Drugs can be catastrophic for people; however, it is difficult for them to stop using drugs once they have started. Drug usage can begin due to various reasons, from entertainment to treatment. Due to their nature, drugs can make people addicted despite the negative consequences they produce; thus, personal control over drug usage is inefficient, and it may be almost impossible for a person to quit. In that case, only the external control over the drug possession, use, and distribution can effectively reduce negative impacts on the population.
The drug legislation bears the attitude and perception of various policymakers throughout history. While the goals of policymakers may have been different and mixed in unexpected combinations, in most cases, battles against drugs were carried out under the banners of healthcare and protection (Goode, 2014). Considering the substantial harmful effects of most known drugs on human health, the policymakers’ claims seem to be somewhat relevant. Especially in the light of the fact that some drugs were poorly studied at the time when the decisions about their usage were made. Therefore, it can be said that drug legislation is not just a function of bias against pleasure or the people who use certain psychoactive substances.
It is important to note that the attempts to illegalize more widely accepted substances sometimes lead to disastrous consequences, such as the unprecedented rise of organized crime (Goode, 2014). At the same time, the ban on such drugs as cocaine or opium did not have comparable effects on society and the economy due to marginalization; thus, the policymakers’ attitudes and actions are understandable. Moreover, demonizing the substances used by the smaller share of the population was easier; therefore, the fight against them was more effective. Accordingly, some of the substances are used widely today, and some are still banned and marginalized.
There were attempts to divide drugs based on objective factors. Some of the most common drugs were put into various categories in the US in the 20th century; they were sorted based on their medical utility and potential for abuse (Goode, 2014). However, the lack of research on drugs and other substances, in general, made their objective harm ranking almost impossible. Furthermore, in many cases, the artificially created perception of the drug’s potential harm may have more impact on its legal status than its actual one.
Reference
Goode, E. (2014). Drugs in American Society. VitalSource Bookshelf.