The appropriate use of drugs is everyone’s responsibility, and whether legalized or illegalized by the government may not reduce its abuse. Drugs offer a source of income for many people; hence illegalizing them may not help the situation. Instead, the government needs to provide civic education to use drugs rightfully. Some states legalized drugs so that everybody should be responsible for ensuring that they understand the impact of drug abuse.
According to the motion debaters, the proposer side outlines two major points why the usage of harmful drugs should be legalized. The first reason is that the war on harmful drugs is full of hypocrisy where certain races (the African Americans) are the main target by the policymakers. Another point is that there is a need to educate people who use drugs without addiction.
Legalizing drugs will enable people to get more information, and levels of addiction will go down, this will help save the life rather than illegalizing drugs, which will make people be deprived of information on drug addiction, hence worsening the situation. The majority of Americans are using drugs, with less number being addicted. Legalizing drugs will make people get more information about drug abuse.
On the other hand, those who oppose the motion believe that drug abuse is an illegal activity that should not be allowed in US territory. Their perception is that there could be a possibility of increased addiction. This will lead to an increase in criminal activities. The other important aspect is the harmful effect associated with the consumption of illegal drugs, which has a bad attitude on users’ minds.
Legalizing drugs consumption will not lead to a reduction in their usage, as has been the case in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, and other countries that have legalized their use of them. They assert that though there is a need to ensure justice and equal treatment by the policymakers legalizing them will be the worst mistake that the government should not make.
In conclusion, therefore, I believe that the use of drugs should be legalized. I learn that the war against harmful drugs is full of hypocrisy where the blacks are the primary target by the policy enforcers. This made me change my mind about the war against harmful drugs and believe that educating people on drug abuse is a more important way to use illegal drugs than illegalizing their consumption.