... takes on even more credibility when it comes from those in the community who can put the legalization debate in local perspective" (Internet). After learning about the issues regarding both sides of the argument, I would choose to support those who oppose legalization of any drugs. Drugs simply create problems which effect society in several ways. The government has made several efforts to control drugs and their users, however, to most the problem appears too out of hand. "Others see potential profit i ...

... who are involved in its enforcement, as well as its victim."(Stewart 1) Perhaps the most frequent argument for capital punishment is that of deterrence. The prevailing thought is that imposition of the death penalty will act to dissuade other criminals from committing violent acts. Numerous studies have been created attempting to prove this belief; however, "[a]ll the evidence taken together makes it hard to be confident that capital punishment deters more than long prison terms do."(Cavanagh 4) Going ever farther, Bryan Stevenson, the executive director of the Montgomery based Equal Justice Initiative, ...

... of King Canute and William the Conqueror, the death penalty was not used, although the results of interrogation and torture were often fatal. By the end of the 15th century, English law recognized seven major crimes: treason (grand and petty), murder, larceny, burglary, rape, and arson. By 1800, more than 200 capital crimes were recognized, and as a result, 1000 or more persons were sentenced to death each year (although most sentences were commuted by royal pardon). In the American colonies before the Revolution, the death penalty was commonly authorized for a wide variety of crimes. Blacks, whether slave or fre ...

... decades ago. In the seventeenth century, Arab forces occupied Sicily. The native Sicilians were oppressed and took refuge in the surrounding hills. The Sicilians formed a secret society to unite the natives against the Arab and Norman invaders. This secret society was called Mafia after the Arabic word for refuge. The society's intentions were to create a sense of family based on ancestry and Sicilian heritage. In the 1800's, pictures of a black hand were distributed to the wealthy. This was an unspoken request for an amount of money in return for protection. If the money wasn't paid, the recipients could e ...

... A potential customer would probably choose to buy a market-tested product from a pharmacy as opposed to buying a product of unknown dosage and quality from a corner dealer. Without the advantage of large profits, the drug dealing profession would lose its luster. A major problem is that teenagers see selling drugs as the only way to make money. Minimum wage salaries can not compare to the huge profits associated with dealing. In a drug community, the drug dealers are seen as the center of the community. They become role models for the children, replacing their parents. Eliminating the drug dealer will force ...

... "Suddenly honest, responsible Americans who just wanted a drink, were turned into criminals. Respectable bars became underground speak-easys, and legitimate liquor manufacturers were replaced by criminal bootleggers." Gang warfare, bribery, and criminal activity reached an all-time high. Standards on illegal alcohol were much lower than those on the previously legal alcohol which led to the blinding or death of many consumers. Finally in 1933, politicians buckled and repealed the 18th Amendment. The Prohibition attempt of the early 20th century provides the perfect historical support for the decriminalizat ...

... for all crimes, and death penalty for all murders. Today, Federal law states that the death penalty is to be enforced with convicted criminals for: treason; deserting armed forces during wartime; murder committed by a soldier; kidnapping and murder that involves crossing state lines; murder committed during an airplane hijacking; and of course, homicide. The death penalty is also called for punishment of for: attempting to kill anyone investigating or prosecuting his or her activities; advising, directing, authorizing or assi ...

... well as society as a whole. Some say that they have been misused in the past but it seems safe that people are using them as drugs for pleasure. Most users are not addicts say experts, and that they are for pure enjoyment rather than harmful. There is a “users rights policy� which aims to eliminate abuse which harms society, while preserving the benefits of responsible users. This is to maximize the benefit of trade off drugs. (Toward a Users’ Drug Rights Policy - pages 382-383 There have been many assumptions throughout the years on what effects drugs are causing on society. In the 1960’s, the psychedel ...

... on criminal violence. On balance, they show that there is nothing to be gained from reducing the general level of gun ownership.(3) A thorough review of 18 studies of the effects of gun availability among potential victims and criminals found that the overall effect on criminal violence was zero.(4) In one study, researchers found no significant differences in total robbery rates between cities where guns were widely available and cities where they were not; in cities with fewer firearms, armed robbers simply used other weapons.(5)The best available evidence, based on at least eight national surveys of the genera ...

... to children would continue to be criminal, and other evasions of government regulation of a legal market would continue to be prosecuted; but by and large the drug connection that now accounts for all of the criminal-justice costs noted above would be severed" (Lindsmith Center). Second, many illicit-drug users commit crimes such as robbery and burglary, as well as drug dealing, prostitution, and many others, to earn enough money to purchase the relatively high-priced illicit drugs. "Unlike the millions of alcoholics who can support their habits for relatively modest amounts, many cocaine and heroin addicts spend ...