Dan Quayle

In early 1996, the editors of the conservative magazine National Review caused considerable controversy when they announced their support for drug legalization. In the following viewpoint, former vice president Dan Quayle responds to the National Review. He says that the problems associated with drug legalization, such as increased drug addiction, would more than outweigh the supposed benefits outlined by the magazine’s editors. Moreover, says Quayle, legalizing drugs would remove the moral message against drug use, which is the most effective tool for preventing drug abuse.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What is William F. Buckley Jr.’s rationale for legalizing drugs, as paraphrased by the author?
2. According to Quayle, why is the use of alcohol and tobacco by minors pertinent to the argument against drug legalization?
3. Why does Quayle believe that Nancy Reagan...