Principles of Sociology

I do not believe that recreational drugs should be legalized for a number of reasons. In my opinion, if they were legalized children and teens would have much easier access to them. Even with an age limit, such as we have for alcohol and tobacco, they would still get into the hands of our youth. Secondly, with the legalization of recreational drugs, there would be an increase in crime and motor vehicle accidents due to the fact that a much larger number of people would be drug users and many of these recreational drug significantly alter a persons judgment and some can also have hallucinogenic effects. Personally, I cannot think of any positives of legalizing recreational drugs in America. As for gambling, I do believe that it should be legalized. In my opinion a large part of the reason for which gambling is illegal is so that the government can keep track and tax and and all income an individual were to take in. Legalizing gambling doesn’t hurt anyone but rather puts one less hand in the pocket of the American citizen and thus forces thee government to cut back or recoup that revenue elsewhere. In the matter of whether or not to legalize prostitution, I believe that the benefits of legalization outweigh the draw backs of doing so. Men and women have one time sexual encounters with each other every day with no exchange of payment. Paying for sex is no different than paying a misuse for a massage. You’re in a secluded area where in most cases the one receiving the massage is at least partially undressed, there is physical contact and both parties leave satisfied. If prostitution was legalized, at least there could be some sort of standards put in place. Prostitutes could mandated to have regular STD testing to avoid the spread of diseases. It would also cut back on forced prostitution and sex crimes because the industry would be more out in the open and regulations for that of the employee and employer could be put in place. Maybe by legalizing prostitution the government could recoup some of the revenue lost when also legalizing gambling.