Substance abuse is one of the greatest challenges that the United States faces today. Despite the various measures that the nation has adopted, the drugs menace remains a serious threat to the health of the American people. Long jail terms are among the measures that have been implemented as part of the broader efforts to tackle substance use and distribution. One of the key questions that surround the application of the jail terms is whether different drug-related crimes should attract the same jail terms. In particular, one wonders whether those who use such substances as crack privately should receive the same jail terms as those who distribute cocaine. Since these crimes are starkly different, it simply follows that the jail terms should be different as well.
The main reason why the private users of crack and the distributors of cocaine should receive varying jail terms lies in the outcomes of their actions. When they consume crack in private, individuals pose a threat to their own wellbeing. On the other hand, the distributors of cocaine expose more people to various forms of harm. For example, some of the short-term effects of cocaine use include restlessness, irritability and paranoia (National Institute of Drug Abuse, 2016). These effects are compounded when cocaine is distributed to many people. Therefore, it would be unfair to hand down the same jail terms to private users and distributors.
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The fact that distributors are usually in charge of complex crime networks that can devastate a country is another reason why it is unfair to establish the same jail terms for private users and distributors. In such countries as Mexico and Colombia, distributors are part of powerful drug cartels that employ such methods as murder and violence to drive their trade (Stewart, 2016). On the other hand, most private users of crack consume this substance within the confines of their homes. While it is true that some of these users may be involved in other crimes, the gravity of these crimes is dwarfed by the heinous crimes that the distributors commit. Therefore, to discourage the distribution of cocaine, it is appropriate to hand down longer jail terms. This is not to say that private users should be spared jail terms. It simply means that the distributors should serve longer sentences.
References
National Institute of Drug Abuse. (2016). Cocaine. Retrieved September 14, 2018 from
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/cocaine/what-are-short-term-effects-cocaine-use
Stewart, S. (2016). From Colombia to New York City: the narconomics of cocaine. Business
Insider. Retrieved September 14, 2018 from https://www.businessinsider.com/from-colombia-to-new-york-city-the-economics-of-cocaine-2015-7?IR=T
