President Nixon declared the war on drugs in 1971 at a press conference, citing drugs as “public enemy number one in the United States” ("Frontline: Drug Wars: Thirty Years of America's Drug War | PBS"). In 2008 over 850,000 citizens were arrested and processed through the judicial system because of marijuana offenses (U.S. Dept. of Justice). Not only did it represent about half of all drug offenses, almost 90% of the offenses were for mere possession (Nadelmann). At an average cost of $10,400…
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