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Should we legalize all drugs?
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Drug-related crime would increase if drugs were legal

More people using drugs means more people engaging in the dangerous behaviours associated with drug use.

The Argument

Drug users commit both violent and non-violent crimes at a much higher rate than the general population. The detrimental effects of drug use on the user's mental state and decision-making can encourage people to engage in violent or risky behaviours due to increased aggression, lowered inhibitions and motor skills, and even psychotic episodes. The intense cravings for drugs experienced by addicts also motivate stealing and other criminal activities in order to fund drug purchases. Legalizing drugs would mean more people would be using drugs, and would thus cause a higher rate of all of the harmful, criminal acts associated with drug use.

Counter arguments

Proponents

Premises

[P1] Drug users are more likely to commit crimes. [P2] Legalizing drugs would increase the amount of drug users. [P3] Therefore, legalizing drugs would increase crime rates.

Rejecting the premises

References

This page was last edited on Thursday, 5 Mar 2020 at 17:23 UTC

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