Would there be less crime if all drugs were legalised?

Answer 1

Did drink related crime go down with the 24 hour drinking laws? NO. Brits don't have the maturity and social concience to handle legalized drugs.

Answer 2

I think it probably would go down. There would not be any junkies robbing for a hit and no rockheads sculling round the streets. It was the 1969 Dangerous Drugs Act that created the drugs problem in the first place, it stopped junkies getting prescribed H, all that happened then was that a criminal black market grew up to service the needs of those who could not get legal H and we have the situation we have today. Now that we have 24 hour drinking, violent alcohol related crime has gone down and we do not have mayhem on the streets at chucking out time anymore. I believe this will be the same situation if drugs were legalised. This is what has happened in Spain where they are legal.

Answer 3

Yes of course. Let me ask you - if heroin and cocaine were legalised tomorrow, would you start taking it ? Do you know anyone who would ? Nope, me neither.

I don't smoke or get wrecked on alcohol every night either, even though it's legal. Why not ? Because I don't want to. Those that want to will find their drug of choice and use or abuse it as they see fit. If they want it badly enough, and it's illegal, they will break the law to get it.

Legalising drugs, like legalising alcohol, would bring lots of revenue to the government - all that money the dealers are currently making would go to the public purse. It makes you wonder why the tabloid media are so against legalising drugs, doesn't it ? Do they by any chance have an interest in this multi billion pound industry ? Surely not.

Legalise, control and tax drugs heavily. It will lose all its cool connotations for the young and the police work load will be halved (most police are in favour of de-legislation but are not allowed to say so publicly because it's not official policy)

Just a thought: Afghanistan and Pakistan (source of much of the world's opium) South America (source of most cocaine) Could the foreign policy of the US and UK have any connection with their refusal to legalise drugs ?

Answer 4

Yes there would be less crime.
All crime related directly to drugs would drop to zero of course, and knowing our latter day Krays (Brown and Blair), they'd soon have the entire industry regulated and taxed.
But crime would then start rising again because Tony Blair is continually creating new crimes. - Many of which are now so barmy that the Police don't enforce them. - But: You as an individual cannot choose which laws to obey. Just because the police aren't enforcing it, doesn't stop it from being a crime does it?
So next time you feel like doing a bit of DIY and changing your own front door, or fitting a dimmer switch in the kitchen, or opening the window while the radio is on, or putting the rubbish out a day early because you're going away, or arranging a game of postman's knock at the kids party, or joining in with the carols at the Market square at Christmas, please remember to feel guilty about being a criminal won't you.

Answer 5

On a philosophical level, yes. Something is defined by what it is not.
Drugs are not legal, therefore taking them is a crime. By changing the definition of drugs as legal, you remove them from the pool of 'illegal', and therefore, there would be less crime committed in thet sphere.

However...

I think you may be wondering, Will the legalisation of drugs decrease the consumption of drugs?

On a practical level, legalising something doesn't necesarily take away its 'danger' appeal. We THINK that people are attracted to taking drugs because they are not 'allowed', they are the forbidden fruit, if you wish. But the reality is that people take drugs because of their physiological and psychological effects. So, no I don't think it would decrease drug consumption.


It would just mean that there is one less thing that is 'illegal'.

Answer 6

No there would not be less crime because those who will do crime will. The drugs dont actually cause the crime the person does. Some one might blame drugs but reality is that a criminal on drugs will rob and hurt people and a regualar person on drugs will not.

Answer 7

A person the is addicted to drugs and can not hold a job. So he turns to crime to fund his drug habit. So we make drug use legal he still has no job so he still robs you. If the are legal you can get drugs from the store at any corner and it use jumps now 3xs the numbers are drugged out needing cash. Just how does this help?

Been there and done that. This is why we made them illegal in the first place.

Answer 8

I think less violent crime. Police would have more time and resources to spend investigating major crimes and do not have their hands tied going after minor drug offenses. If the drugs were taxed heavily, this benefit would be multiplied by more incoming tax revenue.

I think more white collar crime. Although drug lords and rival gangs would not be killing each other, corporations would be at each others throats to get a share of the profits. At times, possibly bending the rules to get an advantage.

As far as creating drug-addled criminals...? A drug user usually robs and steals from someone if they don't have drugs. They want drugs that they don't have the resources to get. If the drugs are legal, cheap and available, the user doesn't want to be out committing crimes, he/she wants to be doing his/her drugs.

Answer 9

No because with drugs come addicts, and addicts stop at nothing to get a hit-even if that means murder. Just like alcohol, we would have to worry about more case of people driving under the influence of drugs and destoying innocent lives.

Marijuana was once legal until the late 1930s. It was outlawed due to behavioral patterns that were recorded (and assumed). Some were true, others were blatantly racist and stereotypical.

Answer 10

There would be less crime for drugs if we brought in the death penalty for dealing and possession of a certain amount of drugs, as is done in some other countries.