Drug Legaliza1on: Legal Drugs

Transcription

1 Drug Legaliza1on: With Focus on Marijuana Ethically Acceptable or Ethically Perverse? By: Morgan, Zoe, and Jenni. Legal Drugs Tobacco Alcohol 1

2 Illegal Drugs Cocaine Heroine Peyote Mushrooms Ecstasy Methamphetamine LSD PCP Marijuana Illegal Drugs and Their Effects Cocaine can cause heart atacks, chest pain, respiratory failure, strokes, seizures, headaches, gastrointes1nal complica1ons, abdominal pain, and nausea. Heroine can cause scarred/ collapsed veins, bacterial infec1ons of the blood vessels, bacterial infec1ons and heart valve damage, boils, liver disease, kidney disease, neurochemical and molecular changes in the brain, miscarriage and premature delivery, and SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). 2

3 Illegal Drug and Their Effects Cont. Peyote (mescaline) can cause confusion, impaired coordina1on, and elevated blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature. Mushrooms can cause impaired coordina1on, disorienta1on, confusion, and elevated blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature. Ecstasy can cause confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving, severe anxiety, paranoia, muscle tension, involuntary teeth clenching, nausea, blurred vision, rapid eye movement, fain1ng spells, chills or swea1ng, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and death. Illegal Drugs and Their Effects Cont. Methamphetamines can cause increased heart rate, irregular heartbeat, increase blood pressure, irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain (causing strokes), anorexia, cardiovascular collapse, Central Nervous System problems (such as convulsions, aggressiveness, and hyperthermia), and death. LSD can cause dilated pupils, high body temperature, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, swea1ng, loss of appe1te, sleeplessness, dry mouth and tremors, and long las1ng psychoses (schizophrenia or severe depression). PCP can cause psychosis, depression, anxiety, violent outbursts, blackouts, and flashbacks. 3

4 Marijuana Short term effects memory and learning skills, distorted percep1on, difficulty in thinking and problem solving, loss of coordina1on, increased heart rate, and anxiety and panic atacks. Long term effects daily cough and phlegm, symptoms of chronic bronchi1s, difficulty sustaining aten1on, difficulty shi_ing aten1on to changes in environment, and difficulty in registering, processing, and using informa1on. Marijuana We chose to focus our legaliza1on argument on marijuana because it is the most widely used and the most easily atainable illegal substance on the market today. The majority of high school seniors have used marijuana and the percentage increases through early adulthood. Because most people have either used marijuana or have been exposed to it in some way, we felt that marijuana would be the easiest illegal substance to relate to. 4

5 Legal Drugs and Their Effects Tobacco can cause heart disease, stroke, heart atack, vascular disease, and aneurysms. Alcohol can cause heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, cancer of the esophagus, mouth, throat, and voice box, and birth defects. Facts About Drugs Marijuana was made illegal in the U.S. in This year alone, there have been 2,895 cases of preventable HIV infec1on from sharing needles. The most commonly used illegal drug is marijuana. There have been 1,452,177 people arrested so far this year for drug offenses. Someone is arrested every 17 seconds for viola1ng a drug law. 637,506 people have been arrested so far this year for breaking specifically the marijuana laws. Drug/Alcohol use is involved in seven out of every ten cases of child abuse and neglect. The Dutch made it possible in the 1970 s to possess pot and sell it in 1ghtly regulated shops. Research shows that far fewer Dutch teenagers use marijuana than American teenagers. 5

6 Facts About Drugs Cont. According to the Center for Disease Control and Preven1on (CDC), during 2000, there were 15,852 drug induced deaths; only slightly less than the 18,539 alcohol induced deaths. Marijuana contains more than 400 chemicals, including the most harmful substances found in tobacco smoke. 5 joints/week = 1 pack/day. (Na1onal Ins1tute on Drug Abuse) In 1998, Americans spent $67 billion on illegal drugs. In 2001 more than 17,000 people were killed and approximately 275,000 people were injured in alcohol related crashes. Argument for the Legaliza1on of Marijuana Argument #1 The effects of marijuana are less dangerous than the effect of alcohol and/or tobacco. Alcohol and tobacco are both legal within the U.S. Marijuana is the most frequently used illegal drug. Therefore, the legaliza1on of marijuana would do no more than allow the consump1on of an already popular, safe substance. 6

7 Arguments for the Legaliza1on of Marijuana Argument #2 The United States spends over $19 billion a year on the War on Drugs. State and local governments spend an addi1onal $30 billion each year on the War on Drugs. Drug use has not decreased though the War on Drugs budget has increased. Over 11 million Americans can be classified as current users of marijuana. Therefore, if marijuana use were legalized, the federal, state, and local government could not only tax the sale of it, but could also refocus the War on Drugs toward more harmful drugs. Arguments Against the Legaliza1on of Marijuana Argument #1 Alcohol and Tobacco are harmful substances to society as well as the individual. Marijuana is a harmful substance to society as well as the individual. Therefore, just because two harmful substances have yet to become illegal, doesn t mean other harmful substances should be legalized. 7

8 Arguments Against the Legaliza1on of Marijuana Argument #2 Alcohol and Tobacco are extremely atainable to not only adults, but minors as well. Marijuana would become easily atainable if legalized. The more easily atainable a substance, the more widely used it is. Therefore, if Marijuana was legalized, it would become more widely used among adults as well as minors. Ques1ons for Discussion Would drug legaliza1on be acceptable if only certain drugs were legalized and the amounts regulated? Would it make any difference? How do you feel about alcohol and tobacco being legal and marijuana not being legal? Does anyone (e.g. the government, society, God, etc.) have the right to tell us what we can and cannot put into our bodies? How do drug laws and enforcement affect society and how would society be different if there was no prohibi1on on drug use? 8

9 Works Cited Gardner, Dan. The U.S. Should Not Pressure Other Countries to Comply with its Prohibi1on Efforts. Drug Legaliza1on Current Controversies McCaffrey, Barry R. The War on Drugs is Succeeding. The War on Drugs Opposing Viewpoints Nadelman, Ethan A. The War on Drugs a Failure. The war on Drugs Opposing Viewpoints Publisher s Group. Street Drugs: A Drug Iden1fica1on Guide Just Say No. 16 August October htp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/just_say_no Signs of Addic1on. Clearhaven Substance Abuse Center. 6 October Drug War Clock. 6 October