Barry McCaffrey

Decriminalizing drug use would have serious consequences, Barry McCaffrey asserts in the following viewpoint. According to McCaffrey, drug use is associated with higher rates of violence and child abuse, and increasing the availability of drugs would exacerbate such problems. In addition, he argues, addicts would be less likely to receive treatment if drugs were no longer illegal. McCaffrey concludes that the United States should not encourage risky and self-destructive behavior by legalizing drugs. McCaffrey was the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy during President Bill Clinton’s administration.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to McCaffrey, how many deaths do illegal drugs cause each year in the United States?
2. In the author’s opinion, what is the central question in the debate over legalization?
3. What other laws besides drug...