NCJ Number
158558
Journal
International Journal of the Addictions Volume: 30 Issue: 5 Dated: (1995) Pages: 601-603
Date Published
1995
Length
3 pages
Annotation
A cash-free society would reduce drug use, as well as eliminate and reduce other crime significantly; at the same time, however, it would create a potential for the violation of privacy in nearly every area of our lives.
Abstract
If there were no cash and all transactions were to be made with credit cards or debit cards, drug use would be significantly affected. The charging of drugs to a user's card would provide a record of each transaction. The dealer might avoid detection for awhile, but once a dealer came to the attention of the authorities, investigators could trace the pusher's financial affairs, including the names of customers and the distributors who provided the drugs. Without money, there would also be no bags of cash that could be passed anonymously from one hand to another and finally shipped out of the country. There would be better control over legal drugs. Minors would have cards that could not be used for cigarettes or alcohol. A convicted drunk driver's card would not allow purchase of alcohol. There would undoubtedly be an underground economy of exchange, but it would be virtually impossible for a multimillion dollar drug cartel to function. Other crimes that would be reduced or eliminated in a cash-free society are robberies and the passing of bad checks. Card theft and forgery could be prevented through sophisticated antiforgery and antitheft elements for every card. The greatest problem of the cash-free society would be the invasion of privacy, as records are maintained for every purchase. Authorities may have to pass laws that would limit access to financial records.