Illegal Drugs Should they be Essay - 2852 Words

There are very few people who can honestly claim that current drug policies have been a success. Aside from being ineffective the costly current drug policy of prohibition has created a set of unwanted consequences including; a high prison population of non-violent offenders, corruption, violence, and whole set of health issues. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, â€Å"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.† and despite the failures of the current policy in deterring drug use that is just what the government is choosing to do. Perhaps it’s time to consider a different approach to the drug issue. An approach which will address drug use in an innovative way while solving the problems which prohibition has†¦show more content†¦Furthermore according to the White House Drug Policy website the percentage of those ages 12 and over who admit to having used illegal drugs withing the last year is 12.6%. With numbers like these ità ¢â‚¬â„¢s clear that the current drug policy is not only costly but ineffective at preventing drug use that combined with the nation’s tough drug laws has helped make the US the the world’s leading jailer. By the end of 2008 2,304,15 people inmates were incarcerated according to a December 2009 report by the US Bureau of Justice Statistics, with drug offenders accounting for 25% of the US prison population according to the . And with the cost to house an inmate at $35,000 a year, according to an New York Times article by Jennifer Steinhauer that is a lot of money that could be better spent somewhere else. In countries with more liberal drug policy such as the Netherlands where cannabis has been decriminalized and where drug use is seen not as a criminal issue but as a health issue, drug use is actually much lower than the US. According to the United Nations only 5.2% of those 12 and over in the Netherlands have used drugs in the past year. This thanks to the Netherlands approach to drug education , which sees drug experimentation as part of normal growing up and thus aims at providing the youth with â€Å"the most accurate information possible so they will know what they’re getting into.† according to Susan T Marting. Giving them honestShow MoreRelatedShould Marijuana Be Illegal Drugs?967 Words   |  4 Pageschanged. Her name was Marijuana. Many people hold extreme views regarding drugs, especially illegal drugs. Anti-drug individuals often present a view of all illegal drugs as horrendous and without any redeeming qualities. I used to be this individual. Before my newfound discovery I believed marijuana usage was unacceptable , while despising the users. I perceived marijuana as a gateway drugs to other harmful dangerous drugs and a narcotic that honestly ruined individuals lives. 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