Legalization of LSD

A bit of background, if I may, before I begin. As it stands, LSD is a Schedule I Drug within the United States. This means that it is illegal to possess, produce, buy, etc., and that it is found by the government to have high potential for abuse, no legitimate medical use, and a lack of safety exists for its use under medical supervision. As I will show, none of these really hold true to LSD - and there are a number of reasons for its legalization. 1. The illegalization of LSD contributes to high prison rates LSD, as with any other drug, can carry stiff penalties is one is caught possessing it. Laws vary by state, but are unanimously harsh, and possession of LSD is considered a felony in nearly all states. Floridian law, for example, states that : " (l)1. Any person who knowingly sells, purchases, manufactures, delivers, or brings into this state, or who is knowingly in actual or constructive possession of, 1 gram or more of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) as described in s. 893.03(1)(c), or of any mixture containing lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), commits a felony of the first degree, which felony shall be known as "trafficking in lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)," punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. If the quantity involved: a. Is 1 gram or more, but less than 5 grams, such person shall be sentenced to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 3 years, and the defendant shall be ordered to pay a fine of $50,000. b. Is 5 grams or more, but less than 7 grams, such person shall be sentenced to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 7 years, and the defendant shall be ordered to pay a fine of $100,000. c. Is 7 grams or more, such person shall be sentenced to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 calendar years and pay a fine of $500,000." Such stiff penalties for a generally victimless crime has a two fold effect. For one, it puts people in prison who are not criminals and generally do not need rehabilitation - if anything, they need medical help - causing an increase in the prison population (which in the United States is a serious problem). Moreover, American prisons are notorious for their gang culture - thus sending someone who possessed LSD to prison for 3 years may actually encourage a criminal mindset upon release. 2. People have a right to choose I will address the actual harmfulness of LSD in my next argument; however, for the sake of this point, I will assume that LSD is indeed seen as harmful (which I disagree with, but again, will be addressed below). Even operating under such an assumption, people should have a right to choose whether or not they want to take LSD by weighing the risks and benefits. Cigarettes and alcohol, for example, are currently legalized with that same logic applied - people make a decision to use them and weigh the associated risks and benefits beforehand. There is no reason for the government to be limiting citizens' choice when there is no evidence that LSD harms society as a whole or poses a huge risk to an individual's health or well being. 3. LSD is not harmful My opponent will undoubtedly try to claim that LSD is a dangerous substance that must be banned for the sake of safety. This is a claim often made by the government/proponents of keeping LSD illegal, but the evidence shows quite the contrary. For one, to date, there have been no documented and verified deaths of LSD overdose. The estimated Lethal Median Dose is 3,000 times the traditional dose size (100 micrograms), meaning one would have to obtain massive quantities of LSD (five figures worth) and knowingly take it in order to overdose. Moreover, there is no potential for addiction with LSD, and its dependence potential is incredibly low. Not only that, but there are no lasting physiological changes that occur in taking LSD (http://www.maps.org...) - any physiological alterations that occur are temporary and generally last for the duration of the "trip" only. Psychologically, LSD's effects only remain for the duration of the trip, and no actual evidence has directly linked LSD with a cause of mental illnesses as many have attempted to claim it to be. 4. LSD has many benefits and legitimate societal uses Now that we've established LSD is far from a harmful substance, I'd like to show why it should be legalized and what makes it more than just a recreational drug with little importance. LSD has been shown to be useful within therapy. During the 60s, doctors within the UK were surveyed on the use of LSD within therapy. Only 7% found the substance "dangerous", while 56% found it effective and continued its use in clinical therapy. http://www.maps.org... Additionally, LSD has been shown through studies to be effective in easing end of life anxiety, treating cluster headaches, depression, and pain - all of which are legitimate medical uses. And, in an ironic twist of fate, LSD has been found in a 2012 study to be effective in decreasing alcoholism for an extended period of time and to have a higher rate of success than AA. http://santacruz.patch.com... http://www.sciencedaily.com... http://www.maps.org... More anecdotal evidence also suggests that LSD has inspired creativity and served as an effective tool at inspiring positive attitude shifts. Steve Jobs famously stated that taking LSD was "one of the most important experiences" in his life, while Kary Mullis gave LSD credit for allowing him to come up with DNA Amplification technology. In conclusion, the case for legalizing LSD is clear. It is a drug that has many benefits to the individual and society, minimal harms, and which has actual harmful effects on society while it remains illegal (due to sentencing laws and the prison system). By legalizing LSD, we allow all of the societal, medical, and personal benefits that it has empirically been shown to possess to be exploited for the good of society, while giving individuals the ultimate choice as to whether or not they want to take the "risk" of using the drug (which, as I have shown, is quite low).