The World Health Organization defines drug addiction as a state of periodic or chronic intoxication detrimental to the individual and to society, produced by the repeated consumption of a drug. Thomas Szasz says that drug addiction or abuse cannot be defined without specifying the proper and improper uses of certain pharmalogically active agents. Society says that the administration of drugs by physicians is proper while the occasional self-administration of drugs by a physically healthy person is improper. According to Szasz this is a moral judgment and is not sufficient enough to make the use of drugs illegal.

Szasz supports the legalization of all drugs and brings up several points to defend his opinion. He begins with asserting propaganda is used to validate the prohibition of drugs. Drug addiction is no different than addictions to other substances and stimuli. He sees that legalizing drugs would be economically sound. One of the reasons that drugs are illegal is because drug use goes against tradition and American values. Lastly, Szasz tries to show that self-medication is not only a fundamental right but also a constitutional one.

Other nations have tried to legalize drugs and they have failed. Egypt allowed unrestricted trade of cocaine and heroin in the 1920s. An epidemic of addiction and AIDS soon followed. In the Netherlands, official tolerance has led to significant increases in addiction. Amsterdam’s officials blame the significant rise in crime on the liberal drug policy. The city’s 7,000 addicts are blamed for eighty percent of all property crime and Amsterdam’s rate of burglary is now twice that of Newark, New Jersey. Sweden legalized doctor prescriptions of amphetamines in 1965. During the first year of legalization, the number of speed addicts rose 88.5 percent. This Swiss opened a “legalized drug” area in Zurich several years ago. Local addicts were given drugs, clean needles, and emergency medical care. This resulted in a surge in the number of addicts and violence. “Needle Park,” as it was called became known for open conflict among rival gangs, police were subject to gunfire, and cars were attacked and overturned.

Society shouldn’t fear drugs because they are addicting. A fundamental characteristic of human beings is that they become used to things, that they become addicted. We become addicted to cigarettes, orange juice with breakfast, watching a certain television program, etc. Becoming addicted to illicit drugs is no different. The more we take of the drug the more our bodies crave it and the higher doses we must take to get the desired effect. Szasz goes onto assert that these habits can also be broken- “and without medical assistance”- as long as the person wants to break it.

Szasz neglects to look at the fact that legalizing drugs would increase the crime rate. Legalization would decrease drug distribution crime because most of those activities would become lawful. Legalization would reduce the cost of drugs and thus addicts might commit fewer crimes to pay for their habit, but less expensive drugs might also lead to feeding their habit even more. More drugs means more side effects like paranoia, irritability, and violence. Currently seventy percent of inmates were on illegal drugs when arrested. If drugs were made more readily available, it is easy to assume that that percentage and the number of inmates would likely increase.

Maginnis, Robert. “Legalization Of Drugs: The Myths And The Facts.” Familly Research Council.

The myth that illicit drugs are no worse than legal drugs like alcohol and tobacco is not true. A given dose of cocaine is far more dangerous than a drink of alcohol. A joint of marijuana is far more carcinogenic than a cigarette. A study in D

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