I live in a city with a very high crime rate, and usually all crimes are drug-related. If drugs were legal and sold for cheap prices at drug stores wouldn't that help cut down on crime a lot?
2007-08-14 13:46:00 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
Well given the fact that there wouldn't be any more shady drug dealing criminals/gangs/organized crime I'd say the answer would be YES. But then again you'd also put a lot of police out of a job as well & they certainly wouldn't want that to happen.
2007-08-14 13:52:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋
My guess is that if dangerous drugs were more freely available at lower prices, without fear of being arrested, half the nation would get addicted, productivity would end, and in another generation we'd be overrun by some enemy nation, and our nation would cease to exist.
Look at prohibition ... there was an experiment with banning alcohol, which led to a rapid rise in organized crime, and masses of the public in violation ... the experiment failed, and at the end of it, there was an organized crime problem on steroids, that had not existed at the start of prohibition.
Now right now we have a prohibition of sorts against various drugs ... if they were legalized, the criminals are going to find some other area to cause massive trouble.
I mean it is like Iraq ... right now Iraq is a magnet for terrorists. If we ever figure out how to do justice for the population that lives there, and exit our troops, the terrorists are not going to go home and celebrate their victory, no they are going to find new targets for serious mischef.
Ok, legalize drugs, or legalize bank robberies, or legalize kidnapping, or legalize anything you like that is now illegal, and two things happen
(a) whatever it was that was legalized becomes like an epidemic
(b) the criminals find some other way to make our lives hell
You might seek out someone who lives in Britain to ask how some of their schemes worked out.
People addicted to Heroin, Crack, etc. supposed to register with the government. They get a prescription for a substitute drug that relieves the craving, without doing the damage, and gives them a better chance of kicking the habit. After several decades, has this made a difference, with the numbers of people addicted, the level of drug violence?
Prostitutes are supposed to register with the government. They get checked out to make sure they do not have venerial disease. I don't remember the whole deal. After several decades has this done anything to lower the rate of prostitution and violence against women?
2007-08-14 15:32:25 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Legalizing street drugs will not solve any problems, but create more problems!
Majority of the problem are with prescription medications... Obtaining medications in someone else's name is illegal. Many of the prescriptions are addictive and many people cannot afford their own medications or they are not weaned off properly by their doctors and become addicted when they are cut off they find a way to supplement.
Because of the cost of health insurance and medications, it makes it very difficult for people to get what they need. Plus rehabilitation costs a lot of money and a lot people don't have the money if they want rehabilitation.
In my opinion, doctors are the biggest drug pushers. If they could help people get affordable health insurance and health care, it would help reduce the drug related crimes.
If you go to the ER with a drug addiction, they can't help you unless you are an alcoholic. I think they are afraid it's going to go back to them and the pharmaceutical company. Instead of treating addiction like the health condition they are, they rather lock people up. Addiction is a person's chemical reaction to medications!
2007-08-14 14:40:45 · answer #3 · answered by Erica, AKA Stretch 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Alcohol is only legal because the collective pull of those who wish to consume it is too strong to abolish. Not only that, but actions taken under the influence of alcohol are still crimes (DUI for example).
Also, prescription drugs that are addictive are legal because they have medical use. Heroin has absolutely no medical benefits whatsoever.
Crimes committed under the influence of drugs, or to promote drug trade are not committed because of the drugs, they are committed because there is an underbelly of humanity that cannot be extinguished. Making the crime legal will not alleviate problems associated with it. If drug trade was made legal, the criminal underworld would be forced to find another unscrupulous trade, or focus on an existing illegal trade, to continue extorting money from the weak, uneducated, and abused.
2007-08-14 13:53:35 · answer #4 · answered by JeN 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Consider this.
Alcohol IS legal. However it is involved in 35% of ALL crimes, and 33% of violent crimes. It is used 10 times more than all illegal drugs combined, and costs taxpayers more to deal with than all illegal drugs combined.
Imagine if we made all other drugs as accesible as alcolhol and if they were used just as much. All crimes would rise, violent crime would rise, DUI's would rise, the would be more car accident's due to DUI.
Just keep in mind, Alcohol is the only legal drug, and since it is so available, it causes more of a problem THAN ALL OTHERS COMBINED. (Ask any police officer -- it's really true.)
2007-08-14 14:03:11 · answer #5 · answered by crookmatt 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It would not if employers were still allowed to drug screen applicants and dopeheads were unable to find employment to support their habit. The drugs would still be priced high due to the fact that they would have to be manufactured by pharmaceutical companies and meet strict FDA quality control guidlines. Then on top of that I can guarantee you that there would be a hefty tax put on them to support drug treatment and rehabilitation centers. It might work if all citizens that tested negative for drugs were required to own a firearm. Then if the gun was ever used to protect life or property from thieves and the criminal ended up dead but had drugs in his system, charges would not be filed against the gun owner. Then it might work.
2007-08-14 13:58:21 · answer #6 · answered by Sloan R 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No - because there would always be someone burglarizing the drug store that is selling them cheaply, or else burglazing or robbing someone just to get money for the cheap stuff.
Then there would still be the people who drive under the influence, who sell prescription meds to others, and who use the cheap drugs as a means of committing other crimes, like rape,murder, robbery, etc.
2007-08-14 13:53:23 · answer #7 · answered by CGIV76 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Yes it would, but because all the law enforcers who'd be out of jobs would have to start robbing and stealing to take care of themselves, the crime rate would really double. Most people know that there are alot of legal drugs (alcohol, tobacco, etc) that do waaay more damage to ones life than boy or girl, brown or green. Can't forget to mention that drug laws are the modern day way of practicing racisim on impoverished minoritys.
Drug war Survivor
2007-08-14 14:19:23 · answer #8 · answered by BossofBosses 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
So would making murder legal. Wouldn't be a crime any more.
Most of the crimes for drugs would still occur. No, thank you.
2007-08-14 13:49:42 · answer #9 · answered by mckenziecalhoun 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
And how long have you been a member of the Liberterian party?
Why don't we make speeding legal so that the traffic can move faster on the highways?
Why don't we let people drive drunk?
Think about it.
2007-08-14 15:18:37 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋