The Definition for decriminalization is, to eliminate criminal penalties for or remove legal restrictions against. Legalization and decriminalization are different in many ways. Decriminalization is a loosening of criminal penalties now imposed for personal marijuana use even though the manufacturing and sale of the substance remain illegal. Essentially, under decriminalization, law enforcement is instructed to look the other way when it comes to the possession of small amounts of marijuana meant for personal use. Under decriminalization, the manufacture and sale of marijuana remains unregulated by the state. Those caught using the substance face civil fines instead of criminal charges.
Legalization, on the other hand, is the lifting or abolishment of laws banning the possession and personal use of marijuana. Legalization allows the government to regulate and tax marijuana use and sales. Proponents also make the case that taxpayers can save millions of dollars by removing from the judicial system the hundreds of thousands of offenders caught with small amounts of marijuana.
98% of students at Judge Memorial Catholic High School that have taken a survey on if all drugs should be decriminalized, all agreed that all drugs should be decriminalized except for a few drugs, like Peyote, bath salts, and drugs along those lines. If the majority of United States citizens agree drugs should be decriminalized then why are our congressmen not taking a stand and speak for the citizens like they are supposed to. The United States Government, is supposed to make decisions that benefits the country as a whole, although they make choices that benefit themself, not their citizens.
Richard Nixon created the War On Drugs, as a war on races. He came out and said that he is doing it to put African American People in Jail. This war is still going on today and needs to stop now with the decriminalization of all drugs. To many people are in prison for such small drug crimes.
Oliver,
Great post! Your post talks about some interesting topics. I agree with your argument that less harmful drugs such as weed should be decriminalized. I also agree with your ideas about how our congressmen should represent the people’s opinions. I think that in your next post you should talk about how the prohibition of drugs increases violence in the black market because buyers and sellers can’t resolve disputes with courts, lawyers, or arbitration, so they turn to guns instead. I think you should take a look at this article for your next post: http://theweek.com/articles/445005/why-all-drugs-should-legal-yes-even-heroin
Oliver, I find your topic interesting. I guess I would agree with you in the sense that less severe drugs such as weed should be decriminalized. But any of the other class 1+ drugs should not. The way I see it is that if something is going to be legal, then all restrictions should be lifted in less serious cases. The issue with this topic is that there is always going to be different circumstances for each case which will make it hard to place an argument. Overall, I feel that you have written a great post. Here is a link to a website that would lead you to further your support. These are the states that have decriminalized pot. http://norml.org/aboutmarijuana/item/states-that-have-decriminalized