Currently there is an epidemic of violence in the U.S., and it is related in large part to the epidemic of drugs, since drug alcohol usage to violence is well-documented in Pediatric Clinics of North America: 37:881-903, 1990, where Jan Bays, M.D. writes that "Intoxicated adults can become violent, paranoid, and less constrained about injuring, molesting, or neglecting their children . . . Cocaine, methamphetamine, and PCP use causes anxiety and fearfulness, distrust of others, hallucinations, and physical aggressiveness . . . Violence is increased in families that abuse alcohol or drugs . . . Abuse or murder of a spouse is more likely when both partners are intoxicated . . . One half of all child abuse and neglect cases in New York City in 1987 were linked to parental substance abuse. If alcohol abuse was included, the incidence rose to 64% . . . An Oregon study documents a 93% increase in incidents of child abuse and neglect between 1981 and 1987 attributed the increase largely to parental substance abuse."

Too often we hear people claim that legalizing drugs would end violence when the truth is that legalizing drugs would actually increase violence, since it would increase the use of drugs. Consider the well-publicized case of New York defence attorney Joe Steinberg, who was convicted of beating his little daughter Lisa to death while he was snorting cocaine. He certainly did not kill her to get money for drugs, or because she was a rival drug dealer; cocaine use had tragically changed his behavior. Other drugs are also increasingly connected to violent behavior. Anabolic steroids cause "roid rage," i.e., steroid-induced violent aggressive behavior. In general, mind-altering drugs cause users to lose control of their behavior. The Physicians' Desk Reference (p. 2076, 1993) states that "Marinol," which is THC, the main active ingredient in marijuana, causes "decreased ability to control drives and impulses." A recent study by Dr. Don R. Cherek in Psychopharmacology 111:163-168, 1993, showed that smoking marijuana caused increased aggressive behavior in inner-city males. Furthermore, it is know that marijuana use tends to lead to the use of other drugs, such as cocaine, which are strongly associated with violent behavior. Herbert Kleber, M.D. in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 49:2 (Suppl), p. 3-6, 1988, reported that 20% of those who used marijuana 3-10 times went on to use cocaine. 75% of those who used marijuana 100 times went on to use cocaine. In Alaska, when marijuana was decriminalized, use among the youth of both marijuana and cocaine skyrocketed, becoming by far the highest in the nation. Alaskans then repealed their lenient laws in the fall of 1990.

Thus, any discussion of the violence prevalent in society today must take into account the fact that drug and alcohol use cause violent behavior. People who promote drug legalization are promoting drug use and thus increasing violence in our society.