NCJ Number
127680
Date Published
1991
Length
35 pages
Annotation
The argument for drug legalization is highly questionable in its historical, sociocultural, and empirical underpinnings and demonstrably naive in its understanding of the negative consequences of a legalized drug market.
Abstract
The whole idea of even articulating a legalization policy is complex. Not only have legalization proponents failed to answer such questions as which drugs would be legalized, they have yet to even pose them. Moreover, there is little support for this argument in either published research data or clinical experience. By contrast, there are numerous legitimate arguments against the legalization of drugs, all of which have considerable empirical, historical, pharmacological, and clinical support. Considerable evidence exists to suggest that the legalization of drugs would create behavioral and public health problems to a degree that would far outweigh the current consequences of the drug prohibition. There are excellent reasons why marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and other drugs are now controlled, and why they ought to remain so. The assumption that any increases in the use of legalized substances will be insignificant ignores one of the most powerful aspects of American tradition: the ability of an entrepreneurial market system to create, expand, and maintain high levels of demand. 3 tables, 3 figures, 8 notes, and 69 references