Has the Time Come to Legalize Drugs? Essay

Legalization of do drugss long an issue championed mainly by embellish groups is rapidly moving to the mainstream in Latin America. Last weeks surprise statement by coiffure Mexican President Vicente jumble in support of legalizing mathematical product, sales and distribution of drugs made big headlines rough the world. shed, a former close U.S. ally who belongs to the same center-right political troupe as President Felipe Caldern, rocked the boat at home by indirectly criticizing the very premise of Calderons all-out military offensive against Mexicos drug cartels, which has cost 28,000 lives since 2006. Calderon immediately responded that he opposes legalisation of drugs, although he has exposed a dialogue with political parties about the future of his countrys anti-drug policies.The left-of-center Party of the Democratic Revolution announced that it supports de itemo legalization of drugs. haves statement, archetypal published Saturday in his blog, went far beyond a 2009 joint declaration by former Presidents Fernando Henrique Cardoso of Brazil, Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico and Cesar Gaviria of Colombia. In that statement, the three former leaders questioned the effectiveness of the U.S. war on drugs and proposed de-criminalizing possession of marijuana for individualised use. While the three centrist former presidents proposition amounted to non prosecuting flock for consuming marijuana, fuddles proposal calls for legalization of all major(ip) drugs the whole enchilada.In an extended interview, Fox told me that he is make his proposal because drug-related violence in Mexico has reached intolerable levels, and because the experience of separate countries much(prenominal) as the Netherlands has depictn that allowing drug sales has not significantly driven up drug consumption.Prohibitionist policies have hardly worked whateverwhere, Fox told me. Prohibition of alcohol in the United States in the 1920s never worked, and it only helped trig ger violence and crime.Since possession of sensitive amounts of marijuana has already been decriminalized in Mexico, whats needed now ar bolder steps, such as legalizing drug production and using the taxes it generates to fund anti-drug breeding programs, he said.What Im proposing is that, instead of allowing this business to continue beingness run by criminals, by cartels, that it be run by observant business throng who are registered with the Finance Ministry, pay taxes and create jobs, Fox said.Fox called for a reversal of Calderns decision to bare the army into the streets to fight the drug cartels because the army is not prepared to do police work, and we are perking day to day how the armys image is losing ground in Mexico as a result of this war. wherefore didnt you come out with this proposal when you were president? I asked. Fox responded that legalization was often discussed in Cabinet meetings during his presidency, but that the urgency of such a measure has incre ased since because of the extraordinary cost we are remunerative in a drop in tourism, a drop in investments and a lack of attention to education and health.In a secern interview, White House drug czar R. Gil Kerlikowske told me that drug legalization is a non-starter in the Obama administration. Kerlikowske disputed the idea that alcohol prohibition drove up crime in the United States in the 1920s, arguing that thither were no reliable crime statistics at the quantify. And he rejected the notion that there has been no major increase in drug consumption in the Netherlands.In the Netherlands, consumption did go up. In fact, the Netherlands has been in the process of close down hundreds of the marijuana cafes that had been in existence because of the problems that are occurring, he said.My sen condemnationnt Im not convinced that a blanket legalization of drugs would work because administration regulation of the cocaine and heroin businesses in countries that already have high c orruption rates would result in great official corruption. On the other hand, its clear that after quatern years of Calderns U.S.-backed war on drugs, the cartels are import much drugs, killing more people and becoming richer. Perhaps the time has come to take a step-by-step approach and start a serious debate about passing laws that would regulate legal production of marijuana, alongside massive education campaigns to discourage people from using it.Then, we could see who is right and consider what to do next.(c) Miami Herald. Miami Herald content is the intellectual airplane propeller of Miami Herald. Any copying, re unexclusiveation or redistribution of Miami Herald content is expressly nix by federal law. Miami Herald shall not be liable for any errors or delays in content, or for any actions taken in opinion thereon.Source http//www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/12/1772336/has-the-time-come-to-legalize.htmlCommentary Number 1The question elevated in this article is a complex one. Mexican President Felipe Calderns hesitancy at enforcing drug-legalization policies is belowstandable, as the legalization of drugs in a drug-war-torn country such as Mexico can be unspoiled or adverse from an economic point of view. One might argue that such measures would bring about a series of negative externalities on the public such as harmful health effects. A majority believes that the legalization of drugs go forth increase crime rates most people under the influence of narcotics are prone to violent crimes. However, the reasons ex-President Vicente Fox has for de-criminalizing drugs appear to outdo the adverse effects.The law of contain states that as price falls, the quantity demanded rises, and as prices rise, quantity demanded falls. This illustrates that legalization of drugs will deoxidize the profit criminals make. Every time the government takes hold of a drug dealer and the products he is selling, translate of the drug to the contraband drug market is trim. If there is a reduced supply, there is an increase in price of the good. Drug-addicts are help slight, and therefrom they will corrupt the drug for the higher price, giving the criminal dealer more profit. Every time the government thinks it is winning its drug war, it is actually losing the illegal state of these drugs aids the dealers, harming the government. bit 2Price elasticity of demand of a good is a measure of the extent to which the quantity demanded of a good changes when its price changes. As is illustrated on Figures 1 and 2, ascribable to the fact that drugs are a necessity to drug-addicts, they are willing to buy reasonably much the same quantity of the drug at any price, consequently making the price elasticity of demand of drugs inelastic (when the quantity demanded form similar as the price changes). If drugs are legalized, the government can utility from its demand price inelasticity by taxing on drugs, and thus making more profit that can be allocate d accordingly.Drug buryrs will not care whether they are paying more than they should be and will buy the legal drug at the price it is sold legally. Other people will notice why the drug is inelastic, and will avoid them due to its addictive dangers. Thus, the absence of undercover drug dealing will show people the dangers of drugs and lead to consumers and producers providing less of the drug once the government starts taxing, thus leading to a little population using them.The most beneficial aspect of drug legalization in Mexico would be taxing on the drug. As demand for drugs is inelastic, the tax revenue raised will be large. Additionally, the deadweight loss (fall in total surplus consumers and producers make) will be smaller as the consumers will not consume less at first even though producers will produce at a less quantity. These are shown on Figure 3. The consumers will pay more taxes as they desperately need to buy the drug, and eventually will try and consume less when they become financially diminished. They will seek rehabilitation, and thus concentrate the market for drugs. If the government correctly uses the revenues raised by taxing on drugs to promote healthcare and drug rehabilitation, the Mexican economy can cause a decline in overall drug sale and use.Figure 3In conclusion, Mexicos ex-President Vicente Fox should proceed with convincing the government to legalize drugs, as this measure will not only reduce consumption and production of these harmful products, but also promote connection and the economy by raising revenue to enhance health and other aspects of the economy that need betterment.