55% Say Decriminalizing Drugs Would Exacerbate the Problem of Drug Abuse

There are more people incarcerated in the United States than anywhere else in the world. According to the Sentencing Project statistics, there has been an increased rate of 500 percent over the last 40 years, with more than 1.5 million drug arrests yearly. Approximately 50,000 are incarcerated simply for possessing small amounts of drugs.

Moreover, the Prison Policy Initiative finding says,

“At least 1 in 4 people who go to jail will be arrested again within the same year — often those dealing with poverty, mental illness, and substance use disorders, whose problems only worsen with incarceration.”

Prisons are full of people serving time on drug-related convictions, yet most experts agree that prison sentences rarely deter drug use and drug-related harms, especially among young people.

This case highlighted a way to reduce societal criminal justice involvement and deportations related to drug law violations– the decriminalization of drugs.          

A survey launched by Real Research, an online survey app, attempted to gather public views on decriminalizing drugs.

52% Have Tried Drugs

Results from the survey revealed that 52% have tried drugs, although they are no longer doing drugs. In comparison, 22.55% have never tried and said they would never do drugs. Meanwhile, 19.43% have done drugs and are still taking them, and 5.29% are considering trying drugs.

Highlights

• 35.83% say decriminalizing drugs can regulate drugs in the same manner that alcohol and tobacco are regulated
• 41.14% state decriminalizing drugs can make dangerous drugs more accessible
• 9 in 10 say drug-related treatment services are important on a national level

Stance on Decriminalizing Drugs

When the survey asked, “should drugs be decriminalized?”, 54.28% oppose it, while 45.72% support decriminalizing drugs.

Rationale For and Against Decriminalizing Drugs

Our survey that gathered public opinion on decriminalizing drugs shows there are benefits to the decriminalization of drugs. 35.83% say decriminalizing drugs can regulate drugs in the same manner that alcohol and tobacco are regulated. Others state that decriminalizing drugs may decrease drug use (29.69%) and crime rates (20.3%).

On the other hand, 41.14% state that the main disadvantage of decriminalizing drugs is that it can make dangerous drugs more accessible. Others say it can increase the rate of drug-related crimes (21.39%), drug use (20.63%), and drug addiction and overdose (9.77%).

Read Also: Public Opinion on The Execution of A Drug Smuggler With Possible Intellectual Disabilities In Singapore

Decriminalizing Drugs: a Solution or Another Problem?

The majority of 55.22% say decriminalizing drugs would exacerbate the problem of drug-related cases, in contrast to 44.78% that say it would lead to solutions.

Read Also: Death Penalty Reduces and Prevents Crimes, Say 55%

Decriminalization vs. Legalization of Drugs

Decriminalization is not synonymous with legalization. Legalization means a once-banned drug is now made legal under federal or state law. In contrast, decriminalization means that a drug once illegal is no longer punishable by law for carrying in small amounts.

Survey results clearly show that most of the respondents (47.84%) oppose both the legalization and decriminalization of drugs. The rest either support decriminalizing drugs (29.29%) or legalizing drugs (22.87%).

Lastly, the survey asked how important it is for people struggling with addictions to seek help and have access to expanded treatment resources on the national level. In response, 49.36% say it is very important. 24.03% say it is moderately important, and 19.76% say it is somewhat important. Only 6.84% say it is not important.