Should alcohol be legal when other drugs like marijuana are illegal but less harmful?

Should alcohol be legal when other drugs like marijuana are illegal but less harmful?

For decades, illegalization of marijuana has led to people’s perception that the drug is illegal and that it should never be legalized .This study mainly argues on whether legalization of alcohol outweighs the illegalization of other less harmful drugs like marijuana. The harm of a drug can be analyzed by analyzing on its addiction potential, its harm to the user or the drug’s use impact on the society. Mainly, the focus is centered on the fact that alcohol is more harmful, yet legalized. Despite all the myths on the use of marijuana, it can highly be considered to be less toxic, less harmful and less addictive. Despite the legalization of alcohol, the study will highlight its effects and impact as well as the harm which arise from its use.

Alcohol consumption can be associated to harm such as damaging of families and accidents. Compared to marijuana, alcohol consumption could lead to unconsciousness, or rather aggressiveness and being violent which could result to reckless driving. Due to the freely consumption of alcohol on the view that it is legalized, this could also lead to health complications of some body organs, mainly the liver, while in addition, its interaction with antidepressants could lead to a person’s reflexes hindrance and this could lead to high health costs.Furtermore, alcohol could damage brain cells, whereas marijuana is considered to contain neuroprotective properties that serve to protect brain cells from damage (Room et al., 510). Other health complications which might be associated with alcohol include cancers of the liver, esophagus, colon and pancrease.On the other hand, marijuana might be used to reduce the chances of neck and head cancers. Comparatively, marijuana users have less cancer prevalence chances as compared to the alcohol users. Though both drugs might be quite used in the same manner, marijuana could be used for medicinal values such as alleviation of arthritis, migraine relief or even for a sleep.addiction,which is as a result of dependence on a drug highly make the community to find it hard in coping without the drug since it is easily accessible to them without prohibition.in addition, there is high mortality rate on alcohol consumption as compared to marijuana use due to alcohol overdosage.overally,alcohol consumption leads to a lot of body injury((Deery ,et al,820-822).

Alcohol consumption creates a crisis in the economy. Alcohol consumption highly contributed to diseases, whilst also contributing to nearly 4% of worldwide deaths. This highly distress the economy of a country since funds meant for other resources are invested into the health sector.an example is the UK economy experiences high costs related to alcohol consumption, estimated to be ($40.2) billion each year. This negatively impact other development programs which were meant to utilize those funds, hence slowing down the development of a country’s economy.in addition, addiction to alcohol consumption lead to high expenditure of income on the drug since many people spent their income mainly on them (Williams et al., 87-89).Income which could otherwise be used for viable projects which could improve the living standards of an individual is highly used on drugs hence derailing self-improvement projects. Income that could otherwise be used for investment is also used in the purchase of drugs. Furthermore, health implications of alcohol consumption lead to body weakness, which could ultimately lead to deaths. This negatively impacts the economy since a large productive population which could possess the much needed skills and experience is lost. This loss could lead to low production levels which could signal low returns hence leading to low economic growth rate. Inability of the productive production to work due to health complications could lead to mass lay-off of employees, which could ultimately lead to high dependence ratio of the unemployed to the employed. This lead to more expenditure of income of the employed in maintaining the ailing population.in addition to the dependence, the government also losses a lot of tax returns since the productive population capacity is slow. These low tax amounts could lead to slow growth of projects which the government has invested in, including infrastructure and provision of services to the citizens. Comparing these economic effects to marijuana consumption, it is evident that marijuana consumption rarely contribute to low productive population since chances of lay-off due to health complications are low.as a result, marijuana consumption would also not lead to low taxes hence it does not negatively affect the economy compared to alcohol consumption.

Alcohol consumption could contribute to the likelihood of high crime rate and unsupportive behavior whereas marijuana use does not. Since alcohol tends to lower one’s inhibition whilst impairing one’s judgment, it could lead to crimes such as robbery, assaults, domestic violence as well as child abuse. Dependency on the drugs could imply that some people cannot cope without them due to dependence. Inability to work could negatively affect their income and this could attract robbery as a way of making income for their survival. Due to alcohol consumption, the defenses of the victim are lowered, contrary to the consumption of marijuana. This could lead to immoral acts such as rape (Fox, et al, 440-442).this is as a result of lack of inhibition caused by alcohol consumption since it tends to create no fear from others and the law. As a result of its legislation, people can freely get intoxicated without any fear, contrary to the use of marijuana which is taken with more fear of other people’s perception and also the law. Alcohol consumption furthermore tends to deprive one of the thought of any consequences of the assault, hence the high chances of these sexual assault cases. Alcohol consumption could lead to driving under influence, which could lead to fatal road accidents whereas marijuana use does not. This could lead to high death rates and disability, hence tending to prove legalization of alcohol is dangerous to the lives of people.it can also be argued that alcohol consumption lead to domestic violence which could ultimately lead to marriage breaks. This could be in the form of physical attacks, psychologically aggressing the other or even stalking. This leads to difficulties in parenting, domestic instability or even strained financial conditions as a result of failure to provide for the basic needs. This failure is brought about by the over-expenditure of income on drugs leaving little or none for the family. Furthermore, alcohol use could lead to homicide struggles which could be as a result of verbal abuse or child abuse which include neglect ion, physical violence or even mistreatments.

Lastly, alcohol consumption has a negative impact on the population as compared to marijuana since it leads to population decline. This could arise as a result of health condition and mortality cases. Addiction could force the youths fail to have families due to their focus on the alcohol and this could negatively affect the population.it could also lead to other health issues such as mental disorders hence making it hard for them to have families hence a decline in population growth(Stephanie S., et al 396-398 ). Fatal road accidents caused by intoxicated drivers could lead to deaths and disability hence reducing the population. Health complications such as liver cirrhosis could also negatively impact the population due to the deaths associated with it.On contrast, marijuana is safe since there are fewer chances of occurrence deaths associated with it.

In conclusion, alcohol consumption has more effects and shortcomings compared to the use of marijuana yet it is legalized. Its complications range from physical effects, social and even economic effects. Considering its shortcomings, alcohol should really be illegalized in order to curb the many effects it majorly impacts on the community and the nation as a whole. Legalization of marijuana should be considered on the other hand since it is less harmful to use and has fewer shortcomings as compared to alcohol.

Works cited

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