According to dictionary.com, the main entry for the word drug is "a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being." So what is your definition of the word drug? For most people it has a negative connotation, contrary to the aforementioned definition. I have, for several months now, been researching this topic and through my research i have found only more overwhelming evidence supporting my case. Empirical evidence shows that there are more benefits than negative consequences of legalizing all drugs.

Currently in the U.S., with our conservative drug policies, there is a steady increase in drug abuse. The White House Drug Policy reports a steady increase in illicit drug use among the overall U.S. population over a period of 22 years. In 1979, the percentage of U.S. citizens reporting illicit drug use was above 31%. In 2001 it was almost 42%, an increase of nearly 11%. (8) Leslie Iversen, a faculty member at the University of Oxford, recognizes the harm that cannabis sativa, also known as marijuana, does to the human body, but also claims that "there is a general consensus among medical and scientific experts that the health hazards of cannabis have been exaggerated." She continues by stating that in Europe, countries differ widely in their approach at drug reform, making examples of the Netherlands, where the so-called "Dutch Experiment" has legalized marijuana for the past 30 years, and most Scandinavian countries where drugs are quite illicit. (3) according to the Drug Policy Alliance Network, "Dutch rates of drug use are lower than U.S. rates in every category." (1) Marijuana. however, is not the only drug whose subsequent scheduling in Schedule 1 has been brought into question.

In the early 1900's, a German company patented a drug called MDMA. Only a select few psychiatrists experimented with it, mainly with married couples. they found that the drug worked quite well. Sometime in the 1970's MDMA emerged as a street drug under the label "ecstasy." According to an archived New York Times article, on July 1, 1985, against quite a bit of resistance from the medical community, MDMA was scheduled alongside marijuana in Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act, strictly prohibiting any use of the drug. (4) Before 1985, no deaths were reported in result of MDMA use. MDMA related deaths have increase 1 in 1994 to an apparently underestimated76 in 2001. (7) According to Dr. Rick Doblin, he and his colleagues wish to someday use MDMA in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. (6) most if not all drugs have similar stories in which their prohibition lead to a subsequent increase in abuse and bodily harm.

The only effective long term solution to this problem is the legalization and regulation of currently illicit narcotics, specifically of those scheduled in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. This includes, but is not limited to, the drugs mentioned above and other drugs whose prohibition is often put into question including cocaine and heroin. One logical opposition to this claim is that DUI's and DWI's will increase at an alarming rate. In a survey that I gave to a class, of 12 people surveyed, 42% felt strongly that this would be the case. It is true that DUI's and DWI's are quite common in the U.S. and this is a very serious problem. Most states report the percentage of their highway fatalities that involve alcohol to be over 50%. One of the few that doesn't, however, reporting the lowest percentage in this category in the country -- the state of New Hampshire -- happens to have some of the most liberal DUI and DWI laws in the U.S. (5) Treatment, rather than strict punishment of such offenders, is the true answer to this issue.

On top of the obvious benefits of drug legalization, there are some hidden bonuses we could look forward to. One such benefit is that organized crime will go down exponentially. A Canadian public safety website claims that "[drug trafficking] remains the main source of revenue for organized crime groups." (2) By logic we can see that legalizing drugs will cut off this source of revenue and severely cripple organized crime groups. Another benefit is that violent crime in inner city areas and elsewhere relating to drug trafficking will be tremendously impacted as there would no longer be a need for dealers. The economy will be boosted also as there will be another good on the market that we can manufacture, tax and sell while simultaneously creating more job opportunities.

If we do not legalize drugs, consequently, the economic depression we are currently in will be much harder to work our way out of, organized crime will continue, violent crimes will continue to rise in number, and our prisons will continue to be overloaded with nonviolent drug criminals.

I feel that the U.S.'s current drug policies are counterproductive and are in dire need of reform. Unfortunately most U.S. citizens do not realize this problem and, in effect, California Proposition Number 5, a proposition that would have made these policies closer to a reality, was voted down overwhelmingly on November 4.

The next time you see a proposition in your state, a petition, or anything else regarding drug legalization, please get involved and do your part to further the efforts of the many doctors and other citizens who want to make America, and the rest of the world, a better place.

WORKS CITED:

1. Drug Policy Alliance Network, http://www.drugpolicy.org

2. Government of Canada website, http://www.canada.gc.ca, Date Published: 2003- 07-29, Last Modified: 2003-07-29

3. Leslie Iversen, Cambridge University Press, http://journals.cambridge .org, Department of Pharmacology

4. New York Times, Associated Press, Drug, Published June 1, 1985, http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9805E5DE1439F932A35755C0A963948260&sec=health&spon

5. Ric Harrison, Copyright © 1997, Community Alcohol Information Program, DWI Statistics, http://www.nh-dwi.com/caip-206.htm, From statistics compiled by the U.S. Dept. of Transportation and the N.H. Department of Safety

6.Rick Doblin, Ph.D., a Clinical Plan for MDMA (Ecstasy) in the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Partnering With the FDA, http://www.maps.org/news-letters/v12n3/12305dob.pdf, MAPS, Volume xii, number 3, autumn 2002

7. The DEA Online, Statistics, http://thedea.org/statistics.html

8. White House Drug Policy, http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov, P.O. Box 6000, Rockville, MD 20849-6000