Every year our government spends billions of dollars to stop the drug problem in our country and the result has led to the overcrowding of prisons and economic losses. The drug prohibition also allows both foreign and domestic drug cartels and gangs to operate while making substantial profits.
The current situation the United States is experiencing is very similar to the prohibition placed on alcohol during the 1920’s. When the sale of alcohol was banned in the United States the country witnessed the rise of organized crime and violence relating to bootlegging and smuggling alcohol into the country. The mafia gained power and gangsters such as Al Capone became wealthy and glorified in the media. Today gangs such as the bloods and the crips are heavily involved in smuggling and dealing drugs into the country. The Wall Street Journal reports that “fees to smugglers have increased from next to nothing to as much as $6,000 a head, making the smuggling business an attractive new market for drug gangs.”[i]
Drugs are also the cause of most gang violence across the United States. D.C. police inspector Brian Bray confirmed to The Washington Post "When there's the same amount of demand and less supply, people are going to try to get what's out there, that's when you see violence on the street level. A lot of these beefs are drug-related. A lot of homicides are drug dealers fighting over turf and supply."[ii]
From an economic standpoint I believe that the legalization of drugs in the United States would prove to be beneficial. I feel that it would result in both government profits as well as the downfall to illegal drug cartels due to economic losses they would suffer. There would also likely be a reduction of crime and gang activity across the United States as well in some South American countries where these drugs cause significant violence.
This issue is a topic of debate in the political race in Maryland’s fourth district. Dr. Michael Babula is currently running for congress on the democratic side in the fourth district and he supports the legalization of drugs for both moral and economic reasons. On Dr. Babula’s website (www.babula2008.com) he states that “The United States has effectively lost the war on drugs and continues to drain important law enforcement resources away from important causes such as fighting terrorism.” Dr Babula also believes that “incarcerating large segments of America’s youth population for drug related crime will not advance society or help Maryland’s fourth congressional district reduce crime levels.” Dr. Babula’s opponent Congressman Albert Wynn has a different view on gangs and the war on drugs. Congressman Wynn supported the spending of 1.2 million for the Crossroads Joint County Gang Prevention Task Force Community Center and $2 million for the Maryland Regional Gang Initiative.
I agree with Dr. Babula on both topics. It is clear that the effort to stop drugs in our country is failing and America’s taxpayers spend billions of dollars a year pay for overcrowded prisons that have proven to be ineffective in rehabilitating convicts. Also the revenue collected from legalizing drugs can be put towards centers for addicts who seek help as well as homeland security from bigger issues such as terrorism.
[i] Millman, Joel. (2007). Politics & Economics: Politics & Economics: Shift is afoot on Mexican border; security crackdown cuts illegal crossing but aids smugglers. The Wall Street Journal. A.8
[ii] Klein, Allison & Williams, Clarence. Policing cuts into cocaine markets; In D.C., prices soar as supplies dry up. The Washington Post. B.1.
