NCJ Number
139839
Journal
International Journal on Drug Policy Volume: 3 Issue: 2 Dated: (1992) Pages: 76-82
Date Published
1992
Length
7 pages
Annotation
The debate between those who would legalize drugs and those who advocate harm reduction or minimization policies continues; this author reviews the situation in the United States, because the debate here is so vociferous compared to that in other countries and because the U.S. government is so influential in directing international drug policies.
Abstract
The two basic objectives of a drug policy must be to minimize the extent of drug abuse in society and to minimize the negative consequences of drug control policies. Those who favor legalization argue that drug prohibition does not work well, that many drug policies are counterproductive, and that there exists a range of policy alternatives that could lead to a better cost-benefit ratio. Drug interdiction efforts have been largely futile, there has been an increased law enforcement emphasis on apprehending drug offenders at the expense of preventing other types of crime, and the drug prohibition policy has led to excessive prison overcrowding. Furthermore, many analysts argue that current U.S. drug policies are racist, pointing to the unequal racial distribution of those incarcerated. The issues that continue to divide those whom the author terms "progressive legalizers" and "progressive prohibitionists" center around individual freedom and the feared consequences of radical change.