Letter: Better to Legalize Drugs Than Make Criminals of Users
Kristina Crawford
May 9, 2008
Asheville Citizen-Times
Recently there has been much controversy about why or why not marijuana should be legalized; I would just like to get out my opinion on why drugs should be legalized.
There are many reasons as to why it would be a positive to be legalized. People nowadays are concerned with crime; however, what people don't realize is that if drugs were legalized, many causes of crime would be reduced dramatically. Many of the causes of crime are brought about by people who otherwise would not be criminals if drugs were legal. Many people believe that drugs are illegal because of the addictive properties in them; however, what people don't think about is the fact that other legal substances have just as many addictive properties.
As a person who is concerned about the problems with the legal status of drugs, I would just like it known that many studies prove it would reduce the current crime rates if drugs were legalized. Also, that from an economic standpoint, it would greatly reduce the cost that is spent on crime. I would just like it known that it is a very expensive social cost to have drugs illegal.
Kristina Crawford, Cullowhee | 
