All drugs should be legalized

C1: Legalization would increase users We already have a drug problem in this country, and it effects everyone. Youth in our country are also effected by drug problems, and legalization would only make it worse. The main problem with legalizing drugs is it would lead to a massive increase in users, and make drugs easier to obtain [1]. Illegal drugs cost when they are illegal are much more expensive then when they are legal. All drugs which are currently illegal, cocaine, marijuana, PCP, meth etc. have higher prices now then they would be if they where legal. But many estimates argue drug prices would be 3 times lower, which is a large amount indeed. It would mean many would now be able to afford large quantities of the drugs, and when things cost less one is more likely to buy the item. A good example is food, or medicines. People usually opt for the over the counter generic brand then the name brand as it is cheaper. People opt for the cheaper brand of food for the same reason. Lower costs equal more people buying the substance. "Legalization would decrease price and increase availability. Availability is a leading factor associated with increased drug use. Increased use of addictive substances leads to increased addiction. As a public health measure, statistics show that prohibition was a tremendous success."[2]Now most drugs we are talking about today have at one point been legal. The reason these drugs are currently illegal is because the government and society have decided drugs like these should not be freely legal as they are a threat not only the the user, but everyone around him. Legalizing drugs not only lowers the actual cost of the drug, which would lead to more users, but to lower costs to the person itself. In other words there is less cost of being mugged to get the drugs, getting arrested etc. It would lower the deterrent effect which is currently in place. When cocaine was restricted in the early 20th century, addicts and users fell as restrictions became more common. Many other drug experiments occurred in Europe, most of which lead to increases in users and crime. Many European countries are beginning to change their laws to a more stricter setting as the increase in usage outweighed the other legalization benefits [3]. C2: Legalizing drugs would increase crime There are many views on the subject, but the main ones are it will lower crime if you legalize or it will increase crime. Both sides, though, generally agree that drug usage leads to aggressive behavior, worse judgement, an makes it more likely for people to commit crimes. Statistics prove people are 6 times more likely to murder because they are influenced by a drug, not because they are trying to find money to buy a drug. In other words, most people do not commit crimes (assuming the crime is connected to drugs) not for drugs, but because of them. [4] With this in the picture, we can see drugs to cause crime when you use them. It is also important to note C1, which argues legalization would lead to an increase in users which inevitably means an increase in violence. Another example is Portugal, an argument we hear from the legalization crowd of it working well, saw an increase in homicides after legalization [5]. When California legalized cannabis in 1976, DWI arrests soared, 70% for juveniles and 40% for adults. Many sex abuse cases involve drug usage, and property crime is also linked to drug usage as well [6]. "Legalization would decrease drug distribution crime because most of those activities would become lawful. But would legalization necessarily reduce other drug-related crime like robbery, rape, and assault? Presumably legalization would reduce the cost of drugs and thus addicts might commit fewer crimes to pay for their habits. But less expensive drugs might also feed their habit better, and more drugs means more side effects like paranoia, irritability and violence. Suggestions that crime can somehow be eliminated by redefining it are spurious. Free drugs or legalizing bad drugs would not make criminal addicts into productive citizens."[6]C3: The drug war has decreased users My case fails unless I can show some success to the drug war. The US drug war has decreased casual use, and some even say it has prevented others from even trying drugs. Drug usage is down a third since the 1970s (in the US). Cocaine use has decreased 70%, in other words it has decreased by 4.1 million users [7]. Marijuana usage has also fallen, in 1979 the marijuana 30-day usage rate was 13.2%, in 2006 it was 6.1%. This is a 54% reduction in usage, this is a triumph [8]. Overall drug usage in 1979 had similar numbers, 14.1% of americans 12 and older used any type of illegal drug in the last 30 days. In 2009 the number dropped too 8.7%. Opoid use is down 80% in the last century (100 years) [9]. http://www.justice.gov...CONCLUSION:I have little to say, I am sick and tired and hope what I just wrote made some sense. Vote Con, and I look forward to the next round. [1] http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu...[2] http://www.drugwatch.org...[3] htp://www.facs.org...[4] http://www.policechiefmagazine.org...[5] http://www.cnn.com...[6] http://www.sarnia.com...[7] http://www.justice.gov...[8] http://www.cnbc.com...[9] http://www.ibhinc.org...