Some people believe that the only way to solve the problem of illegal drug use is to make all drugs legal. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Drug addiction is a persistent social crisis, and some argue that full legalisation is the only realistic solution. I broadly agree that legalisation, when managed correctly, could reduce drug-related crime and harm, but I would argue that it is effective only when accompanied by strong government regulation and a serious effort to address the underlying conditions that drive drug use in the first place.

The most compelling argument for legalisation is its potential to dismantle the black market that sustains organised crime. When drugs are illegal, their supply is monopolised by criminal networks that profit enormously from the trade, fund further violence, and operate beyond any safety standards. Legalisation, backed by government control of production and distribution, would strip these organisations of their primary revenue stream. Portugal's 2001 decriminalisation policy provides a relevant reference point: drug-related crime fell significantly after personal possession was decriminalised and health-based responses replaced criminal prosecution. Crucially, however, this only works if legal channels are properly regulated — if drugs are simply made available without oversight, the health consequences could outweigh the security gains.

Admittedly, legalisation by itself cannot solve the problem of drug use. If addictive substances become freely available, the risk of increased consumption and health crises is real, particularly among vulnerable populations such as adolescents and those living in poverty. This is why any legalisation framework must be paired with dose restrictions, age limits, public education campaigns, and accessible rehabilitation services. More fundamentally, governments must address the social conditions — unemployment, inequality, and inadequate mental health support — that make people susceptible to addiction in the first place. Without these measures, legalisation is not a solution but a substitution of one crisis for another.

In conclusion, I agree that legalising drugs could be part of the solution to illegal drug use, but only when it forms one component of a broader strategy that includes government regulation, public health investment, and social reform. Legalisation alone, without these conditions, risks creating new and serious problems rather than resolving the original one.