Bill_Piper_Marijuana_Legalization

As you might have guessed by the title, my article addresses the issue of legalizing marijuana. Bill Piper is for the legalization of the drug. He starts by addressing the fact that more than three quarters of Americans believe the drug war has been ineffective. 40 years after the drug war began; we have little to show for our efforts. In fact, many well-respected politicians have used illegal drugs themselves. Some may think prohibiting a drug will save lives, however drug related deaths have actually increased. Piper also addresses the racial disparities between those who are charged and convicted with drug charges and the many other problems that arise with illegal drugs. Making drugs illegal has actually caused a rise in other diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis C due to restrictions on clean needles. The consequences that can arise from possession of illegal drugs causes some people to shy away from calling for help, even when a friend is overdosing, which also helps increase the number of drug related deaths. Drug use doesn’t just affect the users it also affects the people close to them. Many families have been torn apart due to drug addiction and the fact that many people were incarcerated just for possession. The fact that African Americans are heavily targeted for drug charges is rather disappointing. I thought we had got past inequality by now; but while only 15 percent of drug users are African American, they make up 59 percent of those convicted for drug violations. We are seeing a prosperous black market for drugs, just as we saw with the prohibition of alcohol. If the government regulated marijuana, then it could cut out the shady drug dealers making the market safer. It is easy to find the strength in the author’s arguments. For instance, it is common sense that if less state and federal resources were spent arresting and prosecuting those in violation of minor drug laws, there would be more resources available to catch more dangerous criminals. Also those charged with minor drug offenses take up spots in jails that would be better suited for a violent offender that we do not want on the streets. However, a weakness is evident when he mentions users not becoming addicted. Millions of people are addicted to caffeine because they have to drink it everyday. Also cocaine is a highly addictive drug and is much more likely to get someone hooked than caffeine. I agree with the points made in the article. I feel that there is a big financial gain that will come from taxing marijuana. Also allowing the government to regulate it will help get rid of bad drug dealers that put other drugs in which may harm others. Legalizing marijuana will make it safer for the public. I believe now is the time to legalize marijuana, however other illegal drugs such as heroine, meth and cocaine should remain banned. This article broadens our understanding of global affairs because it talks about the drug problem in Mexico. The corruption and drug dealers have gotten so out of hand that they are competing with the government for power and are putting up a good fight. While their situation is much worse than ours, it shows what ours could become if a remedy is not put forth.