Would the legalization and taxation of drugs be a boon to society?
Legalization would not only help societies but indeed, it would give the greatest "tool" into the hand of mankind to tackle and turn around the effects of climate change.
We all know, that us, humans have reached a critical point, whereas if we do not act right, inevitable is our demise.
More than ever in history, God has blessed us with greater wisdom and knowledge than he had blessed any former generations before us.
We, the people - need to say no to what is harmful to us, let it be systems of tyranny, oppression, infringements on our rights to Freedom, un-platonic democracy, slavery, inequity, hunger and famine!Posted by: AnonymousDrug legalization and taxation would absolutely have a positive impact on society, because it would result in safer usage.
If drugs are legalized, it brings a great degree of legitimacy to the industry that results in safer usage. Furthermore, the taxation and subsequent money made on legal drugs are a terrific alternative to the war on drugs that currently rages. A war on an abstract thing is everlasting and pointless.
Posted by: LiterateWarrenLegalizing and taxing drugs could help save a withering economy and promote social justice.
Our prison system is full to the brim with non-violent drug offenders. By legalizing drugs for personal use, we can free public resources used by prisons, while stimulating our economy with a new source of tax revenue. Adults need to be trusted to make their own decisions. The war on drugs is not only costly, but it is inhumane.
Posted by: ExoticCurtI think that the legalization and taxation of drugs would be a boon to society, because many people use drugs and the money paid could benefit our society.
I think we should legalize and tax drugs, and it would be a boon to our society. Many people currently buy illegal drugs and pay good money for them. If we legalized these and charged taxes, that would be a lot of money added to our society.
Posted by: FemaleTyron73We have all the artists, scientists, thinkers and now the media behind us. History will prove us right.
It will redefine what we know of as a society. Which is needed. It will bond community and create music where silence currently exists. It will prevent wars from occurring and allow us to move into a new era of consciousness. The deepest recesses of our "society" will be enlightened and raised. We will no longer worry about helping the Middle Class but instead look for way to eliminate poverty. Together we will reach the stars as when the US does in fact legalize Cannabis it will spread the world over. Maybe this is just one part of the 2012 "shift" so many have spoken about. Im just saying...Its not an end! All the corrupted institutions the word over...those who lie and cheat, they are failing. They are falling. Earth has som obvious lessons...we are offered some alternatives and we will be pressed to finally consider what once seemed impossible. We can and will power our lives.
Posted by: AnonymousThe legalization of drugs would be a clear boon to society
The legalization of soft drugs, not hard drugs, would be an obvious financial boon to society. The money that is currently being lost on uncollected taxes and the money spent on the War on Drugs could be reallocated. Beyond this less violence would occur within the country.
Posted by: TheevilClauit would save tons of tax dollars and take away the key tool in imprisoning communities of minorities.
Without the war on drugs and the industrial prison complex costing us billions or trillions of dollars there could be tons of money available for drug treatment. The war on drugs has been a tool (maybe not on purpose) that has contributed to keeping marginalized communities marginalized. Legalizing drugs and taxing them would help bring the prison population down and eliminate the ugly appeal to be a drug dealer that exists in poorer communities. With all the money made and saved from legalizing drugs we could address any drug problem in our country with treatment and a war on poverty.
Posted by: robhffmn1906Billion dollar industry
I don't do drugs but the legalization of all drugs would benefit society... The people who do drugs--do it even though it is illegal. So legalizing drugs would be a good decision. Illegal drugs cause violence and murder between cartels/gangs. Billions of dollars come from drugs, and it can create more jobs, bigger army, more police, bigger schools...Etc
Posted by: AnonymousI believe that taxing and legalizing drugs would help in reducing the number of people who are into selling drugs.
If drugs were legal and taxed, it would discourage some of the criminal element from smuggling drugs into our country. Those who sell drugs to make big money might not be so enthusiastic if they had to pay tax on their income. Also, I believe if drugs were taxed and legalized, there would be more control over where they can be sold and used, just as there is now over sale of alcohol.
Posted by: R0d0FerdyLegalize and Tax, nothing will change
If you legalized and taxed drugs the country could lose its national debt. Some people say that its going to cause violence and increase the crime rate but I don't know if you've ever been outside of your house because people get drugs at will everywhere. Its not hard to obtain any drug and if they're going to be out there the government might as well make a profit.
Posted by: AnonymousGreat way to piss off the drug dealers!
Legalization, regulation, and taxation would aid the economy to a great extent. Besides, they already prescribe your kids Ritalin = cocaine, and Prozac=dope, and a combination of the two = heroine. So let's take away the profit from the unethical quacks that want to solve everyone's problems with drugs for the kickback and give the power back to the people. Take away gov't spending for the War On Drugs and use it for DARE programs. Educate our kids; abolish the criminals.
Posted by: AnonymousProhibition did not work, neither does the war on drugs
Society obviously wants drugs, just like we wanted alcohol. It is still party of our society. Good or bad our pleasures and addictions will always be with us. As human beings with free will, we will do what we want and sometimes makings it illegal is all the more enticing. Is pot any worse than alcohol or tobacco? The taxes on alcohol, tobacco, even gasoline, have proven you can charge more and more and people will be wiling to pay the price. Throw them in jail, they still want what they want. Reduce the Federal Debt, put police to better use fighting real crimes. We need to create new jobs in this country right now, maybe this is one answer.
Posted by: AnonymousEconomics of supply and demand. When there is supply demand lowers.
The extent of what people will do these days in light of drugs is horrendous in stakes. At the least, get rid of the secrecy and the increased demand for the products so prices can go down, and violence is likely to hit a decline due to competition with once illegal channels. Economics will be the answer to the problem.
Posted by: BearIt would end the drug war, save lives, improve economy
-lives would be saved by the removal of the underground-forced sale of drugs. -the additional revenue from incise taxes on legalized drugs could assist in the removal of the income tax, which would help restore America's economy.
Posted by: AnonymousI am for legalizing and taxing specific drugs.
I believe that certain drugs should be legalized, with marijuana specifically in mind. Although it can be considered a slippery slope or a case of two wrongs make one right, I believe there are benefits of legalizing a drug. This would allow the taxation and control over the drug, and grab the control out of the various gangs and other criminal groups.
Posted by: Maximus WaltonThe health system is already paying for their effects.
1) Ethically- People should be able to do with their bodies whatever they would like, so long as it does not damage society or those around them.
2) Financially- The healthcare system already pays enough to treat people who suffer the ill effects of illegal drugs, why should that money not be recouped through tax.
3) Sanctioning- Splitting drugs into illegal and legal legitimises smoking, drinking and other bad health behaviours.
4) Social- The binge culture of alcohol does not translate to many drugs, if the people who were binge drinking and fighting in the streets were instead smoking pot then we might see less violence.Posted by: AnonymousDrugs are already a part of society, so why not regulate and tax them?
The legalization and taxation of drugs would be a boon to society, even if it would not be a boon for government. Drugs are not going anywhere. Jails and prisons all across the country are filled with drug offenders. Hundreds of police officers are tied up, busting small-time drug offenders, in lieu of busting violent criminals. Legalize drugs, and all this goes away. The only group in society that benefits from this mess is government and big business. Society is being choked out with this nonsense.
Posted by: J Lamb 43I think that much of the research shows that taxing and legalizing drugs would greatly lower imprisonment and law enforcement costs, while increasing tax revenue.
I think that there are studies that show even in countries where these drugs are legalized the usage amount is about the same. This means that in countries where it is illegal, money is wasted trying to stop a problem that will not be stopped. Also, the amount of money that could be produced by legalization and taxation is very large and would greatly help the current budget problems.
Posted by: ReaganBLegalization would improve security and finances of the Western Hemisphere.
The legalization of all drugs would reduce the crime rate not only in Central America where thousands of people have been killed by gangs that are largely financed by drugs being sold to US consumers but also many of those gangs originated in the US. Many of our jails are overcrowded with gang members who would have been forced to choose a different lifestyle had drugs not been forced underground. We need to have the government legalize, tax, and then discourage the use of drugs just like they did for tobacco. This brought tobacco usage from over 40% to under 20% usage by teens. The same could be done with other drugs as they are legalized and the prices brought sky high. This may drive them to alcohol but thats always been something our society has dealt with. The drug epidemic is reaching an all time high and the government needs to do something about it.
Posted by: AnonymousThe legalization and taxation of drugs would be a boon to society for several reasons, one of which is the savings of money currently being spent on the war on drugs.
The huge amount of money which is currently being spent on the war on drugs could go to more productive pursuits to benefit society. If drugs were legal, the black market would be eliminated and therefore the amount of crime connected to illegal drugs would not exist. Legalizing drugs would also remove a lot of the allure and mystique that draws kids to start in the first place. Regulating legal drugs that could be taxed would be a great economic boon for government and it would be harder for kids to get their hands on the drugs.
Posted by: JeffP4ri5It would benefit society if done correctly
I think that marijuana should be legalized, but not other drugs. As other people have stated, there are certain drugs that make people violent, and those are the ones people should be regulating. Looking at the state of California, which has decriminalized marijuana and a large medical marijuana base, the crime rates have not gone up. This alone should show people that it is not dangerous.
Posted by: AnonymousLegalize all drugs and place a tax on them
Drugs are out there and people upon people do them day in and day out. There doing them right now. Are they legal? No. As stated by GrannyBee above, his whole statement is valid. I haven't studied this but I'm willing to bet a lot, that if drugs were legal crime rate would go down. This would be because there not hiding them and not going to do anything to not get caught. Its hard to explain in text. I am not a drug user but if I was standing in front of you I promise I that I would have a better argument to legalize them rater then to not and every line of defense you have I would have a better answer for it to be legal.
Posted by: AnonymousProhibition didn't work for alcohol, and it doesn't work for drugs
People will get what they want, regardless of the cost. Legalize marijuana, tax it, and wipe out the national debt. I have seen Alcohol also make people irritable and violent, even violent enough to commit murder. This country has the highest prisoner population in the world, and the highest number of prisons. Many of those prisoners could be released, saving millions upon millions for their care and supervision in prisons. Moderation in all things, that's what the Bible says. The only real control is self-control.
Posted by: GrannyBeeLegalizing drugs would be a boon, economically and socially.
By changing the drug laws there would be a domino effect on society. The number of inmates being supported by our prisons would drop drastically, reducing the amount of tax dollars needed to fund the prison system. Then, many who have been incarcerated can then be hired to help run the newly founded supply systems. No one knows the ins and outs of growing weed better than some one who did it in face of federal charges. The tax on the drugs could be used to fund a national health plan, giving many of the people who use access to a better life.
Posted by: R0II4IcyThe legalization and taxation of drugs would be a boon to society,. It would destroy the illicit drug trade, put drug dealers out of business, and be profitable to cash-strapped states and municipalities.
When drugs are illegal, as Prohibition amply demonstrated, it creates an opportunity for the underworld to enrich themselves and consolidate power by providing a necessary service. Legalizing drugs and taxing them would provide the dual benefit of putting drug dealers and drug runners out of business, and putting money in the hands of cash-strapped cities and states. Further, even harmful drugs would become less dangerous if sold legally, since their contents would be assured; many illegal drugs are not exactly what they claim to be, but contain even more dangerous substances.
Posted by: Br0FreexLeaglise and tax usage, but increse penalties
Legalization but high penalization for people who still sell the drugs despite government control would be my idea of a plan. The legalization but taxing of drugs that are less harmful would be useful. And safer for those who choose to use them. Amsterdam sells weed legally all the time, they dont have massive drug related crime rates. Though there is a fine line. More dangerous drugs like heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, Pink Ecstacy among others that are very risky and dangerous should never be legalized. MDMA is rated safer to use then Advil, in its pure MDMA form. BZP has killed no one. Shrooms that are the hallucinogenic but not toxic kind have done no major harm. Marijuana has been used and abused forever, yet still no one has died from Marijuana alone. LSD takes around 5000 times the required dose for a high to kill some one. This shows that not all drugs are as bad as they are made out to be. But encouragement to not use drugs among the young should definitely be addressed and used.
Posted by: AnonymousI support the legalization and taxation of drugs, because it would make money for the government in terms of tax revenue.
Our economy is very close to failing right now, and one of the ways to help revive it is to increase our tax revenue. While some may argue that legalizing drugs would cause more problems for society, in actuality, it would not, because there are already a number of people illegally using drugs. By legalizing these drugs, we create opportunities to tax their sale and increase our tax revenue.
Posted by: BentGeorge61The legalization and taxation of certain soft drugs would be beneficial to society.
From examining the history of the protocols in place for the use and possession of marijuana in The Netherlands, it is clear that the legalization of certain soft drugs can be beneficial. With legalization the police are able to closely monitor and contain the amount of and places where drugs are used. Furthermore, by taking these things off the black market and charging sales tax the government is able to take away the major source of funding for criminal gangs, then funnel the money gained from the tax into fighting truly dangerous drugs and criminal activity.
Posted by: RaymoCanyonsYes, society would benefit from legalization of drugs, because of the income it would generate.
Keeping drugs illegal is not stopping people from using drugs. All it does is turn people into criminals who wouldn't be, if they were legal. Not only would there be revenue from taxation, the people who wouldn't go to prison would save states millions of dollars every year. I also believe that not as many people would get hooked on drugs if they could see first-hand the results of hardcore use, because the user no longer has to hide who they really are.
Posted by: TownNoam
Yes it would but
It would be in the same way that forcibly prostituting 11 year old would. There would most certainly be a huge demand and thus a huge win fall for the gov't treasury. But I most certainly do not want to live in a nation that would openly profit from other peoples misery. Do you? It also depends on the drug we're talking about. I would ban cigs and legalize pot in a second. But if we're talking crack umm, not so much.
Posted by: AnonymousYes, if drugs enter the mainstream world of taxation and business then we will have fewer criminals and less expense taking care of the criminals.
Because drug use is illegal, prisons are brimming with people with drug convictions. This is very expensive for a society in more ways than one. The US has the highest percentage of its population incarcerated when compared to other countries of the world. This damages families and communities. If drugs were legal and the sale of them in the hands of the government and business then we wouldn't have nearly the number of criminals involved in the drug trade. Taxes gained from sales would also benefit society. I don't think there would be a huge increase in users either.
Posted by: 54IInfernoWhy do you think that its okay??
Why do you think its okay to make this change? I mean if people that do drugs are killing for what they want now, if we tax it and make prices of it go up, there is going to be a lot more people killed. Stores that would sell drugs would be in danger. Because of this debate. If they kill now what makes you think that they wont kill someone behind a counter at some store??? Stop thinking of just users in jail and on the streets a lot of people would be in danger, and all we care about is the government?? Really its going to be bad with or with out this law. Instill we think of a better way I think keeping drugs of the street and out of peoples homes is a good thing.
Posted by: AnonymousNo This idea should be discarded as impossible and undesirable.
Prohibitionists frequently argue that marijuana legalization would not be a panacea for the United States' drug problems. In addition, problems arising from illicit trafficking in cocaine, heroin, PCP, methamphetamine, and other drugs might still occur, as would problems arising from simple use of marijuana.
Posted by: JKleinI disagree that the legalization and taxation of drugs would be a boon, or benefit to society, since drug use can influence the crime rate.
The legalization and taxation of drugs would definitely not benefit a society. First of all, there are drugs (such as cocaine) that are illegal for a very good reason. For example, crack/cocaine can make a person very irritable and violent - even violent enough to commit murder. Taxing drugs will not do a lot of good since they are addicting and drug users will purchase them anyway. In general, I strongly believe that drugs should be prescribed by a doctor of physician to be considered legal.
Posted by: echagina