Reasons Why Substance Abuse Is a Crime
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, more than 30,000 drug-related arrests took place in the U.S. in 2009. Statistics reported by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the National Crime Victimization Survey claim that the rate of substance abuse is directly related to crime levels, thereby implying that those under the influence are more likely to commit other, more dangerous crimes. Laws governing substance abuse are intended to protect the innocent from the violent crimes associated with drug use. However, laws have a tendency to change as society evolves.
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Violent Crime
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Violent acts committed under the influence of an illegal substance are considered drug-related crimes by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. The main function of drug laws is to prevent violent incidents, such as gang and domestic violence. Through the use of studies and surveys, the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the National Crime Victimization Survey claim that the psychological effects of drugs have the potential to lead to violent acts. However, results of research is quantitative and does not take into account other factors that contribute to violent behavior.
Underage Drinking
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Laws prohibiting the consumption of alcohol before the age of 21 are place in every state. These are in place to protect the safety of young people. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that more than 5,000 people die every year as a direct result of underage alcohol abuse. Most of the deaths are the result of accidents while drinking. Although laws are in place requiring alcohol vendors to ask for identification, they can be tricky to enforce, particularly because underage drinking is likely to happen on private property at a parent's home.
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Health Concerns
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Health is mentioned as a reasoning factor when deliberating drug laws, although no law exists that lists health risk as a reason. This is evident in underage drinking laws. Underage drinking is thought to cause irreversible damage to the developing adolescent's brain and body; but, as no authoritative study exists corroborating this theory, it is only used on a suggestive basis.
Drug Debates
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Almost all laws are subject to change as society grows. The 18th Amendment enacted the Prohibition period in the 1920s and early 1930s, making the sale of alcohol illegal in the states. But lack of state participation made the law impossible to enforce. As of 2011, debates continue over the legalization of marijuana in certain states. Some studies purport the drug's properties as a natural means to relieve suffering from pain-inducing diseases.
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References
- University of Houston; Digital History; The Jazz Age; The American 1920s
- ONDCP: Drug Policy Information Clearinghouse; Drug-related Crime March 2000
- U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Stats and Facts
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; Alcohol Alert
- The New York Times; California Rejects Marijuana Legalization by Marc Lacey, November 3rd, 2010
- Photo Credit BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty Images
