The War On Drugs And Its Effects On The United States

The War on Drugs had its official start during the Nixon administration when the president declared that drug abuse was now â€Å"public enemy number one.† Since then, over one trillion dollars have been spent on various programs to combat drug abuse. Ultimately, however, the War on Drugs did not limit national daily drug use. Instead, the War on Drugs had a greater impact on the United States’ justice, education, and healthcare systems than it did to limit citizen drug use. The War on Drugs has had a profound impact on the current legal system of the United States. The Reagan Administration, especially, shifted penal focus away from the drugs themselves and onto the user, leading to increased rates of incarceration. One of the factors leading to high inmate populations was the introduction of mandatory minimum sentences through the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986. This removed human discretion from the judicial process and judges were no longer able to tailor sentence s to individual circumstances. However, this did not prevent bias from entering the legal system. During Reagan’s presidency, mandatory minimum sentences for possession of crack cocaine were much higher than those for possession of powder cocaine. At this time, crack use was associated with poor inner-city blacks while privileged whites were associated with cocaine powder use. Critics of the War on Drugs cite this incredible imbalance in penalty structures to note the unfairness of the legal system during theShow MoreRelatedThe War On Drugs And Its Effects On The United States1413 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction The launching of the 1960’s brought with it a public health issue concerning the use and abuse of illegal drugs. Responding to the crisis, the US department of Justice established the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous drugs, which was designed to control illegal drugs, specifically marijuana. Building on the prohibition, in 1971 President Richard Nixon officially declared a â€Å"war on drugs†, which resulted in an increased federal role in the warfare by providing the federal government with powerRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Its Effects On The United States1324 Words   |  6 Pagesnon-violent drug charges (drug policy, 2015). 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 effecti ve as European drug solutions. In the 20th century, the United States would begin a disastrous campaign called the War on Drugs, thisRead MoreEffects of the United States Failed War on Drugs Policy Essay4544 Words   |  19 Pages                        Effects of the United States Failed War on Drugs Policy Hector Arreola SSCI 306 MWF 10:40-11:50 AM March 14, 2012                                              Abstract The â€Å"War on Drugs† policy has been the approach by the United States to protect citizens from the harmful effects of illegal drugs. The article examines the failures of the war on drug policy has had on society, such as, increasing violence,Read MoreThe War On Drugs And The United States1555 Words   |  7 PagesThe War on Drugs has been an ongoing effect ever since the Civil War introduced the drug morphine to the world. In the years since people have been coming up with drugs more lethal than morphine such as cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and so on and so forth. The War on Drugs is dangerous and leads to many deaths throughout the years. America has set up agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and other drug task force teams throughout the United States. Even though we may not be ableRead MoreMexican Drug War Outline816 Words   |  4 PagesCarpenter, Ted. Undermining Mexico’s Dangerous Drug Cartels. Cato Institute. N.p.. Web. 23 Jul 2013. lt;http://www.cato.org/publications/policy-analysis/undermining-mexicos-dangerous-drug-cartelsgt;. Al-Eryani, Ausan. Mexico’s drug war effects US as well. Collegiate Times. Virginia Tech. Web. 23 Jul 2013. lt;http://www.collegiatetimes.com/stories/18328/mexicos-drug-war-effects-us-as-well/p2gt;. Grillo, Ioan. US troops aid Mexico in drug war. Global Post. N.p.. Web. 23 Jul 2013. lt;http://wwwRead MoreThe War on Drugs1350 Words   |  6 Pages For several years the United States of America has been struggling with the problem of drug addiction of its citizens. This has led the federal government to take measures to restrain the problem of addiction in the United States. However, after observing these measures, such as the ‘War on Drugs’ and its consequences, scholars now question the effectiveness of the drug policy implemented. Some scholars even argue that the War on Drugs has been more harmful to American citizens than helpful. AlsoRead MoreMexican Drug War : The United States And Mexico1055 Words   |  5 PagesHistory: How the United States and Mexico Created the â€Å"Mexican Drug War† analyzes Mexico’s modern history and how the country has seen a dramatic rise of drugs and consequently an increase in the number of people associated with drug cartels and also fighting between drug organizations resulting in bloodbaths all around Mexico. The Mexican government has declared a war on drugs, this period has seen the deaths of thousands of people that has put the country in a crisis state. Mexico s drug world has beenRead MoreA Brief Note On The War On Drugs1356 Words   |  6 PagesRachael Radvansky Sociology 101 War on Drugs February 28, 2017 The War on Drugs can be a very controversial topic to different people around the world. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I fully respect that. Some people say that the War on Drugs is a waste of time and money while others are very concerned about the different drugs that are coming into the United States. It still amazes me that people are continuing to take/do drugs when they see and hear about how many people haveRead MoreDrug Trafficking1134 Words   |  5 PagesThe international drug trade from Latin American states is having an impact on a global scale. The trafficking of drugs along with corruptness and murder is an international conflict that is being fought daily. There are many aspects of the drug war from Mexico and other Latin American states which have effects on United States policy as well as policies from other countries that participate in the global suppression of illegal drugs. It can be hard to differentiate between conflict and issueRead MoreDrugs During The Civil War1421 Words   |  6 PagesDrugs first surfaced in the United States in the 1800s. After the Civil War opium become very popular and was used medicinally. Following opium was cocaine which was also used as a health remedy but near the end of the 19th century opium and cocaine abuse peaked and local governments began to prohibit opium dens and importation. In 1914 the first federal drug policy, the Harrison Narcotics act, is passed and drugs are no longer seen as harmless remedies. The act aggressively regulated the manufacturing The War On Drugs And Its Effects On The United States Introduction The launching of the 1960’s brought with it a public health issue concerning the use and abuse of illegal drugs. Responding to the crisis, the US department of Justice established the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous drugs, which was designed to control illegal drugs, specifically marijuana. Building on the prohibition, in 1971 President Richard Nixon officially declared a â€Å"war on drugs†, which resulted in an increased federal role in the warfare by providing the federal government with power to institute new mandatory sentencing laws. New policies, including the passing of the Controlled Substances act, which, â€Å"superseded earlier legislation and classified cannabis as having a high potential for abuse, having zero medical use, and being unsafe for use without medical supervision,† (Barry, 2014) produced a dramatic rise in national incarceration rates, disproportionally representing those people of color. In fact, according to the FBI, in 2011 there were 750,000 marijuana arrests (the vast for majority) alone. Although the recent political crusade against marijuana is worthy of notation, the real history regarding cannabis predates the politicalization. Marijuana, also known as cannabis, along with being legal, was once one of the largest agricultural crops in the world, including the United States. Cannabis can also be hemp. Hemp is unarguably the most natural soft fiber on the earth, retaining thousands of uses, including but not limited to fabric,Show MoreRelatedThe War On Drugs And Its Effects On The United States1324 Words   |  6 Pagesnon-violent drug charges (drug policy, 2015). 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 isnâ€⠄¢t effective as European drug solutions. In the 20th century, the United States would begin a disastrous campaign called the War on Drugs, thisRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Its Effects On The United States817 Words   |  4 PagesThe War on Drugs had its official start during the Nixon administration when the president declared that drug abuse was now â€Å"public enemy number one.† Since then, over one trillion dollars have been spent on various programs to combat drug abuse. Ultimately, however, the War on Drugs did not limit national daily drug use. Instead, the War on Drugs had a greater impact on the United States’ justice, education, and healthcare systems than it did to limit citizen drug use. The War on Drugs hasRead MoreEffects of the United States Failed War on Drugs Policy Essay4544 Words   |  19 Pages                        Effects of the United States Failed War on Drugs Policy Hector Arreola SSCI 306 MWF 10:40-11:50 AM March 14, 2012                                              Abstract The â€Å"War on Drugs† policy has been the approach by the United States to protect citizens from the harmful effects of illegal drugs. The article examines the failures of the war on drug policy has had on society, such as, increasing violence,Read MoreThe War On Drugs And The United States1555 Words   |  7 PagesThe War on Drugs has been an ongoing effect ever since the Civil War introduced the drug morphine to the world. In the years since people have been coming up with drugs more lethal than morphine such as cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and so on and so forth. The War on Drugs is dangerous and leads to many deaths throughout the years. America has set up agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and other drug task force teams throughout the United States. Even though we may not be ableRead MoreMexican Drug War Outline816 Words   |  4 PagesCarpenter, Ted. Undermining Mexico’s Dangerous Drug Cartels. Cato Institute. N.p.. Web. 23 Jul 2013. lt;http://www.cato.org/publications/policy-analysis/undermining-mexicos-dangerous-drug-cartelsgt;. Al-Eryani, Ausan. Mexico’s drug war effects US as well. Collegiate Times. Virginia Tech. Web. 23 Jul 2013. lt;http://www.collegiatetimes.com/stories/18328/mexicos-drug-war-effects-us-as-well/p2gt;. Grillo, Ioan. US troops aid Mexico in drug war. Global Post. N.p.. Web. 23 Jul 2013. lt;http://wwwRead MoreThe War on Drugs1350 Words   |  6 Pages For several years the United States of America has been struggling with the problem of drug addiction of its citizens. This has led the federal government to take measures to restrain the problem of addiction in the United States. However, after observing these measures, such as the ‘War on Drugs’ and its consequences, scholars now question the effectiveness of the drug policy implemented. Some scholars even argue that the War on Drugs has been more harmful to American citizens than helpful. AlsoRead MoreMexican Drug War : The United States And Mexico1055 Words   |  5 PagesHistory: How the United States and Mexico Created the â€Å"Mexican Drug War† analyzes Mexico’s modern history and how the country has seen a dramatic rise of drugs and consequently an increase in the number of people associated with drug cartels and also fighting between drug organizations resulting in bloodbaths all around Mexico. The Mexican government has declared a war on drugs, this period has seen the deaths of thousands of people that has put the country in a crisis state. Mexico s drug world has beenRead MoreA Brief Note On The War On Drugs1356 Words   |  6 PagesRachael Radvansky Sociology 101 War on Drugs February 28, 2017 The War on Drugs can be a very controversial topic to different people around the world. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I fully respect that. Some people say that the War on Drugs is a waste of time and money while others are very concerned about the different drugs that are coming into the United States. It still amazes me that people are continuing to take/do drugs when they see and hear about how many people haveRead MoreDrug Trafficking1134 Words   |  5 PagesThe international drug trade from Latin American states is having an impact on a global scale. The trafficking of drugs along with corruptness and murder is an international conflict that is being fought daily. There are many aspects of the drug war from Mexico and other Latin American states which have effects on United States policy as well as policies from other countries that participate in the global suppression of illegal drugs. It can be hard to differentiate between conflict and issueRead MoreDrugs During The Civil War1421 Words   |  6 PagesDrugs first surfaced in the United States in the 1800s. After the Civil War opium become very popular and was used medicinally. Following opium was cocaine which was also used as a health remedy but near the end of the 19th century opium and cocaine abuse peaked and local governments began to prohibit opium dens and importation. In 1914 the first federal drug policy, the Harrison Narcotics act, is passed and drugs are no longer seen as harmless remedies. The act aggressively regulated the manufacturing