Legalization of Drugs

Additionally, dangerousness alone is never adequate enough of an argument to justify the prohibition of any drug, substance, or artifact. Every individual has the capability of injuring or killing himself; this is a basic expression of freedom. Szasz says that is us absurd to deprive an adult of a drug because he might kill himself with it.
             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. .
             Americans dislike the thought of the legalization of drugs because it would go against our principles and traditions. We are a society that believes that everyone must work and that idleness is only tolerable if a person is unable to work and support their self. It is feared that if there was a free trade of narcotics there would be "vast masses of our population spending their days and night smoking opium or mainlining heroin, rather than working and taking care of their responsibilities." But, if generation after generation engaged in the act of drug use, it would be an acceptable practice.
             "The war on addiction is not only astronomically expensive; it is also counterproductive," writes, Szasz. Drug legalization makes sense because it is more economical. In 1967, New York launched an addiction control program that cost $400 million over three years. During the time that the program was in place the number of addicts in the state quadrupled. The cost for caring for each addict in those years was $12,000 per year.