The legalization of currently illicit substances is a hot topic. So far, we've seen a few states take steps to decriminalize marijuana, regarded as a "soft" drug.
The arguments [i]for[/i] legalization include, but are not limited to...
1) Tax revenue
2) Medical purposes
3) Liberty
The arguments [i]against[/i] legalization typically follow the same few themes...
1) Drugs are dangerous
2) Drugs harm society
3) Medical benefits are outweighed by harms
You've heard both sides. You get the idea.
The American Left is typically the side that argues in favor for legalization. To the left, one of the strongest arguments for legalization stems from the potential for tax revenue. As a Libertarian, I'm often disappointed by leftists when they use tax revenue as their primary justification. The left has been slowly abandoning their pro-liberty stances, and apparently tax revenue is just as good of a reason to legalize something as liberty is.
The American Right is typically the side that argues against legalization. However, the political climate has been changing, and a lot of right-wingers now favor legalization (at least for [i]some[/i] substances). In fact, in my experience, it's almost always the right (On a linear spectrum, libertarians qualify as right-wing) that uses liberty as a justification for legalization.
With the right becoming the side that more and more supports individual rights, it's disappointing to see the statist left pick and choose when to support liberty and individual rights. How could a logically consistent leftist argue that somebody has a right to smoke and ingest what they want, as the left constantly wages a war on trans fat and soft drinks?
Those are my two cents. Libertarians are in strong support of total legalization of substances. The state does not have the authority to tell us what we can do with our bodies.
What are [i]your[/i] thoughts on illicit substances?
-
2 RepliesI believe that marijuana should be legalized and taxed. I think that hard drugs should not be legalized but the punishment for getting caught with them(unless you're obviously selling them) should focus strictly on rehabilitation instead of time in prison. Putting drug users in prison exposes them to STDs from other inmates, it costs the government about $250,000 per year to provide for them, and when they get out they're going to have almost no chance to find a decent paying job because they would be considered a felon, which would force them to live in low-income areas where they have a chance to get addicted to hard drugs again.