Drug abuse in the United States
Drug abuse in the United States has become a nationwide concern in recent decades. According to Karin Mack (2017), over 60,000 Americans die every year because of a drug overdose, illegal substance abuse, and other drug-related deaths. To mitigate this, the government has put up tighter laws and policies to limit the distribution and use the drug in the United States but with no avail. The more the laws become harsher, the more drug abuse increases as well as deaths (Mack et al., 2017). This is why even some legislators have suggested the legalization of all drugs and control their use by regulation. However, others argue that this would add to the problem. Some drugs such as cocaine, opium, and heroin are so addictive, and legalizing them will make it accessible to even more people. This, in turn, will increase the number of people who are addicted to the drugs more they are at the moment.
To come up with effective drug policies, several factors should be considered. Firstly, the government should be in charge of all drug distribution and control all the users through its bodies, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) department criminal justice system. Centralizing this control makes it easier to monitor drug usage in the country. The FDA should be keen to control the distribution of all drugs in control. This means that all drugs. Legal or illegal should be monitored before they enter the country and their manufacture in the country (Singleton, 2014). As for illegal drugs, the FDA, in collaboration with the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law should make sure to close down all entry points of illegal drugs and curb the manufacture of any in the country. Afterward, the government should implement policies on addiction rehabilitation. This may include federal and local government opining up drug rehabilitation centers that will help those that are addicted at the moment. Lastly, for legal drugs, the government should regulate their distribution through policies that prohibit the use of drugs for recreation.
However, according to Beatrice Loan, drug and substance abuse is not due to the availability but rather due to an increase in social problems in the society (Loan, 2015). Most people abuse drugs to escape from their social problems. These problems include unemployment, gender discrimination, bullying, homelessness, and social inequality. David Batty’s article confirms this as he shows drug dependency has increased during the Covid-19 period. Many people are unemployed, and there has been an increase in inequality, and discrimination is still present in the country (Batty, 2020). Therefore, from Loan’s perspective, substance abuse can be mitigated by not only controlling their distribution but also improving the lives and welfare of the people. All of which largely fall under the responsibility of the government. It is my opinion that the present policies are excellent at mitigating the availability and distribution of drugs in the country but neglect the social aspect of the problem.
Presently, the law is focused on punishing illegal drug possession, distribution, and unauthorized distribution of legal drugs (Levinthal, 2020). However, it fails to address the social problems in the country that lead to drug dependency. Therefore, I would not change the present policies but would push the government to force more on the citizen’s welfare. The country is plagued with social issues such as social inequality, discrimination in terms of religion, sex, race, and unemployment problems. By addressing these problems, the government has a better chance of improving the lives of the citizens and reducing the drug problem in the country.