In the US, All drugs should be legalized

That's an interesting voter rule... Anyway I also hope this debate will be enjoyably. C1: Drugs are unhealthy and legalization will lead to more usersIt is well known these illegal drugs are some of the worst things for you on the planet. Meth, for example, has long term effects of severe dental problems and AIDS/HIV for injection users. [1] Some users that inject the drug face hepatitis problems too. [1] (all illegal inject able drugs face these problems) Heroin has the same problems of meth (AIDS) but causes other malfunctions in breathing and poses a major overdose problem. [2] Although alcohol sage is far more common then drug usage, the numbers of people dying from illegal drugs and alcohol isn't that far apart. [3]M opponent and I will likely agree on the part where I claim drugs are harmful. The part we will disagree on is the decrease users part. Before one can determine whether or not legalization will increase users, one must look at deterrence theory. Deterrence theory states harsher punishments and consequences deters people from committing acts with these punishments in place. [4] If this is true one can assume that legalization that brings less punishment will increase overall users, but does this correlate with the facts? Yes, it does.When opium was legal in the US there where twice as many opium addict as there are today. [5] The 1914 Harrison Act was the first major anti drug legislation, this bill lead to a large decline in narcotic users. [5] When 11 states decriminalized Marijuana they say an increase of users by about 51%. [5] When tougher laws on marijuana came about they say a 57% decrease in marijuana users. [5]According to these statistics legalization leads to more drug usage, and tougher laws lead to less usage of these drugs. This indicates laxer laws lead to more usage. [5]---> Sub Point: Teen Drug Problems Illicit teen drug usage for 12th grade is 52%. [6] (52% of them have used drugs). 9.9% of children use marijuana before the age of 13, and 40% have tried it in their high school years. [7] Almost 8% of kids have used meth! [7] There is a drug problem in this country, and as I have stated legalization would increase users. If legalization would increase users, then why legalize it and make the drug problem worse?C2: Would not stop illegal smuggling One common argument is legalization would stop the drug cartels. This is actually quite false. The drug cartels could actually enter the legal market to sell to older people. They would likely stay in the illegal business for adults as well as we would likely have a hefty tax on the drugs and they could sell it illegally for much lower costs. They could also change their marketing more towards young people. There would likely be an age limit of 18 and older, those in the younger sector would likely be a hug profit to the smugglers would also then focus on the younger crowd. As young people are more addictive, and them getting hooked young increases the chances o adult drug usage [7], them focusing on the younger age group flooded with new users (legalization increases users) their attention would even WORSEN the youth drug problem and trafficking would not stop. C3: International lawThe UN has passed international legislation made to fight a drug war against narcotics. [8] The US and several other countries have actually signed this legislation, hereby forced to follow its provisions. [9] As we have already signed these treaties to keep these substances banned, it is technically illegal to allow drugs, unless we call for a UN to repeal this legislation. I highly doubt this will happen anytime soon, therefore we CANT legalize drugs. C4: legalization would increase crime1/5 murders are actually linked to drug usage. [10] Drug usage is linked to hundred of crime every year. [10] http://www.justice.gov...If legalization increases users then crime would increase. "According to the 1999 Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) study, more than half of arrestees for violent crimes test positive for drugs at the time of their arrest." [11].Conclusion:Drug legalization would increase users and crime through the increased usership. And we technically CAN NOT legalize drugs due to international law that we signed. Vote Con.[1] http://www.drugabuse.gov... [2] http://www.drugabuse.gov...[3] http://www.justice.gov...[4] http://en.wikipedia.org...[5] http://www.justice.gov... [6] http://www.teendrugabuse.us...[7] http://www.justice.gov...[8] http://www.unodc.org... [9] http://en.wikipedia.org... [10] Jeffry Rogers, "Heroin: The Shocking Story," April 1988 [11] http://www.justice.gov...