The use of drugs and alcohol has been an essential topic of discussion for a long time. Regulations are enacted to ensure that the harmful impacts of drugs such as accidents, assaults, and deaths are significantly reduced. This it does mean that possession and use of drugs or alcohol is a crime. This is an ethical dilemma which needs to be resolved with the highest level of involvement. The control and use of drugs do not always qualify to be a crime. It can be argued that alcohol is a drug, but its circulation is still different from other drugs (Hall, 2019). It is subject to restrictions and control measures to ensure that no harmful impacts are experienced. This can as well be applied to other types of drugs such as marijuana.
Drug use and alcohol consumption should not be considered crimes. There are various reasons why this is a true statement. First, states and authorities should have restrictions for using drugs. Those who consume alcohol should be 18 years old and safe smoking zones should be established where people can use alcohol but under supervision (Hughes et al., 2019). Second, some medications such as marijuana have many economic benefits to the states and individuals (Egnell et al., 2019).
Considering consumption as a crime will imply that the state will not draw revenues from it as individuals will be afraid of using them. Lastly, medical benefits from some drugs are among the reasons for legalizing consumption (Sutherland et al., 2021). Over time, marijuana has been considered to have medical benefits, which led to some countries such as Canada legalizing its use. When using drugs or alcohol, the law should be clear about the requirements one should meet, such as not drinking and driving.
References
Egnell, S., Villman, E., & Obstbaum, Y. (2019). Cannabis policy and legislation in the Nordic countries: A report on the control of cannabis use and possession in the Nordic legal systems. Nordic Welfare Centre. Web.
Hall, D., (2019). Criminal law and procedure. (7th ed.). Sage.
Hughes, C., Stevens, A., Hulme, S., & Cassidy, R. (2019). Review of approaches taken in Ireland and in other jurisdictions to simple possession drug offense. Irish Department of Justice and Equality and the Department of Health. Web.
Sutherland, R., Weatherburn, D., & Degenhardt, L. (2021). A trial of Criminal Infringement Notices as an alternative to criminal penalties for illicit drug offences in New South Wales, Australia: Estimated savings. Drug and Alcohol Review, 40(1), 93-97. Web.