Introduction
According to the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, drugs such as nicotine and marijuana were barred from public use with exception for medicinal and research purposes. It is notable that drug legislations are often based on the three UN convections of 1961, 1971 and 1988 which allowed limited use of drugs with recognition of therapeutic and scientific reasons only. Despite regulation policies by the UN concerning drug abuse, Latin America has continually remain to be a hub of drug abuse while drug barons make millions from illicit trade on these drugs in the black-market.
Legalizing Drugs Consumption for Their Proper Management
According to Uruguay’s president, José Mujica, legalization and decriminalization of drug and substance use would prove to be fruitful in curbing their trade in the black-market (Cave, 2012). Uruguay and other Latin American countries strive to legalize drug use with an aim to manage their populations’ consumption of drugs while under the surveillance of the governments. Such drugs include marijuana and nicotine which thrive in their illicit consumptions. Contrary to the Latin America’s ideology on drug legalization, the UAE has remained stiff on drug use and legalization with heavy penalties imposed on drug offenders (Cave, 2012).
Despite amendments by different nations on their drug policies, UAE has continued to impose their strict policies on drug use and abuse. Their strenuous efforts have recorded remarkable impacts as crime rate is significantly low compared to other industrialized countries. According to the National Rehabilitation Centre of the UAE, the region has recorded the lowest rate of substance abuse compared to other countries world-over. Cities in the UAE such as Dubai have strict drug policies though posing as liberal destination for tourists globally. Persons found guilty in Dubai face heavy punishment with imposition of death penalty on gross offenders. These policies have helped their government to wage a zero tolerance war on drug abuse and malpractices.
On the contrary, the Latin American nations consider the fight against drug use to have failed hence resorting to drug legalization and decriminalization of drug offenders (Cave, 2012). Such practices would never be embraced in the UAE where they have recorded substantial benefits from their strict laws and drug policies. In respect to the UAE, legalization of drug use would be a mere show of failure to impose drug policies and regulations among their users.
Moreover legalization of drug use in a country pose to be very challenging as the population of drug addicts would soar resulting into more crimes and health hazards due to lack of alternative financial sources. According to the UAE drug policies, the government should strive to eliminate the thriving black market which is the major source of illegal drugs while spearheading public education on drugs, an activity which the UAE presently carries intensively.
In addition legalization of drug use has severe security challenges which would be quite difficult for governments to contain. Since drug trafficking has been monopolized by some domineering individuals, its regulation would be very dynamic to govern as it would fetch more money in the black-market than within the public and legalized markets. Therefore it would be more prudent not to legalize drug use but rather maintain the zero tolerance which has yielded more results in the UAE (UN, 2010). Legalization of drug market could also cause the price of harmful drugs to decline thus greater population having access to these drugs which were once traded at higher prices in the black markets. In conclusion, according to UAE, legalization of drug use depicts failure of the government to impose the required policies and laws which govern drug use its populations.
References
Cave, D. (2012). Drug Path to Legalization. Web.
UN. (2010). General assembly debate. Web.