[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n Houston, Texas on April 10, 2002 rapper Big Lurch ate his girlfriend named, Tynisha Ysais. Previous to this both Big Lurch and Tynisha Ysais were smoking the recreational drug PCP, which causes hallucinations, visions, and reckless violent behavior. The PCP caused Big Lurch to go insane and rip open Tynisha’s chest and eat her lungs and other insides. Doctors did an examination after the murder and they ended up finding human remains in Big Lurchs stomach, which happened to be his girlfriends remains. Then finally a year later on November 7, 2003 Big Lurch was charged with a life sentence in prison without a possibility of parole time. This is a very wild and unfortunate story, but the sad thing is that this isn’t even the last of the crazy drug stories. Stuff like this happens everyday. And the fact that people want to legalize all drugs when things like this are happening is just insane! Drugs cause so many problems for our society; so much money is wasted, it results in murder and crime, families are torn apart, etc. All drugs should stay illegal in the United States of America.

Why Should all Drugs be Stay Illegal in The USA

There are some very good and logical reasons as to why drugs are still illegal in the states. First of all drugs should stay illegal because they destroy so many relationships and tear families apart. I mean try to imagine for a second that your best friend or one of your really close family members became dependent on drugs and they just totally stopped caring about your relationship and replaced you with drugs. That would be like a stab right in the back especially from someone so close to you. Second of all drugs take so many lives. Statistics from the CDC state that in 2016 about 64,000 people in the USA died from overdose, then the year of 2017 came along and more than 72,000 people died from overdose. Data shows the number of deaths caused by overdose is increasing each year, it can only get worse from here; and by legalizing drugs that would make matters even worse. Death is not the only high number, the money that is wasted on drugs is another very high number. Which is another reason to keep drugs legalized, they waste so much money each year. Research shows that about $136,365,132,138 is wasted on illegal and non-medical prescription drugs each year. The total add up of everything; $30 billion (drug treatment) + $41 billion (war on drugs) + $97 billion (crime and accidents) +  $166 billion (health care) + $267 billion (active drug addictions) + $437 billion (lost productivity)= $1 trillion wasted on drugs! That money could help the United States out so much, we could fix roads and bridges, build more schools, get kids better education, create new jobs, pay for war, etc. We could do so many important things with that money, but instead Americans choose to waste valuable money on illegal drugs. Another reason drugs should stay illegal is because the crime and murder rate caused by drugs is so high. In the United States more than half of the prisoners are in jail due to drug related crimes and murders. Fourth of all drugs cause so many children to have no choice but to go into foster care because their parents are dependent on drugs and can not take care of them, which is just plain sad. The comeback of meth has made its way to Minnesota, which has caused foster care officials to have to take about 150 kids every month from parents with a drug addiction. And data shows in total that there are currently about 500,000 kids in the USA that are in foster care due to their chemical dependent parents. Finally, drugs turn smart, fun, intelligent, and loving people into monsters. The drugs chemically alter and change people’s minds and turn them into evil and scary people, drugs take the people we love the most and destroy them. Drugs already cause many severe problems such as tearing families apart, high death rate, high crime and murder rate, so much money wasted, etc.. The United States already has enough problems as it is, and legalizing drugs would add even more problems.

Why do Some Americans Want to Legalize all Drugs?

Most Americans are against legalizing all drugs, but there is still a very small percent of people who want all drugs legalized. So why would anyone want Heroin, Cocaine, Meth, LSD, etc legalized? Well here are some reasons why. First of all some Americans want drugs legalized because they believe that they should be able to have the freedom to do whatever they want, they do not think the government should be making that choice for them. Which I mean yeah I understand that Americans want the freedom to choose, but drugs are 100% dangerous so why would the government sell anything life threatening to its people. Second of all people want drugs to be legal because they claim it would decrease crimes. The police would no longer have to stop or arrest people for the possession of drugs, so they would not have to worry about that anymore. But that still would not stop drug addicts from stealing money for or even killing for drugs, so really if you think about it in the grand scheme of things that would not help reduce crime at all. Third of all people want to legalize drugs because it would cost less money for the US government. The United States government already spends crazy amounts of money on drug treatments, taxes that have to do with drugs, healthcare, etc. every year, but by legalizing drugs the USA would not have to spend all that extra money. This is true, but it is not like it would majorly reduce the total of money spent on drugs, it would barely decrease it so what is the point? There are only a few reasons Americans think drugs should be legalized across the US which include; freedom of choice, reduction of crime, and reduce costs. But really if you think about it you can fight against each of these statements and prove that drugs should in fact stay illegal.

In Conclusion

The drug war in the United States has been going on for decades; the common debate question asks if all drugs become legalized or stay illegal? In my opinion drugs have so many negative effects on our country including; death, crime, separation of families, relationships broken, and much more. Nothing good can come from drugs being legalized, that is why they should forever stay illegal. Drugs have always been a problem for the US so what makes people think legalizing them will make things better? The opposing side claims that by legalizing drugs it will give people freedom of choice, reduce crime, and reduce costs for the government. Really all in all there are a lot more reasons the US should keep drugs illegal as opposed to making all drugs legal. The US would be a lot better with no drugs at all, but obviously we can’t make drugs non existent so the least we can do is keep all drugs illegal.

Featured image by Image by Cabrera Photo via Flickr