Speaking Out Against Drug Legalization

Increasingly the news is full of reports providing misleading or biased information about our nation’s drug policies. Whether there are questions about the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) actions to enforce federal law, or challenges to the basic concept that drugs are dangerous, there is a growing discussion as to whether our current drug policies are effective and appropriate. This booklet, Speaking Out Against Drug Legalization, is designed to cut through the current fog of misinformation with hard facts. It presents an accurate picture of America’s experience with drug use, the nature of the drug problem, and the potential for damage if the United States adopts a more permissive policy on drug abuse. The information is presented in a bulleted format, in an effort to provide specific points in response to the most common myths and facts about drugs and drug abuse. Drug abuse, and this nation’s response to it, is one of the most important and complex challenges facing all Americans—especially our youth. The national drug policies presently in place were not dreamed up from an ivory tower of idealism, but instead were constructed from the cold realities of experience. From a historical perspective, the unique freedoms offered by the United States have always depended on a well-informed public. Accordingly, the DEA hopes you will use the scrupulously researched facts you find in this booklet to help you educate your friends and family. This book is designed to dispel the inaccuracies about drug legalization and present accurate information on legalization, drug policy and drug abuse. Some of the topics include: a balanced approach of prevention, enforcement, and treatment; smoked marijuana; crime, violence, and drug use; and nonviolent drug users and treatment.~