Children also get the message that it is all right to hate people who are poor and addicted. Instead of sending this message of hate, we need to send a message of compassion, forgiveness, and healing. We are hurting people in other countries like Mexico and Colombia by supporting the often-corrupt militaries instead of helping those countries to develop alternative crops and stonger economies. Therefore, I have included some links to sites which give the arguments both for and against drug legalization. On one hand, I've seen the damage done by drug use.
Drugs destroy families and lives.
I would not ever want to convey the idea that drug use is acceptable. However, I also know that once a person is addicted, it is not always a matter of choosing to stop using. That person needs to learn new ways of coping with life and he needs plenty of support to do that. I do not believe that punishment will ever convince a person to stop using, especially when that person was taught to use by his parents when he was very young. I do believe that treatment is much more reasonable than punishment as well as more effective and less expensive.