Republicans: War on Drugs

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” (Preamble of the Constitution)

Many Americans look only at the line “secure Blessings of Liberty to ourselves” when regarding the use of drugs and alcohol.  The phrase is often said that “I am only hurting myself” or “these drugs are non-violent”.  The truth is that most illegal drugs erase the memory of the user at the moment of intoxication.  Whether they do harm to others or only themselves really is one in the same.  “We the People…promote the general Welfare”.  

We should care about the health of the citizens of our country.  Most drug use is promoted by peer pressure, history of abuse, or mental disorders.  All of which should be looked at as important issues and not to be solved by one putting harmful chemicals in their bodies to relieve them from such pains.  Now this will bring one to argue that some drugs, mainly marijuana, should be used for medicinal purposes.  If proper medical studies are taken and a drug is found to be beneficial by prescription only then let it be prescribed.  Most prescription drugs are harmful if misused by the guidelines set forth.  This does not however prevent the said drugs from being abused but it does decline the recreational use of them.  

“We the People…secure the Blessings of Liberty to…. our Posterity.”  Those who use drugs recreationally often have a hard time putting a halt to their usage.  In the situations where a female drug user gets pregnant and keeps putting those poisons into her body she is now harming her unborn child which will then cause birth defects taking away the full blessings of liberty to her posterity.  A very common disability is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.  Even though Alcohol consumption is legal, it is extremely harmful in all situations and should be looked at as a pattern for what legalizing other harmful drugs would bring.  Drug use alters one’s mind in a sense that could harm the future of their children.  If drug use persists while they are parents then the children develop an attitude of “oh my parents do it why can’t I?”.   “We the people…insure domestic Tranquility”.  

Legalization of harmful drugs is unconstitutional.  We must protect the values on which our Nation was founded.  Will we ever be able to stop drug use? No.  Will we be able to solve all problems? No.  Does the criminalization of drugs cause people to riot? Yes.  But does that mean we shouldn’t fight to protect the general public from this monstrosity?  No.  We the People should be a drug free nation.

— Colton Brown is studying journalism.  He enjoys writing and sports.  He especially loves the Jazz and is rooting for them to be the 2017 NBA champs!