The Drug Crisis: A Description of Contingencies with a Recommendation for Regulated Legalization

Abstract

Two rival approaches for alleviating the “drug crisis” are examined: the Bush elimination proposal and the legalization proposal. The drug crisis is broken down into relevant behaviors, and separated into an individual level and a social level. How well the two approaches address the contingencies of drug use and trade is examined, as well as the probable side-effects of implementing the two approaches. It is suggested that while legalization might increase the sheer number of users, the individual problems currently associated with use would be significantly alleviated. It is also suggested that legalization would alleviate many of the social problems of the drug crisis. It is concluded that the Bush proposal would exacerbate the problems of both levels and focuses on a specific problem while ignoring the conditions that caused the problem.