Drug Legalization in the United States Essay Example for Free

Drug Legalization in the United States Essay Abstract This paper will explore four websites and one online newspaper addressing the subject of drug trafficking in the United States and why legalization is a profitable alternative. The various ways drugs are bought into the country, information on how and why drug trafficking has increased in the United States, statistics on the number of people that are addicts, and the problems related to foreign countries on this issue. The reasons why illicit drugs should be legalized and what the income from the taxation from them could do to better our health care reform and our economy. Keywords: drug trafficking, economy, legalization Drug Legalization in the United States Illegal drugs are exports and deported out if our country everyday by different groups such as high profile criminal gangs or groups such as the cartel. Law enforcement has yet found a suitable way in controlling the war on drugs and have in past years, up until now, have made and passed bills and policies within the government that has made it worse. The legalization of illicit drugs, such as marijuana, would dramatically save, if not make our country more money.The Department of Justice reports the trafficking of drugs has increased in the United States (2012). Criminal groups from other countries, such as Mexican, Cuban, and Asian, including the groups in our country, grow, manufacturer, and distribute marijuana and other illicit drugs. Meth being in such high demand, leads to the growing number of addicts. Domestic cannabis growers and producers provide marijuana as easy completion for such drugs such as cocaine, LSD, and heroine. Since the price of the final product increases to abnormally high values, because of the black market status, this together with the powerful effects of drug addiction causes users to commit crimes in order to fund their addiction. The ways that illicit drugs are brought in to the country are by passenger ships at United States ports and shipping containers, criminal groups operating from South America smuggling cocaine and heroin in the United States. Self-propelled semisubmersible vessels are maritime vessels used by traffickers to transport illicit drugs. These vessels typically protrude only a few inches above the surface of the water, making them very difficult to detect visually. SPSS’s typically have a four-man crew and are capable of carrying multiton quantities of cocaine. The primary threat from drug smuggling via private vessels is from Caribbean-based traffickers exploiting the Puerto Rico and Florida coastlines. Traffickers transported mostly cocaine from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico, although they smuggled lesser amounts of heroin, sometimes combined with cocaine loads. Caribbean traffickers also smuggled cocaine, heroin, and marijuana from the Bahamas to areas of South Florida bet ween Miami and Palm Beach. Seizure totals and routes remained relatively constant compared with those of previous years. These routes have been opened and used frequently since the 1970’s. Traffickers used private maritime vessels to smuggle drugs into the United States during 2009 through Puerto Rico, South Florida, South Texas, and southern California, and Mexican DTOs sometimes smuggle drugs by maritime means to avoid law enforcement scrutiny along the Southwest Border. According to Drug Addiction Facts and Statistics, the statistics on the number of addicts that we have in the United States are also growing rapidly. These numbers are solely based on the harsher illicit drugs such as heroin and cocaine. â€Å"2010 estimated 22.6 million Americans over the age of 12 that were currently or formally illicit drug users are equivalent to about 8.9% of the population† Over 6 million children in the United States live with at least one parent with a drug problem. Since the 1980’s the numbers of people that used illicit drugs that ended death either by overdose or some other type of reaction has risen to over 540%. A 1996 U.S. government study claims that heavy marijuana use may impair learning ability. The key words are heavy use and may. This claim is based on studying people who use marijuana daily–a sample that represents less than 1 percent of all marijuana users. This study concluded: 1) Learning impairments cited were subtle, minimal, and may be temporary. In other words, there is little evidence that such learning impairments even exist. 2) Long-term memory was not affected by heavy marijuana use. 3) Casual marijuana users showed no signs of impaired learning. 4) Heavy alcohol use was cited as being more detrimental to the thought and learning process than heavy marijuana use. (2012). Drug raids in the United States happen on the average of hundreds of times a day. The policies are a lot more dangerous and dramatic then public use of drugs. These policies harm not just families of the users and dealers, but the neighbors and general public that surround them. It has been known that law enforcement has gotten wrong addresses, and bad leads to help them follow through enforcement. Drug task force units have their equipment such as big guns and bullet proof amour, for their defense, but to a child of the suspect, it can seem very intimidating and scary. This also has been known as traumatizing to the youth and families involved. It has also been classified as terrorizing. This is not what these policies were set out to do. Prohibition on illicit drugs brings more gang violence, murder, and violence from dealers, users, children, families, and law enforcement made to enforce policies. There are approximately 17.4 million users of marijuana between 2007 through to 2010 . The numbers increased to 6.9% up from 5.8% or 14.4 million to 17.4 million users. â€Å"To allow policy experimentation, the federal government should permit states to legalize the production, sales, taxation, and consumption of marijuana. While testing this policy shift, authorities should redirect scarce law enforcement resources to focus on the more damaging and socially unacceptable drugs such as heroin, cocaine and meth. From which Mexican drug trafficking organizations derive more than 70% of their proceeds (Moffat, 2012). Replacing marijuana prohibition with a system of taxation and regulation similar to that used for alcoholic beverages would produce combined savings and tax revenues of between $10 billion and $14 billion per year. The revenue from marijuana sales after legalizing for the government could be lucrative. If the tax of marijuana cigarettes was substituted for equal to the difference between the local production cost and the street price currently paid, transfer the revenue from the crime groups to the government, we would have revenue of abo ut $7 per unit. This adds up to over $2 billion on the Canadian sales and even more on an export tax then we can forgo the cost of enforcement and deploy our policy assets elsewhere. By providing legal supplies of currently illegal drugs the price will fall, leading to a collapse in the illegal drug industry, and a reduction in crimes committed by both drug suppliers and users. Some could also argue that the reduction in the price will lead to little, if any, growth in drug addiction, due to the inelasticity of demand. In a strictly regulated market, drug use may fall overall, by removing the marketing activities of the illegal drug industry. There are a growing number of law enforcement professionals speaking out for legalization. LEAP (Law Enforcement against Prohibition) is an international organization founded in 2002 made up of current and former members of the law enforcement and criminal justice communities who are speaking out about the failures of our existing drug policies. According to Betty Taylor, former Chief of Police of Winfield, MO and a speaker for LEAP (Law Enforcement against Prohibition) â€Å"If you can’t control the problem then regulate it. Regardless of law enforcement expenditures, the negative effects of prohibition include violence and other criminal activity† (Bozarth, 2012). The prohibition of marijuana is taking away from our economy in many different ways, such as financially. It is also taking our law enforcement officials away from being able to enforce the more dangerous crimes such as murder and enforce the policies of the more dangerous drugs such as cocaine and heroin. Taxes from the product can bring in more revenue and create another cash crop for farmers to contribute to the economy and also help with drug care reform in making a prescription drug that is affordable and easily acquired. These things are beneficiary to our country as long as it is monitored and maintained by its own policies put in place by ou r government. References DEA Briefs Background, Drugs and Drug Abuse, Drug Descriptions, Drug Trafficking in the United States. (n.d.). Welcome to the United States Department of Justice. Retrieved March 5, 2012, from http://www.justice.gov/dea/concern/drug_trafficking.html Drug Addiction Facts and Statistics. (n.d.). http://www.michaelshouse.com. Retrieved March 5, 2012, from http://www.michaelshouse.com/drug-addiction/drug-addiction-statistics/ Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. (n.d.). Retrieved March 5, 2012, from www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com Moffatt, M. (n.d.). Should Governments Legalize and Tax Marijuana?. About.com. Retrieved March 5, 2012, from http://economics.about.com/od/incometaxestaxcuts/a/marijuana.htm Bozarth, M. (2012, 02 23). LEAP Helps Launch Marijuana Initiative. http://stjtelegraph.org/. Retrieved March 5, 2012, from stjtelegraph.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/stjtelegraph-23-08_all.pdf

Relevance of Julius Caesar to Contemporary Society :: Julius Caesar Essays

Relevance of Julius Caesar to Contemporary Society Symbolism is a major aspect of writing. Whether obvious or subtle, authors use it as a way to extend their works beyond just the time period they're writing their piece in. Also, it allows the reader the opportunity to substitute his own ideas into the story, which makes the story more personal. The characters and situations in Julius Caesar can be twisted to tell of contemporary society. The persona of Julius Caesar represents many things in Shakespeare's play, among which are ambition, power, and impending disaster. In today's society, he can stand for the Human Genome Project. Although the Genome Project promises to spawn cures for genetic diseases, it also carries the fear of genetically enhanced humans. Like Caesar, the Genome Project seems to be boasting of benevolence while quietly ushering malevolence at the same time. Caesar's foils, Cassius and Brutus, can be found in the opponents of the Genome Project. Not only do individuals oppose the Genome Project, but also whole groups of peoples do. The main argument is that the Genome Project will allow scientists to genetically enhance humans and animals beyond what would be the average. They completely overlook the positive factors, such as the cure for genetic disorders. The way modern opponents of the Genome Project turn a blind eye to the helpfulness of the scientific breakthrough is like the way Cassius and Brutus turn away from the help Caesar might give Romans. Brutus differs from Cassius in that he genuinely weighs the profit of letting Caesar have rule over Rome. "It must be by his death: and, for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him, But for the general." II.i.10-12 However, he ultimately decides that the danger Caesar imposes is too great the risk. History is said to repeat itself. If the modern Julius Caesar is killed, many suffering people will never get the chance to live a normal life. However, perhaps genetically altered babies will be spared the pain of living a life branded as a science experiment. In the same way, Brutus and Cassius acted on the belief that the suffering of many people would be spared if they killed Caesar before the man had the opportunity to make Romans endure pain.

Global Supply Chain Presentation Briefing Notes

You do not need to conduct in depth analysis using the equations we have looked at in supply chain planning or in global supply chain design You can consider the different variables which are used in these equations, which impact on supply chain planning and network design Part of the task is to manage the level of content in the time period you have. In your future careers you will be asked to present on projects for which you have undertaken considerable work; the skill is ensuring you get across what you think are the key points to your audience, which makes them want to find out more.Don't be afraid to question the approach your client is taking – they are obviously experts in their field for their company and you have had limited insight into their operations and they know this. However, we are asking you to consider your role to be that of a consultant, to bring in a different perspective, to question. As long as you are taking a logical approach which is well supported, your recommendations and insight are welcomed! The Task Critically analyse the challenges that your company faces managing their global supply chains.Outline how the company has addressed these challenges where possible and present your recommendations. You must ensure that you cover the key aspects of global supply chain management which we have discussed in topics one to five; however we would advise that you focus your presentation on just one or two of these topics which you consider to be especially relevant to your company’s operations. You must therefore justify why you view these topics as being of particular importance for your company. Each group must include application of appropriate frameworks in their presentation.Presentations which are mainly descriptive will be marked down as per the assessment criteria. All material must be clearly referenced using Harvard. The Topics and Some Questions to consider in relation to the challenges they face†¦ As outlined above, you need to demonstrate your understanding of the following topics – they do link together, but you do not need to cover every element in detail – focus on one or two areas which you feel are particularly relevant to exploring the challenges the company faces (but justify why in your introduction).Foundations of Global Supply Chain Management What are the macro trends impacting on their global supply chain? (ensure a balance, don't just focus on macro trends as one topic – you need to demonstrate how it links to the management of their global supply chain) Networks and Cycles in their supply chain? Supply chain processes; ‘Push' or ‘Pull' approach employed? Supply Chain structure to meet business objectives? Strategy in relation to nature of demand/supply – agile, responsive, efficient, risk hedging?Managing Supply Chain Performance: SCOR Plan, Make, Source, Deliver, Return – are there any areas of weakness or potential threats i n your client's global supply approach in these areas? Green strategy? Global Supply Chain Planning What forecasting methods are used? If not, what do you think might be some of the risks the company faces? Where do you think might be some of the ‘cost pressures' in their supply chain which would impact on profitability? Designing a Global Supply Network Location decisions?If you feel increased demand for their product may arise from new markets in say China, and you consider the location of your company's current manufacturing plants, what might be the risks associated with increasing capacity at their current manufacturing plant? If relocation is an option, what factors would you take into consideration? How might this impact on the overall design of their global supply chain network? Global Sourcing Make or buy decisions – challenges your company faces? Risks with their current strategy? Relationship with suppliers? Factors influencing the total cost of ownership?

The Cold War And The Soviet Union - 2074 Words

The cold war can be described as a state of political, military and economic tension between the western world and its democratic ideals and Eastern Europe who shared that communist ideology. It was however lead mainly by the two super powers that rose at the end of the Second World War, the United States and the USSR. The War put a lot of pressure on both Britain and France in terms of their economic and military resources as they were still recovering from the consequences of the First World War and so left them drained towards the end of the Second World War when Germany was defeated. The US and the Soviet Union were the only countries left who still held a significant amount of power and so the rise in their power inevitably lead to†¦show more content†¦After the downfall of Germany, allied countries ceased control over the region and divided it into 4 zones. Each of which would be controlled by, America, France, Britain and the Soviet Union. Berlin, for example was unde r the control of the soviet however the capital was also divided into four zones with each ally having jurisdiction over a zone. (Clare, .) Over time the democratic countries merged together their individual zones and formed the Federal Republic of Germany as a result. Tensions began to rise between West Germany and the soviet controlled Germany. This polarisation of Germany not only shows us how the ideological view point of each ally changed and effected German politics in the east and the west, but also as Germany as a whole. This can be seen when comparing the level of economic development of the west to the south. West Germanys’ political ideology came from the democratic countries and essentially allowed it to also become a stable democracy. This political influence allowed West Germany to be included in some European affairs and also helped regain trust within some European counties who, at this point did not trust Germany and did not want to be affiliated with then i n anyway. An example of this, is the treaty signed by France and Germany which is known