Should drugs be legalised? The reality of relaxed drug laws

A wave of recreational marijuana legalisation is sweeping across the US. In 2021, Oregon became the first state to decriminalise hard drugs like heroin and methamphetamine. But should drugs be legalised and decriminalised? Legalisation advocates say legalisation generates tax income, reduces the burden on criminal justice system, ends the war on drugs, as well as puts more emphasis on drug treatment.

What are the downsides of a relaxed approach to marijuana in legal states? In the US, 14 states and DC have recreational marijuana, while 35 and DC have legalised medical pot.

We spoke to Sally Schindel from Arizona, whose son Andy died by suicide and blamed marijuana addiction for his mental state. We hear from Colorado pain medicine doctor Ken Finn about the effects of cannabis legalisation in his state. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, told us about misconceptions surrounding marijuana industry and its products. And we talked to a former bud tender Anne Hassel from Massachusetts about the inside of the US pot industry.



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