It appears that the crisis on the US-Mexico border is worsening. In Nuevo Laredo, the Mexican town across the border from Laredo, Texas, drug cartels are having their way and are killing at will. The Mexican government is trying to fight back, but the problem is apparently beyond their resources. Mark Stevenson wrote the article "Mexicans praise US border security measures", in which he discusses the United States' plan to deploy more federal agents and other troops to the US-Mexico border. However, is that really the answer? Jeffrey A. Miron from Harvard University writes, "Legalize drugs to stop violence", which sounds like a very logical approach. Initially, I was apprehensive about the idea of legalizing all drugs. However, after reading the article in its entirety and giving it some thought, I believe this may actually be a great solution to the problem.
Miron discusses how the United States faced similar problems when it established prohibitions on alcohol and how violence decreased once those bans were removed. Yes, legalizing drugs will bring with it many other issues, but as the saying goes—which is the better of two evils? The nicotine in cigarettes is one of the most addictive substances available, and cigarettes have been proven to cause cancer. Yet, we sell them without remorse or regret in order to generate substantial tax revenue. Alcohol can lead to disease—from cirrhosis of the liver to kidney failure—yet we permit the sale of alcohol and enjoy the tax revenue. Why not do the same for all drugs? We spend millions of tax dollars on the war against drugs and continue to lose the fight. Why not eliminate the fight and generate millions of tax dollars instead?
In my opinion, Miron has hit the nail on the head with this article. The article is very detailed with good reference to our history, and there is an understanding that this isn't a perfect solution, but one which will require "using regulation and taxation to dampen irresponsible behavior related to drug use, such as driving under the influence". What I enjoyed most is that this article wasn't written by another "pothead" trying to justify the legalization of marijuana; rather, it's a well thought out and simple way to solving the increasing violence on our borders.
Test Blog #1
14 years ago
In response to my classmates’ blog, Mike makes a semi-valid argument regarding the legalization of drugs. In his post the “upside sides” of legalization would include a greater tax revenue and essentially removing the power the drug cartels have over this nation. I have to play a little devil’s advocate here however. The liberal side of me says “this is absolutely the way to go”. Legalizing drugs puts an end to the violence and the money spent to try and “secure our borders”. And Mike is right it the end of prohibition helped a great deal during the great depression and our lovely sin tax makes sure that smokers keep our public schools funded. That said the mom side of me has to sit and really think this through. Would I be OK when my son or daughter turned the legal age to purchase these legal drugs and decided that since heroin is legal they should give it a try? I can’t even fathom them smoking a cigarette because I understand the addictive nature of the nicotine drug. But, to know that something as horrific as heroin and cocaine could be accessible and legal for anyone over the age of 21 to try I don’t know. The youth of this country already trails so far behind the rest of the world academically do we really want to give them the opportunity to have something as debilitating as a drug addiction hold them back even further. Maybe Mike was just thinking of the drug addicts and junkies that roam around now and how they could be purposeful in providing for tax revenue. But, unfortunately once that gate is opened it now allows for a whole other group of people to walk through and perhaps engage in something they would otherwise have stayed away from because it was illegal.
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