Why are drugs illegal?

[gustav]

I don't understand what the real reasoning is behind the so-called "war on drugs" and drug laws in America. I thought the United States was supposed to be the land of the free. If this country is so free, shouldn't I be able to grow whatever I want in my backyard, and live the lifestyle I choose - even if it includes recreational (or other) use of mind and mood-altering substances?

Sounds like we're all being lied to and manipulated quite a bit here, I just don't understand the reason.

[hillocke]

In truth the main reason is because they can't be taxed like any other product. People will grow in their backyard or go through neighborhood growers if legal rather then a taxed product. That is the reason alcohol and tobacco is legal because it could be taxed and a very large source of government income.

Now the argument used however is that people get addicted and become a threat to society for the abuse of such "drugs". From driving under the influence of "drugs" to other criminal activities. However the argument is flawed because nicotine is the 2nd most addictive substance only 2nd to crystal meth. Then alcohol causes more criminal and dangerous activities then any major illegal drug outside of the distribution ring which would fall apart if legalized. Then on top of that legal prescription drugs can be far more mood altering and dangerous to "others" then marijuana and lessor illegal "drugs".

The main holdup of legalizing illegal drugs is the failure to find a way to tax and create a government income off of such products without keeping homegrown illegal and legalizing commercialization (republican parties holdup). The 2nd holdup is its a major priority of the liberal party to keep minorities who have higher drug usage rates tied up as criminals who can be controlled easier through misinformation and bad education. They feel if the minority groups are no longer seen as law breakers as illegal drugs are the main issue those groups will eventually climb out and realize who's actually holding their race back.

[norwyn]

mostly to protect the people. some narcotics are dangerous and the legitimate use in negligible. those that are such are removed from the market. ecstasy was a therapeutic drug that was experimented with in some physiological cases. it was found to be of little to no therapeutic value. much later it was found that the use of the drug was being exploited as a recreational drug that had dangerous side effects so the use and distribution was outlawed.

the short answer is that the drugs that are determined dangerous with very little or no therapeutic value are made illegal to protect the population from unscrupulous people that make/distribute said narcotics. -... ...

[aingeni]

If you look back on the history of this country you will see why drugs are illegal. Take cocaine for example. Cocaine use to be a legal substance up until 1903; in-fact, plantation owners use to give it to there slaves because it kept them awake, work harder, and increased production as a whole. you could actually get the stuff at shops by the gram which they would pack in a little brown box. After the civil war cocaine as did all drugs remained legal. Around the turn of the 20th century they illigalized it as a result of racial tension. The conventional wisdom at the time was all these attacks on white women was the result of the drug crazed *****. and then you have the early 20th century propaganda films that basically shoved ignorance down your throat. most drugs weren't even prosecuted all that harshly pre 1960. the war on drugs then got popularized by nixon and his crony ansliger who got most of the world to agree to illigalize all narcotics. Then jimmy carter came along and tried to legalize pot but didn't as he was already an unpopular president and didn't want to hurt his chances at reelection which ended up being redundant. then you got reagan and daddy bush continuing the war on weed which allowed crack to prosper because with all of the weed they were seizing and burning the price of weed rose to the point where crack was the cheaper high. But i think times are changing. Now you see politicians saying "Lets legalize weed and tax the **** out of it". I don't really care if they legalize it cause i'm going to smoke it regardless and there never going to legalize coke which is the love of my life. And legalizing it wont stop crime as so many proponents claim cause ex weed dealers will just step up to selling the good stuff, so using that logic one can only say the violence wont end until all drugs are legal. so smoke, snort, inject, or inhale what ever it is that adds little extra flavor to your life cause life is all any of us have so enjoy it and don't be tied down to conventional norms. And remember don't do drugs to fill a whole or as an answer to depression cause that only leads further down the spiral.so remember drugs are great and the invisible flying spaghetti monster bless America.

[larenzo]

Because it is a nightmare for everyone who doesn't do drugs, to have to deal with the people that do.

[jarl]

Many drugs are legal, and the corporations that make money off those drugs fight to keep other drugs illegal. For example, we have a massive multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical industry that dispenses drugs that will get you hopped up every day. We have huge tobacco and alcohol industries that kill more people than heroin, cocaine, and meth combined.

Basically, whichever drugs make money are legal, and any drugs that compete will be quashed by the government and lobbyists (we saw that in California when the beer companies ran massive propaganda campaigns to prevent marijuana legalization).

[wal49]

Why are drugs illegal? --> because it's bad for your health, it can totally destroy you, physically mentally. and if it wasn't illegal people wouldn't be scared of anything and would do drugs just like smoking cigarettes. how many people do you think would look like amy winehouse? yeah.

[seme22]

Go to the nearest city and walk the streets at night and then ask that question again.

[torin7]

While some drugs are used for recreational purposes, some are used as a lifestyle. The Government can't control the sale of these drugs and tax them like cigarettes or alcohol and therefore illegal.

[panteno]

Because lawmakers and law enforcement were all nerds in school, got picked on by the cool kids, and never got invited to parties and now they have power-trips and badges and guns. Because they are miserable, they want you to be miserable also.