SOC 3382 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Prohibition Of Drugs, Non-Governmental Organization, Drug Liberalization

• School: University of Houston
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 3382
• Professor: Graves

Document Summary

Rethinking drug policy: what works, what"s possible, and what"s feasible. Majority of overdose deaths are caused by ingesting a combination of various sedating drugs: rarely caused by a single drug. Decriminalization: the acquisition, use, and possession of drugs can be punished by a citation with fines or warnings. Legalization: the sale, acquisition, use, and possession of recreational drugs are legal for adults, examples: current federal policies regulating alcohol and tobacco. Drug offenses are the single most common cause of arrests. More than 80 percent of arrests in the united states for drug offenses involve only simple possession. It would dramatically decrease the number of arrests and allow law enforcement to focus on more serious crimes. Positive outcomes of the portuguese drug regulation system: the number of drug-induced deaths dropped, overall rates of drug use dropped, especially among young people. Does not address important concerns related to illegal drug use: drug quality control, violence in drug trafficking.