t the legal price would be , 90 percent of this figure, or about 70 billion, constitutes an economic loss caused by prohibition. That is, the drug user (and his dependents) is deprived of the purchasing power of 90 percent of the money he spends on illegal drugs without any net benefit accruing to the economy as a whole.[56] Since the War on Drugs costs fifteen billion dollars a year, it is hard to understand why the government is trying to eliminate and not take over an eighty billion dollar market. Drug Prohibition without a doubt has reaped no benefits and has escalated all it intended to conquer. The down side of drug legalization would be limited. Narcotics agents would be somewhat affected. The career description of a narcotics agent would switch from arrests and seizures to ensuring the quality of narcotics. The public would be made aware of drug use among American officials. Present addicts would most likely have a field day at first. Legalization will have an affect on America, but it seems like a small price to pay in order to ensure the economic stability, health, and welfare for generations of Americans to come. Governmental regulation of the manufacturing and sale of drugs would benefit America as a whole. Death due to unsanitary production methods and the lacing of drugs would be eliminated. The taxation of drugs would have a tremendous effect on our nation. Government produced drugs would cost a considerable amount less, leaving the drug user money to spend on other taxed items. A reduction in crime would occur, freeing up prison space and time to seek out and prosecute violent criminals Most of the drug related crime occurs when the addict is in need of money to buy the drug. Legalization would put the drug lords out of business and abolish the black market, thereby keeping the pushers out of schools and off streets. Innocent adults and children would not be struck down by a disgruntled drug lords stray bu...
