LEGALIZATION OF DRUGS IS A BAD IDEA

The issue of legalizing drugs is extremely complex, with an
increasing number of supporters throughout America. It is a debate
that should not be limited to discussions between intellectuals, law
enforcement officials and politicians. It should be of concern to all
of us because of the profound moral, political, medical, economic and
social ramifications surrounding this social problem.

Supporters of legalization take the position that the "War on Drugs"
has failed to control or reduce drug abuse. They relate that the cost
of incarcerating drug offenders and building prisons is rising at an
alarming rate. Currently, drug offender's account for approximately
one-third of the federal and state prison population.

Legalization zealots argue that the repeal of drug prohibition laws
would significantly reduce the government's enforcement costs and
create new tax revenues from the legal production and sale of drugs.
Therefore, states would save at least $10 billion per year that could
be used for treatment and job training programs.

They say crimes of violence would be reduced with legalization, and
junkie-related robberies to obtain money to buy illegal drugs would
be significantly reduced and the streets of Willcox and surrounding
communities would be less prone to crime.

The possibility of increased physical addiction to readily available
drugs has been a strong argument against legalization. The rebuttal
to this position is that there is no valid research to support that hypothesis.

Bob Miller, 59, a U.S. Marine, Viet Nam veteran, and a 14-year
resident of Willcox, pointed out illegal drugs have never played a
role in his life and never will. "However, I believe that drugs
should be legalized for a number of rational reasons," Miller said,
"Prisons are full of addicts at a staggering cost in human suffering
and out-of-control prison construction costs."

"Common sense dictates that the legalization of drugs would reduce
the price of drugs and significantly reduce crime in our community."
Miller went on to say, "Our money has been wasted on the so called
'War on Drugs.' It should have been used to educate our children,
improve health care and fight poverty."

After carefully reviewing the literature for and against the
legalization of drugs and assessing the risks involved in making hard
drugs easily available without criminal penalties, I believe the
proponents of legalization are fundamentally wrong about the extent
and severity of the negative consequences of legalization.

The potential human costs of totally legalizing drugs would be so
large as to create a public policy disaster. Historically, when drugs
have been inexpensive and easy to obtain, addiction dramatically increased.

Can we take the risk of experimenting with legalization at the
expense of our children and grandchildren? I don't think so! The
human carnage from drug abuse is already staggering and almost beyond
comprehension. To ask the residents of Willcox to possibly bear the
pain of losing a loved one to drug abuse, rising health insurance
costs, and conceivably subjecting their family to the consequences of
increased child and spousal abuse, among numerous other abuses from
legalizing drugs is inconceivable and unethical, in my opinion.

The assumption that legalization would provide millions of dollars
for treatment is often based on a lack of knowledge about the illicit
drug culture. In reality, the vast majority of hard-core addicts
refrain from seeking help unless they are forced to do so by our court system.

Our politicians at the state level and in Washington should be
castigated for the role they played in passing legislation that
approved the failed "War on Drugs". As a result of their
inappropriate action, addicted drug users were sentenced to long
prison sentences and often left prison with more knowledge about
crime and ways to avoid arrest and prosecution.

Willcox resident Derrick Ross, 32, has ambivalent feelings about
legalizing drugs. "We can't continue to be hypercritical about
marijuana and continue to legalize and tolerate physically and
psychologically addictive drugs like alcohol and nicotine that have
dramatically reduced life expectancy and destroyed millions of
lives," Ross said.

"On the other hand, hard drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and methadone
should not be legalized, in my opinion." Ross said, "They are
dangerous, highly addictive and represent a threat to society."

No one can look into the future and accurately determine what Willcox
would be like with easy access to drugs such as cocaine and heroin.
Fortunately, alternatives exist between legalizing all drugs and
continuing the traditional and failed "War on Drugs" mentality.
Somewhere between the two approaches are feasible alternatives that
could possibly neutralize the negative effects of drug abuse.