This is a note I published on my Facebook profile on May 15. It is replicated fully without any edits or revisions.
I’d like to have a rational discussion here [in reference to a comment war started from a prior note on H1N1], so comment and debate is cool. I’ll at least try to argue without the hotheadedness this time.
One of the most rampant problems in today’s society is urban poverty. While the problem of drugs may not be the primary reason that urban poverty occurs, near on anyone can concede that it is a contributing factor.
Many have suggested solutions to this problem, and I am the latest to throw my hat into the ring. My suggestion is short, and is well backed.
Legalize drugs.
Now, I know that drugs are a taboo issue in the United States. It drives families apart. Politicians don’t talk about them for fear of losing their constituency. But I feel that it may finally solve the problem of urban poverty.
Let me use a hypothetical. Take an average Joe Schmoe. He is addicted to crack cocaine. Joe lives in the ghetto in Detroit. He has no money from all the cocaine, and since he can’t get a job, must resort to theft and extortion to get his fix. He’d like to quit, but fears jail time for coming open about it to a rehabilitation center.
How can we fix this sort of thing by legalizing drugs? Simple. Economics show that illegalizing an item drastically raises its price, because the demand heightens on the black market. If Joe could go down to the convenience store and get his fix for $10 instead of $200, he’d have a lot more money in his pocket. Perhaps it could be enough, if over time, the $190 he keeps saving could get him an apartment outside of town (or at least in a better part of Detroit)? The money saved could also be applied as income for basic needs like rent and food, eliminating the need to steal and extort to survive. Finally, if he moves to a better part of Detroit, the opportunities for jobs like freelance work or employment where randomized drug testing isn’t taking place heightens dramatically.
Also, down the line, if he decides to quit, he can go into a rehabilitation center. The rehab clinic would be able to get him clean, and since crack cocaine is legalized, there would be no chance of going to jail because of it.
A second, but equally important advantage to legalizing drugs is the boost in government revenue it would provide. Let’s use crack cocaine again as an example. I’m going to lowball an estimate here, but let’s assume in the standard amount of a “hit,” 10 million of these hits are taken every year. If the government slapped a $1 tax on each hit for what is sold at a store, that’s $10 million in new revenue every year! It adds up.
My final argument is the elimination of the drug wars. If the government regulates the (formerly) illicit drug industry, what advantage do the crime families have to kill each other over drugs? It’s the government’s control now. With the dramatic drop in prices, no one would have a market to corner with cartels, effectively ending the violence.
To conclude, even with the social stigma attached, legalizing illicit drugs would improve our society greatly. Not only would urban poverty be stricken a crippling blow, but the government would gain in it, and crime over drugs would effectively end. My question for you is, when will we take the plunge?
nice job!