Arguments against inconsistent drug laws Arguments for and against drug prohibition

1 arguments against inconsistent drug laws

1.1 consistency between drugs
1.2 same policy distinct drugs
1.3 race , enforcement of drug laws

arguments against inconsistent drug laws

since alcohol prohibition ended , war on drugs began there has been debate on issue of consistency among legislators regard drug prohibition. many anti-prohibition activists focus on well-documented dangers of alcohol (such alcoholism, cystisis, domestic violence, brain , liver damage). in addition anecdotal evidence, cite statistics show more deaths caused drunk driving under influence of alcohol drivers under influence of marijuana, , research suggests alcohol more harmful dangerous drugs. when level of harm associated other drugs includes harm arises solely result of drugs illegality rather merely danger associated using drugs, heroin, cocaine, barbiturates , street methadone shown more harmful legal drug alcohol.

a 2002 dawn report, usa records 2 possible drug-induced deaths marijuana drug found. legal drugs however, have been cause of more half million deaths year: 480,000 tobacco smoking-related illnesses , 80,000 alcohol abuse. together, tobacco , alcohol cause 20% of yearly deaths in usa.

it argued inconsistency between harm caused , legal status of these common drugs undermines declared motives of law enforcement agencies reduce harm prohibition, example of marijuana.

in february 2009, uk government accused senior expert drugs adviser professor david nutt of making political decisions regard drug classification, example in rejecting scientific advice downgrade ecstasy class drug. advisory council on misuse of drugs (acmd) report on ecstasy, based on 12-month study of 4,000 academic papers, concluded near dangerous other class drugs such heroin , crack cocaine, , should downgraded class b. advice not followed. jacqui smith, home secretary, criticised scientific community bullying professor david nutt apologising comments that, in course of normal year, more people died falling off horses died taking ecstasy. professor nutt later sacked jacqui smith s successor home secretary alan johnson; johnson saying important government s messages on drugs clear , advisor nothing undermine public understanding of them. cannot have public confusion between scientific advice , policy , have therefore lost confidence in ability advise me chair of acmd.

consistency between drugs

in united states, defendants convicted of selling crack cocaine receive equal sentences convicted of selling 100 times same amount of powder cocaine. disparity lessened during obama administration when fair sentencing act 2010 changed ratio 18 1. majority of offenders convicted selling crack poor and/or black, while majority of convicted selling cocaine not.

same policy distinct drugs

many drug policies group illegal drugs single category. since drugs drastically vary in effects, addictive potential, dosages, methods of production, , consumption arguments either way seen inconsistent.

race , enforcement of drug laws

it has been alleged current drug laws enforced in such way penalize non-whites more harshly , more whites, , penalize poor of races more harshly , more middle , upper classes. example, until 2012, crack cocaine carried penalties 1 hundred times more severe cocaine despite fact these drugs identical. in urban black communities, convictions exclusively crack, while cocaine use statistically higher among affluent whites.