Depenalization and decriminalization smartdrugpolicy. Professor sowell understood the economic and social dynamics of drug illegality more than 25 years ago. Decriminalization of nonmedical cannabis in the united. Its purpose was to reduce the number of new hivaids cases in the country, as it was estimated around half of new cases came from injecting drug use. Making an economic case for legalizing drugs cato institute.
Some people argue that if drugs were legalized as occurred with the repeal of prohibition, drug trafficking and the violence it engenders would disappear. An important issue in the debate is how to measure and compare the total harm caused by the prohibition or potential legalization of drugs. Citing a growing scientific consensus on the failures of the global war on drugs, the. Explain the arguments for and against the decriminalization of drugs in the u.
Benefits of decriminalization decriminalizing drug possession and investing in treatment. In portugal, drug use is treated as a medical issue, not a crime. Impact of the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana. In fact, the benefits of keeping marijuana and other illicit drugs illegal clearly outweigh the negative and predictable consequences of legitimizing these substances. Decriminalization laws avoid imposing harsh punishments for possessing a substance that is safer than alcohol, while freeing up law enforcement to focus on serious crimes. In canada, marijuana for medical use was legalized in 2001. Of course, the biggest concern prior to decriminalization was the quantity of illegal drugs consumed. Economic approaches to the decriminalization of drugs drug legalization is gaining everwidening support in most western societies. Economic approaches to the decriminalization of drugs. Top medical experts say we should decriminalize all drugs. These decriminalization of drugs pros and cons suggest that the benefits seen in portugal could be something that other nations may experience as well.
Legalization and decriminalization the concept of controlling drugs is a relatively recent phenomenon, and one that has been met with limited success despite the billions of dollars spent. States consider decriminalizing magic mushrooms best. Decriminalization and legalization of drugs name institution decriminalization and legalization of drugs marijuana decriminalization and legalization is one of the most contentious issues today. Oslo between mexico and the united states and had 70 percent of the economy in the. Data confirm that marijuana decriminalization is long. Oct 19, 2018 this leads to a decrease in drug related crime in the mexican border area. Drug decriminalization calls for reduced control and penalties compared to existing laws. An increasing number of countries and subnational jurisdictions have therefore been reducing or eliminating criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of drugs for personal use, on grounds both of proportionality and effectivenessoriented policy. Since 1985, the federal government has run a declared war on drugs and while initially australia led the world in harmminimization approach, they have since lagged. That concern is even more dominant when discussing outright legalization of drugs. Now, numbers just released from the european monitoring centre for drugs and drug addiction paint an even more vivid picture of life under decriminalization. This article is excerpted from chapter one of the economics of prohibition. One of the main arguments for legalizing drugs is that people should be free to consume whatever they want, even if it is harmful to them, as long as others are not affected. In 2009, glenn greenwald wrote, for the cato institute, a study of the effects of drug decriminalization in portugal.
Decriminalization would increase the use and the economic. Pdf the effects of decriminalization of drug use in portugal. Parallels since 2001, possession or use of any drug has been treated as a health issue in portugal. The observer noted in 2011 that the war on drugs had failed and argued that when policies fail it is incumbent on our leaders to look for new ones. The number of people arrested and sent to criminal courts for drug offenses annually declined by more than 60% following decriminalization. Miguel fonseca, 39, smoking cocaine in lisbon, where possession of small amounts of drugs is a minor offense. The libertarian case for drug prohibition public discourse.
First it must be emphasized that marijuana, despite its criminalization, is widely used by a large proportion of the us population. Jun 07, 20 the drug trade tends to most adversely affect the poor. The presumed justification for the special legal treatment of drugs is that drug use causes substantial harm both to drug users and to society generally. Opinion how to win a war on drugs the new york times. The argument that drug decriminalization, or legalization, will solve the budget crisis, reduce prison overcrowding and cripple drug cartels is simply not supported by evidence. Mar 08, 2004 a refreshing look at economics with topics ranging from sex, drugs, arms and music to energy, movies and farming, the internet and aids, diane coyle plunges herself and the reader into some of the world s most contentious political and social issues. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
Police could concentrate on traffickers and dealers, freeing up resources for the government to invest in treatment and harm reduction practices. How to win a war on drugs portugal treats addiction as a disease, not a crime. List of books and articles about drugs and crime online. Decriminalization is the removal of criminal penalties for drug law violations usually possession for personal use. Portugal has been the first country to fully decriminalize all drugs usage since 2001. Apr 15, 2018 as clinicians with expertise in drugs, health policy, public health and addictions, the situation calls to mind a medical aphorism so simple it hurts. Nevertheless, it is interesting to track the changes in drug indicators since 2001 and explore the perceptions of key informants in order to give some picture of the effects of decriminalization. The paper attempts to describe the economics of the drug market in. Jan 08, 20 the economic case for decriminalizing heroin. The effect of marijuana decriminalization on the budgets. Drugs have never been accepted as a legitimate part of society. This month, portugal celebrates fourteen years of drug decriminalization. In fact, for those two critical groups of youth 15 years and 1618 years, prevalence rates have declined for virtually every substance. The economic benefits of legalizing weed have already been apparent as the first states have moved to change their legal positions.
What the us can learn from portugals drug decriminalization. The swiss use of other drugs including cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy and amphetamines rose. There are disagreements regarding its impacts on both the legal and the underground economies. In 2012, the think tank australia 21, released a report on the decriminalization of drugs in australia. However, opposers of drug legalization believe that the government has the right and responsibility to prohibit drug use. The economics of drug prohibition and drug legalization jeffrey. Economic analyses indicate that prevention programmes may be cost. Pdf the economics of drug legalisation researchgate. The economic case for the us to legalize all drugs. The points of interest for decriminalization of medications in the u. Dec 08, 2015 for all its advantages, decriminalization fails to alleviate many harms that come from drugs its lack of impact on usage is one example. Jun 27, 2010 professor sowell understood the economic and social dynamics of drug illegality more than 25 years ago. The economics of the illegal drug market kellogg insight.
In practice, decriminalization means that otherwise lawabiding people are no longer arrested, let alone incarcerated, merely for possessing a drug. Portugals experiment in drug decriminalization has been a. They would make the case that we should legalize marijuana because it. Prohibition has an everincreasing impact on our daily life. In our recent study, just released by the cato institute, we estimate the impact of legalization on federal, state, and local budgets. Approaches to decriminalizing drug use and possession. Oct 21, 2015 voices the economic case for decriminalising drugs. One solution to reducing the number of people swept into the criminal justice system for drug law violations is to enact various forms of decriminalization of drug use and possession. The paper attempts to describe the economics of the drug. Jul 14, 2017 maybe the usa can learn something from portugal, where all drugs were decriminalized in 2001 compared to portugal, drug overdose deaths per million in neighboring spain are 2. Data confirm that marijuana decriminalization is long overdue. This book explores the legal, social, economic, and political issues surrounding the banning of.
Research suggests that punishing drug users has some limitations as a major component of drug policy. Firstly, the drugs themselves do physical harm to at least some of the people who take them, mainly in the rich world but increasingly in new. Research by economist steve levitt and sociologist sudhir venkatesh found drug gangs in america are often organized as elaborate pyramid. The percentage of people behind bars in portugal for drug law violations also decreased dramatically, from 44% in 1999 to 24% in 20. Is it better to have drug use made legal, and therefore taxed and regulated, or might this encourage more drugs to be consumed with the. Decriminalization and legalization of drugs economic. Decriminalization of drugs essay examples 3029 words cram. Even in those countries where the use of some drugs is allowed uruguay, advertising or promoting drugs, or consuming them in a public place, is prohibited. As a matter of fact, those places that have decriminalized. Policy makers need to address growing calls by a number of organizations and people who use drugs for the. Discover librarianselected research resources on marijuana legalization from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more.
In the united states, prohibition against certain drugs, involving wars on them, has become one of our most visible and hotly debated national problems. Some opponents of these measures worry a decriminalization approach will encourage more people to use magic mushrooms and that drug addiction rates could increase, as the nation is. This chart shows key developments since portugal decriminalized drugs in 2001. The economics of drug prohibition and drug legalization. Voices the economic case for decriminalising drugs. Supply rose to meet demand and switzerland became europes largest hemp producer. Drug decriminalization and the price of illicit drugs this study is an empirical assessment of the impact of the drug decriminalization policy followed by portugal in july, 2001. Because drugs can be potentially harmful or be the cause of violent behavior, there must be strong controls placed upon the use of these substances. Mark thornton takes a look at the consequences of todays prohibition that of drugs and how this has impacted on the economy, the counterfeiting of money and the lives of people.
List of books and articles about legalization of drugs. A group of 22 medical experts convened by johns hopkins university and the lancet have called today for the decriminalization of all nonviolent drug use and possession. Essay the argument against decriminalization of drugs. An economic analysis of different cannabis decriminalization scenarios. Today in portugal, if youre found with a small amount of drugs. How marijuana legalization reduces violent crime and puts. The effect of marijuana decriminalization on the budgets of massachusetts governments, with a discussion of decriminalization s effect on marijuana use an update of miron 2002a jeffrey a. In portugal, drug use is treated as a medical issue, not a. Drug legalization would make drugs both cheaper and more available, which in turn increases use. The economic case for the us to legalize all drugs quartz. The economic benefits of legalizing weed investopedia. Teenage use of marijuana in the netherlands where it is sold legally and openly is lower than in the united states. These are important victories, but they are not enough.
The case for decriminalizing drugs practical ethics series. Lead directs people to drug treatment or other supportive services instead of arresting and booking them for certain drug law violations, including possession and lowlevel sales. For example, many people fear that legalizing drugs would lead to a sharp increase in the number of drug users. A balanced assessment of the evidence, rather than the ideology. Those are just two snapshots of what happens when policy is changed. Crime, decriminalization, drugs, externalities, legalization, optimal tax, prohibition. Some simulations of the legalization of marijuana and cocaine, using. The effects of decriminalization of drug use in portugal. The causal link between drugs, death, disease and crime is not direct, but is mediated by culture, socio economics and policy responses. Portugals drug policy treating, not punishing europe.
Journalist johann hari recommends the best books about the war on drugs. The call comes in a new report on how to prevent, diagnose and treat hiv among key populations, including drug users. Pete buttigieg says we should decriminalize all the drugs. Jul 06, 2015 persico, a professor of managerial economics and decision sciences at the kellogg school, developed a new model of the drug market that accounts for the fact that buyers do not know a drugs purity before purchasing it, as well as the fact that they cannot contest sales of impure drugs. Mexico has made great progress in terms of economic. By 1933, murder rates in the united states doubled to 10 in 100,000 of the population. The seemingly fuzzy difference between depenalization and decriminalization is best explained by looking at the example of the only country todate to have fully decriminalized the consumption of all drugs, portugal.
The effect of marijuana decriminalization on the budgets of massachusetts governments, with a discussion of decriminalizations effect on marijuana use an update of miron 2002a jeffrey a. One such topic identified by ghsa, the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana, forms the basis for this project. Among his findings were that drug usage actually decreased among various populations. In other words, legalize drugs, and you get less violent crime. A 2015 study in the journal of health economics found that medical marijuana laws increase marijuana use in both adults and adolescents. Our results indicate that decriminalization of the production and distribution of drugs may lead to a reduction in violence in markets where organized drug criminals meet licit competition. Pdf milton friedman, drug legalization, and public policy. Feb 11, 2015 as this chart from transform drug policy foundation shows, the proportion of the population that reports having used drugs at some point saw an initial increase after decriminalization, but then a.
List of books and articles about marijuana legalization. Producers of drugs will be required to pay taxes, settle lawsuits and invest in making their products safer in order to minimise. Prohibition versus legalization independent institute. Thomas sowell why drugs should be legalized youtube. And a widely cited study published in 2010 in the british journal of criminology found that after decriminalization, portugal saw a decrease in imprisonment on drugrelated charges alongside a. According to the report, after 5 years of the decriminalization policy have been implemented, study shows that drug use within the country decreased tremendously. Sep 22, 2017 how to win a war on drugs portugal treats addiction as a disease, not a crime. The illegal drug business causes damage on two fronts. Decriminalization and legalization of drugs economic impact. As a vocal advocate for drug legalization friedman brought the idea to the publics. The times calls for decriminalisation of all illegal drugs. Proponents of drug decriminalization generally support the use of fines or other punishments to replace prison terms, and often propose systems whereby illegal drug users who are caught would be fined. As politicians debate decriminalization, we urge them to get past fearmongering and focus on datadriven evidence about marijuana. Mark thornton on the decriminalization of marijuana and.
In sum, decriminalization should result in fewer people dying and being sent to prison and more people living normal lives. The economic case for decriminalising drugs the independent. Steve rolles is senior policy analyst at transform drug policy foundation and author of after the war on drugs. One would be hard pressed to suggest that decriminalization would result in a decrease in use, but what is the evidence that decriminalization would result in a significant increase in use. The case for decriminalizing heroin, cocaine, and all other drugs. The best way to punish dangerous drug cartels is to put them out of business. The drug policy alliance supports decriminalizing all drugs, not just marijuana. Understanding the economics of decriminalizing marijuana. S is that it would lessen assets the administration cost of disposing of consumptions on forbearance authorization, for example, anxieties, arraignment, and detainment. A 2015 study found that since portugal approved the new national strategy in 1999 that led to decriminalization, the per capita social cost of drug misuse decreased by 18%. Decriminalization doesnt deal with the supplyside issues, said eastwood.
It doesnt really undermine all the negative consequences from the illicit market. Drug use rates in portugal were found to be dramatically lower than the united states with decriminalization enacted. It appears that where decriminalization of drugrelated activities has occurred, it was done with the purpose of securing the health and safety of the individual and the public. Impact of the legalization and decriminalization of.
The drug policy of portugal called the drug strategy, was put in place in 2000, and was legally effective from july 2001. The grand experiment is now considered a happy success considering it was adopted out of desperation and in the face of dire warnings from proponents of the global drug war. Kate waldock is a doctoral candidate in economics at the. The effect of marijuana decriminalization on the budgets of. The economic case for decriminalizing heroin the washington. Decriminalization of all drugs would be the best solution better than legalization does the same things, treats drug abuse as a health problem not a criminal action, allows people to do what. Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug in european countries. The prohibition of drugs is assumed necessary to reduce the consumption of drugs and thereby reduce the ills caused by drug consumption. Persico, a professor of managerial economics and decision sciences at the kellogg school, developed a new model of the drug market that accounts for the fact that buyers do not know a drug s purity before purchasing it, as well as the fact that they cannot contest sales of impure drugs. Drug decriminalization and the price of illicit drugs. It appears that where decriminalization of drug related activities has occurred, it was done with the purpose of securing the health and safety of the individual and the public.
Overall, legal marijuana could mean a big push for state. Most of the decriminalization states impose a civil fine, which avoids the lifealtering collateral consequences a criminal record carries. States need information about the impacts of laws that legalize or decriminalize the use of marijuana, including its impact on driving safety and the states driving while impaired dwi system. Criminalization and decriminalization of drug possession. Studies on decriminalization of marijuana in portugal have indicated it to be a huge success. A refreshing look at economics with topics ranging from sex, drugs, arms and music to energy, movies and farming, the internet and aids, diane coyle plunges herself and the reader into some of the world s most contentious political and social issues. Niamh eastwood is executive director at release, the uk centre of expertise on drugs and drugs law. The reason is they know that drugs are dangerous, they know that drugs are not a good thing in our society. Miron is senior lecturer and director of undergraduate studies at harvard university and a senior fellow at the cato institute. The best books on the war on drugs five books expert.
By decriminalizing possession and investing in treatment and harm reduction services, we can reduce the harms of drug misuse while improving public safety and health. We cannot looks purely to economic models of consumption, because there are simply too many variables which decriminalization will affect. His books include the economics of prohibition 1991. An economic analysis of different cannabis decriminalization.
847 398 583 1312 1446 550 993 62 717 544 231 204 1115 685 531 292 436 705 1242 54 1399 212 520 701 795 881 65 530 783 1368 410 639