The United States Federal Government's War on Drugs should be ended.

This is my first drug debate, I have enjoyed it :)"In fact, many countries see reduction in drug abuse after decriminalizing laws on particular drugs"The rate of current, past 30-day use of marijuana by Americans aged 12 and older in 1979 was 13.2 percent. In 2008 that figure stood at 6.1 percent. This 54-percent reduction in marijuana use over that 29-year period is a major public health triumph, not a failure. [1]During our drug war there has been huge decreases.Also the dutch already had low drug rates before the legalization. If drugs where legilized their demand would usually go up:It’s clear from history that periods of lax controls are accompanied by more drug abuse and that periods of tight controls are accompanied by less drug abuse. [2]So taxing it actually raises users..The consequences of legalization became evident when the Alaska Supreme Court ruled in 1975 that the state could not interfere with an adult’s possession of marijuana for personal consumption in the home. [2]Although the ruling was limited to persons 19 and over, teens were among those increasingly using marijuana. According to a 1988 University of Alaska study, the state’s 12 to 17-year-olds used marijuana at more than twice the national average for their age group. Alaska’s residents voted in 1990 to recriminalize possession of marijuana, demonstrating their belief that increased use was too high a price to pay. [2]illegilizing it loweed user rate, allowing it rose user rate. We can win the drug war without resorting to legalization, as shown by the consistent decrease in drug use from 1979 and 1992. [3]"The sum also most likely includes the $110 billion "lost" to job productivity, even though my opponent tries to recreate this as a separate contention."It would hurt the economy:It would cost society 140-210 billion dollars a year if it was legilized. [4]The #1 medical problem in the US is substance abuse [5]I have proven legilizie would = more users, so allowing it would raise ER and mediaid costs, hurting the tax payer."My opponent claims that drug abuse costs so much money to American society, but the important question is, how?"1, lowers users2. in turn lower ER costs3. in turn as that would lower aggrivasion rates4. in turn helping the economy5. in turn less junkiesA few billion spread out beetween 300,000,000 people isn't much of a tax. Also it benifits them so what the heck. "My opponent also failed to address my concerns of the economic loss of jailing non-violent offenders, which includes both the cost of prison and the loss of production later in life and can lead to more damage to society by creating criminals."I never saw it until now, but many f them (when on drugs are violent) :Chronic marijuana use, especially in a very young person, may also be a marker of risk for mental illnesses - including addiction - stemming from genetic or environmental vulnerabilities, such as early exposure to stress or violence. [6]Some users will increase their dose in an attempt to intensify and prolong the euphoria, but this can also increase the risk of adverse psychological or physiological effects. [7] (this was for cocaine)Long-term use can lead to mood disturbances, violent behavior, anxiety, confusion, insomnia, and severe dental problems. [8](for meth)So drug usage leads to violence so if those people stayed on the drug because it was legal then they WOULD become violent. Also you mentioned the drug cartelles. Legalization would not stop them: Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. Marijuana legalization has many merits, but it would do little to hinder the long-term economics of the cartels — and the violent toll they take on Mexican society. [9] it would not stop them. Also only a small percentag of people in jail are drug offenders:Actually, only 5 percent of inmates in federal prison on drug charges are incarcerated for drug possession. [10]"My opponent's examples of where we can't do anything we want with our bodies miss the point."It IS the point. If drugs where legal people would be allowed to do it anywhare, smokers smoke on the roads, alchohilcs drink on the streets. If it wa slegalized people would do it anywhere. You say "in the home" you never specified this. So techincally they theoratically (and would) do it in the streets. So my remarks about doing it publicly still stand. It is also not a right as it infinges other peoples lifes, the family, the person. Now how does it do it? The increased aggression and other problems affect others and infinge upon their rights. So why let it be a right if it takes aways rights to others? It is not a right. [11]Also 90% pf reported child abusers are drug users too. [12]"His drugs promotes crime"I have some sources from some of the most credible people in this argument on this issue, but let's go with other ones:Substance-abusing youth are at higher risk than nonusers for mental health problems, including depression, conduct problems, personality disorders, suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, and suicide. [13]It mentions conduct problems. A study conducted in 1988 in Washington, D.C., found youth who sold and used drugs were more likely to commit crimes than those who only sold drugs or only used drugs. [13]"unintended consequences"I have proven drugs make people more suseptable to do crime, therefore legalization would raise crime. So legalizing it won't help. Also I showed legalizing it woudl not end the drug cartells. Legalization would hve little or no effects on crime, orit would raise crime. =conclusion=The war on drugs should continue, there is no right to drugs, it is benificial, it lowers user, and legalizing it would hurt many other things. Also The war on drugsdoes EVERYTHING it was meant to do, lower users. sources:http://www.cnbc.com... [1]http://www.justice.gov... [2]http://www.gargaro.com... [3]U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Legalization 32. [4]Substance Abuse: The Nation's Number One Health Problem, Institute for Health Policy, Brandeis University, prepared for The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Princeton, New Jersey, October 1993: 8-16. [5]http://www.drugabuse.gov... [6]http://www.drugabuse.gov... [7]http://www.drugabuse.gov... [8] http://www.nytimes.com... [9]http://www.justice.gov... [10]U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Legalization 57. [11]U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Legalization 57. [12] http://www.ojjdp.gov... [13]