War on Drugs Essays

Submitted By louiselagreca

Words: 507

Pages: 3

Open Document

In watching the John Stossel documentary on The War on Drugs (Sidewinder77, 2009), it is evident that the 40 year war has created more crime than the intended purpose of reducing the drug problem in America. Is the point of the drug prohibition to reduce drug possession which would reduce the drug problem? Instead it has opened up different doorways to other crimes as a byproduct of prohibition. The Department of Justice says that the illegal drug market in the U.S. is dominated by 900,000 criminally active gang members affiliated with 20,000 street gangs in more than 2,500 cities, (1) and that Mexican drug cartels now directly control illegal drug markets in at least 230 American cities.(2) Using the Alcohol Prohibition as an example, the crime rate had increased during those years of prohibition. I do think if America was to decriminalize current illegal drugs, the cartels would be reduced because there would no longer be a demand of the black market. In 2004, 17% of inmates from jail admitted that they committed their crime to get money for drugs. (2)
I do believe that users and sellers are two different animals, and users need treatment which is a Health problem and should not be handled criminally, but with Human Services. I working as a deputy in a jail, I interact with addicts daily, and don’t believe that jail is the solution for non-violent users. Based off of the Beauru of Justice Statistics Drugs and Crime in 2007 1.8 million people were arrested on drug violations. If that 1.8 million, only 17.5% were based on distribution/sale of drugs and 82.5% were on possession alone. 42% of the possession was for marijuana (3 and 4). If we were to decriminalize the use and or possession of drugs, the US could save billions of dollars on inmate housing for mere non-violent drug possession and could be used for rehabilitation and education. These statistic do not include DUI/DWAI which is criminally, and therefore any under-the-influence while driving should be handled criminally.
I am curious to see what Colorado will have for data in arrest statistics from passing amendment 62 in

The War On Drugs

Americans fought many wars, because of enemies that threaten the safety of our nation and have provided aid and resources to our partnering countries in their time of despair. But today American’s fight a different kind of war; it is a war without a clear enemy or end. Today, America fights a War on Drugs. The War on Drugs started during the Nixon administration to address the drug problem in America, since then many policies have been implemented to promote education, increase drug enforcement and convictions…

Words 1203 - Pages 5

Domestic War On Drugs

The War on Drugs The domestic war on drugs began in the year 1971, during the Nixon presidency. Due to this legislation, the prosecution of drug charges was pushed to the forefront of law enforcement. Since this declaration, the question has arisen as to whether or not this program has been effective, if it should be terminated, and the possible solutions to the strain on the country it brought. The controversy surrounding the usefulness and necessity of law enforcement in drug crimes is a main point…

Words 933 - Pages 4

War on Drugs Essay

War on Drugs Drug addiction is a problem faced by many people of the world today. The War on drugs campaign was started in order to define and further reduce the illegal drug trade and fight against drug dealers. The campaign was conducted with the help of participating countries facing many controversies which are still argued to this day. The laws put in place were intended to reduce the level of not only drug consumption but drug addicts. Drugs will always be a part of our culture so we are…

Words 1662 - Pages 7

The War on Drugs Essay

The war on drugs, my future look!!! The reason I picked this topic is because the drug war seems to be a major topic for America. There is a big discussion on whether it should be legalized or not. So what I want to do is give a future look on what this drug war would look like if it were to be legalized. What will licit and illicit drugs…

Words 372 - Pages 2

Essay The War on Drugs

Nick Williams The War on Drugs Argument Paper 12/7/2007 We see it on the news, and in the newspapers. Almost daily there are new headlines reporting drug involvement in many situations in this country; from the war on drugs, trying to stop them from entering the country, to gang trouble, and drugs in the school systems. The debate is whether or not to legalize illegal drugs. You’re probably telling yourself that it’s absurd why anyone would consider this, after reading about the tragedies…

Words 872 - Pages 4

Vietnam War On Drugs

The war on drugs has been going on since the 1970’s and has been largely unsuccessful. These policies have been in place since Vietnam era. Some say these policies were created to combat the hippie movement. These groups of people who were largely anti-war and anti-establishment in a time when the government needed support of the American people. They were also known for their heavy use of drugs. To reflect these change now prisons are overcrowded and thousands of deaths are still related to the…

Words 992 - Pages 4

War on Drugs Essay

The so-called “War on Drugs,” as declared by the Nixon administration in the signing of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, marked the beginning of the current era of mandatory minimum sentencing, racism, privatized prisons, and a powerful constituency that profits as a result of the prohibition of drugs. Psychoactive substances have been apart of the human experience as long as humans have walked the earth. There is little hope that drug production will ever be curtailed…

Words 1746 - Pages 7

Essay on Drug War

Drug Dealer Street Pharmaceutical Distributor “Yes I’ve known of police officers who sell drugs,” Cain says in response to the question. “They are worst than I am because they are supposed to uphold the law!” There are many types of drug dealers, from the behind the scenes Caucasian white collar and government criminals, to the overexposed black street corner thug. The early twenties, corn-roll braided male, that I will call Cain, was at ease as we sat in his newly purchased home. Besides…

Words 443 - Pages 2

The War On Drugs Summary

Allen, Danielle. “How the War on Drugs Creates Violence.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 16 Oct.2015,www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/how-the-war-on- drugs-creates- violence/2015/10/16/6de57a76-72b7-11e5-9cbb-79036964 3cf9_story.html. Danielle Allen’s introduction provides ideas on how to handle the drugs that the War on Drugs has been having issues with. Once she states these ideas the rest of the article builds on them by providing examples on how the War on Drugs hasn’t been effective. Allen’s…

Words 1020 - Pages 5

The War On Drugs Essay

The War on Drugs Preventing drug use has been a very, very long process. It is very important that everyone understands the danger of drugs and the violent war crimes that can develop from their usage. It is called the longest and deadliest war in United States history. It has been said that it started around the 1970’s when President Nixon announced it. The “War on Drugs” has costs billions of dollars and has also taken thousands of lives. About seventy-thousand people lost their lives…

Words 2366 - Pages 10