author: Christiam Cardenas

LEGALIZE DRUGS

The War on Drugs has proven to be ineffective in achieving its goal, 
which is to reduce the supply and demand for illegal drugs. On the 
contrary, this war has contributed to an increase in the levels of 
corruption and violence in the past decades.

It has been said that legalization could result in a public health 
disaster because it would dramatically increase the number of 
addicts. Assuming the number of addicts increases, legalization would 
result in a large amount of government savings by not having to fight 
crimes related to illegal drug activities, and it would also result 
in a large amount of government revenue as a result of taxes on the 
new legalized drugs.

This significant amount of new resources at the government's disposal 
should be enough to help addicts and educate people about the 
negative consequences of drug abuse. It would make society more 
conscious about individual responsibility.

Legalizing drugs is worth it because the rewards can greatly outweigh 
the risks of maintaining the status quo.

CHRISTIAM CARDENAS, MIAMI
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