Most governing bodies that are liable to its citizens’ safety and well being have laws that forbid the use or sale of hard drugs like cocaine and heroin. However, those same laws do not apply to more societally accepted drugs like cigarettes or liquor. Now, many believe that this is hypocritical and that the same treatment should be provided to other drugs as well, but I strongly disagree. This essay will explain my stance by comparing their withdrawal effects and analyzing their part in many cultures.
Firstly, narcotics and opioids like cocaine and heroin have strong physiological addiction potential. Their withdrawal effects can range from restlessness and shivers, to delirium and life-threatening seizures. In contrast, tobacco and alcohol have more of psychological withdrawal effects than biological ones. Their symptoms are mild and can be overcome with mental restraint or simple medications. For example, in my medical practice, I have come across many patients, who were addicted to morphine, and many others who were addicted to cigarettes. Among them, the ones who abused hard substances found it considerably more difficult to recover and avoid relapse, as compared to the other group.
Secondly, intoxicants like whiskey and vodka are part of the rich history and culture of many countries. Moreover, they are an integral component of celebrations like marriages, festivals, and birthdays. It would be incredibly difficult and unfair to remove such a loved and accepted form of pleasure from people’s lives. For example, the Indian government had attempted to crack down on hookah: a popular inhalational form of tabacco, but the protests by the public ended up only creating unfruitful efforts and a waste of money for the nation. Thus, showing that applying similar laws on the conventionally accepted drugs would be an arduous task.
Due to the deadly withdrawal effects of illegal substances in comparison to legal ones, and the rich cultural value of tobacco and societal intoxicants, it is not appropriate to treat them under the same category. Therefore, I am strongly of the opinion that similar laws cannot be applied to them. And any attempts to regulate these culturally accepted drugs would only lead to futility.