On Gore Vidal's "Drugs"

     I accept the main idea of Vidal's statement, that "each man has the right to do what he wants with his own life," "as long as he does not interfere with his neighbor's pursuit of happiness." Whatever one believes to be essential to their pursuit of happiness, even if it is irresponsible or not respectable, should be accepted if it does not inhibit the similar search of other humans.
     I would completely accept the statement if the actions of individuals could be completely without influence on others, but with drugs and other illegal activities, this ideal is not generally the case. Drugs cause fractures in families, and harm to those who must provide the money for another's addictions. In these cases, I do not accept Vidal's assumption that people with easy access to drugs are not necessarily threats to their neighbors. Drug use will always attract the attention of others, and outsiders may be thrust into their acquaintances' downward spirals with illegal drugs.
     The easy access certain people will have to drugs will be displayed to everyone around them. This will disgust some and intrigue others. Teenage choices to use drugs "can have both immediate and long-term health consequences for themselves, their families, and their communities (National Survey on Drug Use and Health)." They may have made these choices based on the actions of their chosen role models. Those chosen role models, drug users by choice, are influenced the pursuit of happiness of their followers and by extension, their follower's families, and followers of their followers, and so on and so forth. In this way of constant influence, drugs have the ability to take over entire communities, such as it did in South Central Los Angeles. Any drug use takes a lot of emotional effort on the members of families and friend circles who want to prevent it.
     There is also the obvious monetary cost. Even if drugs are legalized and "sold at cost," as Vidal proposes, there is still money involved, even if not at steep cartel prices. Currently, people spend billions on drugs each year, and the number is ever increasing. Money people should save or spend on food, will be spent on drugs to ease the pain of hunger or lack of shelter. The homeless generally have a disproportionate amount of drug use. Those who crave drugs, need money, and they will sometimes get that money from others, affecting those other people's resources for the pursuit of happiness.