Essay on The War On Drugs - 1079 Words

In recent years the so-called â€Å"war on drugs† has taken over the streets and back alleys of suburban America. It has caused a problem that mirrors the prohibition days of the 1920’s and early 30’s. Politicians trying to play â€Å"tough guy,† are only contributing to more violence. Their laws have created an underground drug-trade, in which modern drug-dealers have taken the place of the bootleggers of old. The real question is whether or not this â€Å"war† is working. Most people would like to believe that it is, and there are a few statistics that show it has. But just watch any news program, and you will see this war has failed miserably. Drug-related crimes happen constantly in today’s society, and in recent years have involved increasing†¦show more content†¦Doctors in Detroit are saying that they’re â€Å"seeing fewer overdoses, but more drug related shootings, stabbings, and assaults as dealers fight amongst thems elves†(Torr39). No real decrease in drug use among citizens has been seen as a result of police action anyway. Increasing numbers of teens are turning to a life of drugs in America. â€Å"Marijuana use among teens has doubled in the last three years†, while at the same time â€Å"Americans are spending $20 billion annually on drug related medical costs†(McCaffery4). For this battle to be fought, it must be proven as a cause worth fighting for. Fencing off the entire country, and jamming non-violent offenders in already overcrowded prisons is not a smart way for this battle to be won. If you look closely it is plain to see that prohibition has not worked in the past, and will most definitely not work in the future. Should the government really be allowed to prosecute non-violent offenders for consensual crimes committed in their own home? You may have heard the saying â€Å"history always repeats itself,† does America not remember what the outcome of alcoho l prohibition was. The outlawing of any controlled substance will only bring rise to more violent outlaws willing to risk life and limb for high profits. By making drugs illegal, they are also making drug prices skyrocket. As Weir puts it â€Å"the War on Drugs makes narcotics a hundred times moreShow MoreRelatedThe Drug War On Drugs1378 Words   |  6 Pagesnon-violent drug charges. These people’s lives are now forever changed because of a mistake they made. This mistake is continually made every single day and Americans are being punished in extreme ways for a non violent crime. The United States needs to decimalize all drugs because the drug war is costly, causes high incarceration rates, and isn’t effective as European drug solutions. In the 20th century, the United States government led a major renewed surge in drug prohibition called the War on DrugsRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs Essay972 Words   |  4 PagesThe war on drugs have been a critical issue that has repeatedly held a great debate topic. It was in the 1906 when the first act against drug was put into effect with the Pure Food and Drug Act which required all over-the-counter medication to have label of its ingredients. Under President Nixon the first executive branch office to coordinate drug policy was formed and the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act was put into place. Two years following that the Drug Enforcement AgencyRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs1486 Words   |  6 PagesThe War on Drugs Despite an estimated $1 trillion spent by the United States on the â€Å"War on Drugs†, statistics from the US Department of Justice (2010) has confirmed that the usage of drugs has not changed over the past 10 years. Approximately $350 billion is spent per year on the â€Å"war on drugs†, only $7 billion is spent on prevention programs by the federal government. The war on drugs is more heavily focused on how to control crime, instead of how to prevent it. Not only is the war on drugs costlyRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs Essay1549 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Drug has been a serious issue in our society and criminal justice institutes due to many problems associated, including the violence, negative health benefits, social disorganization, and other negative consequences. The police agencies have adopted a policy called â€Å"The War on Drugs†, as a response to the rising drug problems. The War on Drugs has popularized variety policies and practices that significantly increased the overall number of drug arrests, and other drug related offenses(TheRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs1199 Words   |  5 PagesThere was so much information on this topic of the War on Drugs that I am still wrapping my mind around it. It went into such detail about the war on drugs that are never talked about. We always hear â€Å"just say no.† I know that drugs are a very big problem in our society and even the whole world but I never knew to what extent it really was. I found it very interesting how Johann Hari interviewed these people who were in the middle of the drug war and their stories. It really opened my eyes to whatRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs808 Words   |  4 PagesWhose interests are advanced by sustaining the war on drugs? Police seems to gain a lot by sustaining the â€Å"war on drug†. Drugs are a significant force in police deviance, with as many as half of all convictions in police corruption cases involving drug-related crimes. Corruption in law enforcement, courts, and corrections can be explained through egoism selfish desires for personal gain. In other cases, however, corruption might be better understood as stemming from socially hedonistic incentives;Read MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs1821 Words   |  8 PagesThe war on drugs is a long going battle and it has created many issues all around the world and as of today the highest prison population can be found in the United States due to drug charges. About half of the inmates with in federal and state prisons can be found on drug convictions. Those charges can range from possession of an illicit substance to drug trafficking that surprisingly continues to be an issue in federal and state prisons. How can United States put an end to t he war on drugs? Read MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs2027 Words   |  9 Pagesincreased federal spending in an attempt to curb the number of drug users and the sale and importation of illicit narcotics the war on drugs began in earnest. The war on drugs has also played a major role in politics as well as having a significant impact on the economy. While there are many arguments in favor for the war on drugs and an equal number of arguments against it I will attempt to show an unbiased look at the war on drugs and drug prohibition and how it has affected society as a whole. SinceRead MoreWar On Drugs And Drugs1952 Words   |  8 PagesWar on Drugs The war on drugs has come a long way without any remarkable success. America has been dealing with the drug menace for many years to a point that four of its presidents have declared the war on drugs part of their main agenda. Sadly, it has been a lost war in various perspectives. Drug abuse continues to be a daily topic with drug abusers flooding not only the American society but also many countries’ hospitals, prisons and courts. The drug trade has continued to cause violent crimesRead MoreThe Drug War On Drugs Essay2030 Words   |  9 Pagesthe â€Å"War on Drugs† sought to control the sale and use of psychoactive drugs as well as promote access to treatment for those who abuse and misuse these substances (Bagley, 1988; Elkins, 1990). Policies implemented prohibited the possession and distribution of narcotics (e.g. marijuana, cocaine, heroin); the punitive policies, which often resulted in hefty fines and prison sentences for violators, ultimately prompted the emer gence of a black market, more potent and lethal drugs, synthetic drugs as well