The Modern War On Drugs - 977 Words

The Modern War on Drugs In the past forty years, the United States has spent over $2.5 trillion dollars funding enforcement and prevention in the fight against drug use in America (Suddath). Despite the efforts made towards cracking down on drug smugglers, growers, and suppliers, statistics show that addiction rates have remained unchanged and the number of people using illegal drugs is increasing daily (Sledge). Regardless of attempts to stem the supply of drugs, the measure and quality of drugs goes up while the price goes down (Koebler). Now with the world’s highest incarceration rates and greatest illegal drug consumption (Sledge), the United States proves that the â€Å"war on drugs† is a war that is not being won. For most of our history, drug use has been legal for recreational, religious, and medicinal purposes. During the 19th century, opium, morphine, and cocaine could be purchased over-the-counter to treat medical conditions such as menstrual cramps, teething pain, coughs, depression, and even addiction (Hellerman). On December 17, 1914, the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act was introduced which heavily restricted the use of narcotics, and was based on racial fears and discrimination. The drafters of the bill stated that â€Å"negroes under the influence of drugs were murdering whites, degenerate Mexicans were smoking marijuana, and â€Å"chinamen† were seducing white women with drugs† (Huggins). Regardless of the restrictions placed on narcotics, the 20th century followed theShow MoreRelatedThe Controversy Over The Drug War958 Words   |  4 Pagesbeen increasing trends of incarceration, specifically in relation to the use and possession of illegal drugs. In 2010, there were 1.6 million people arrested for drug related offenses, which is approximately 1 person every 19 seconds. The majority of the arrests, however, are for possession of small amounts and are minor offenses (Criminal Justice Fact Sheet, NAACP). The controversy over the drug war is the element of concentration in cities, consistently in underprivileged neighborhoods, resultingRead MoreThe Fight Against Mexican Drug Cartels1743 Words   |  7 PagesThe Uphill Battle Against Mexican Drug Cartels â€Å"Drugs continue to kill †¦ 200,000 people a year, shattering families and bringing misery to thousands† states Yury Fedotov, the Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UN 2012). A modern crisis, drug abuse takes the will and freedom of hundreds of thousands, plunging their lives into despair. But this is only one side of the coin; those who supply the hazardous euphoria of drugs build their own volatile empires on foundations of violenceRead MoreThe War On Drugs By Richard Nixon1684 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"War on Drugs† is a term which was popularized by Richard Nixon after his declaration that drug abuse is the first problem to solve. So this term means an American campaign of prohibition of drugs, military aid and military intervention, and other actions to stop the illegal drug trades. Every country has its own methods on fighting drug abuse. Cultural practices and systems have an impact on this part of society’s life. The War o n Drugs has contributed the cross cultural differences to the modernRead MoreEssay on The War On Drugs1079 Words   |  5 PagesIn 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 thatRead MoreThe United States And The Civil Rights Crisis898 Words   |  4 Pagestogether they make up only 30% of the country’s population, black and hispanic men are 3 times more likely to end up behind bars for the same crime committed by white males, allowing them to make up 60% of the prison population. Private prisons, the War on Drugs and a civil rights crisis and are the main factors to why people of color are overrepresented in our prison systems. Private prisons continuously buy prisons in states all across the US. Once they buy these prisons and a contract is signed, aRead MoreWhat Is The Criminal And Nothing Else Essay705 Words   |  3 Pagesviolence, such as the war on drugs, mass incarceration, and militarization of the police. The root of the problem that connects all these issues together, is the role of discrimination. We have to take a look at how discrimination has lead to the criminalization of minority groups. While United States has accomplished so much since 1776, issues such as discrimination feels as if we are taking one step forward, and two steps back. When looking at the history and the modern war on drugs, it demonstratesRead MorePast and Current Drug Trends934 Words   |  4 PagesPast and Current Drug Trends Many past and current trends of the use and abuse of drugs in the United States have been associated with health and social trends that at times may have been considered culturally acceptable. Many trends have occurred since early times. The nineteenth century introduced advancement in modern medicines making several medicinal drugs popular, but by the end of the century was being considered a complicated matter. The twentieth century showed great concern amongstRead MoreThe Mainstream Media s Coverage Of The Drug War1705 Words   |  7 Pages　　The mainstream media’s coverage of the drug war fits the propoganda model relatively well. There are a few instances where the media does stray from a strict view of the propoganda model, but they are well within the spirit of the model and fall within the model’s application in modern times. This paper will examine the mainstream media’s coverage of the drug war, particularly that of the 43 missing stud ents and the Gary Webb controversy, and compare it to the five filters the propoganda modelRead MoreDrug Addiction : History, Laws, And Treatment Essay1570 Words   |  7 Pages Drug Addiction, History, Laws, and Treatment Drug Addiction itself affects almost  ­Ã¢â‚¬ Twenty-three million Americans are currently addicted to alcohol and/or other drugs. Only one in 10 percent of them (2.6 million) receives the treatment they need. The result: a treatment gap of more than 20 million Americans†(Writer, B. J. 2010). Drug Addiction is it truly a disease or a choice? Many state authority figures say it s a choice not a disease much of science says it s a choice disease, both inRead MoreChildren At 25 Or 45 Essay1399 Words   |  6 PagesRaikhan Amanzholova Children at 25 or 45 - compare/contrast In the modern world most of people start thinking about building a family and having children at some point of their lives. However, for every person, even for every nation, the right time for having children differs. For instance, in Kazakhstan the perfect age for building a family is 23-25, but in most European countries many people plan having children at the age of 40 and over