War on Drugs

Many currently illegal drugs such as marijuana and cocaine have been used for years for both medical and personal uses. The first cocaine laws were directed towards black men in the South. The first marijuana laws were passed in the 1910s were directed toward Mexican Americans as well as Mexican Immigrants. Since the beginning of the 1900s, the illegal smuggling of drugs has been a prevalent problem in America. It was not until June 1971 that President Richard Nixon declared a war on drugs, because he believed America’s number one enemy was drug abuse. As an effect of the drug wars of Colombia, taking place throughout the 1900s, the American culture changed drastically economically and in the areas of drug and gang mentality as well as violence,

Mexico vs. United States drug war for many years the U.S has blamed Mexico for its violence, and much of the violence coming into the United States. Americans tend to blame Mexico and everyone else for its violence when most of the time they are the ones to blame. As a matter of fact, they are people who tend to believe the drug war in Mexico all started because of the United States. Mexican president Miguel Aleman said once too united states president the U.S is just as much to blame as Mexico the only difference is Mexico is the big trampoline of the drug war and the united states is the big pool referring to Mexico as being the crossing of all drugs around the world in search too deliver their merchandise to the big pool the united states

In the United States, Americans have constantly been fighting to eradicate the use of drugs for many decades now. By creating the policy known as “The War on Drugs”, many politicians and presidential advisors of the war on drugs policy claim that it was a necessary element to help deter criminals and reduce crime rate. However, statistics reveals that no dramatic effects or influences has the drug deterrent policy been adequate and successful. (Boyd) Studies tend to show that the racial discrepancy has played in part of why their objective has been so unsuccessful. (Boyd) The policy has led to a disproportionate amount of incarceration minorities of all color and injustice action that law enforcement, and the justice system used to abuse their

In the documentary, when the 1950’s were discussed, drug addiction was depicted as an illness and to be treated by a doctor. The person that suffered the addiction was not blamed or seen as a criminal. Addiction was looked at as a public health issue but, today it is a crime issue because of the impact that “The War on Drugs” has had on America’s population. It has been shoved down our throats over the years since The War on Drugs campaign began that drugs, dealers and addicts are the enemy, America’s enemy.

Society’s view of drugs has vastly changed based on the sociological imagination of the times. Sociological imagination basically means that we are able to view ourselves as a part of one large group rather than individuals. Human’s behavior and attitude have evolved based on the social forces that have adjusted around them. This changing of ideas has been clearly apparent in the Americas and is a prime example of the prohibition of alcohol from 1920 to 1933. The illegality of alcohol provided the Mafia with an opportunity to produce liquor and therefore it had considerable control over those who wanted their alcohol and service. The part that the Mafia played in the 1920's has been developed into the drug dealers and drug cartel of this

The United States has battled with recreational and medicinal drug use since the establishment of the country. In 1890, the United States placed a tax on morphine and opium. This was a prelude to the War on Drugs. However, in 1970, Richard Nixon made his first actions toward resolving the Wear on Drugs through the Controlled Substances Act. In 1971 President Nixon declared the war on drugs public enemy number one. From there, the policies put in place due to the War on Drugs worked toward filtering the distribution of drugs, but only to some extent. Nixon’s cabinet did not understand the depth and severity the War of Drugs had on the economy. The less drugs in the market, the higher the market price will be. Simultaneously, cartels

money. Effective treatment programs will become major components of sustainable change, as it is the only realistic long-term solution to addiction. The mere threat of government sanctions, including death, has never eliminated addiction to any drug in any country in recorded history.

During the 1960’s, drug gained popularity and the demand for drugs increased consequently. President Johnson reacted with the 1966 Narcotics Addict Rehabilitation Act. The act considered drug addiction a mental illness but it did not decriminalize drug use. In 1971, President Nixon declared the ‘War on Drugs’ and said: “America's public enemy number one in the United States is drug abuse. In order to fight and defeat this enemy, it is necessary to wage a new, all-out offensive.” The offensive taken by Nixon would have nation- and worldwide consequences. Nationally the drug policy of President Nixon consisted of the ‘Controlled Substances Act’ (CSA) and drug treatment. The CSA determines the level of potential abuse and medicinal use of drugs and allows or denies legal access. The CSA is still at the core of drug regulation in present times. The drug treatment programs of Nixon’s policy were primarily methadone programs. Methadone is used to reduce withdrawal symptoms of heroin and other opiates. Since Nixon’s mandate, these Methadone programs did not cease to exist, but law enforcement has been preferred over treatment . The foreign drug policy implemented would aim to reduce the drug supply abroad; “[…] since the drugs originated overseas, so should the solution” (Peter Reuter) The theory behind this approach is that if there is no drug supply Americans would not be able to have access to

Despite an estimated $1 trillion spent by the United States on the “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 “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 costly, it is also ineffective at reducing or eliminating trade and usage. The “War on Drugs” campaign has been unsuccessful in preventing the illegal drug trade. As a result, the campaign has managed to marginalize and impoverish the participating societies, causing social and economic harm. By pointing out the failures of this campaign this paper will explain how alternatives can lead to a more successful outcome.

murder as routine part of lives and running businesses. This violence takes lives of many, including traffickers, police and regular citizens and contributes to chaos in communities. Although such brutality is not in the best interest of the drug cartels, there are many reasons why it has become an inevitable part of the drug trade. Skyrocketing demand for illegal drugs and development of new smuggling tactics turned small-scale cocaine operations into a billion dollar enterprise. It is a highly competitive business and as with any other illicit enterprise, there are no official rules to manage the disputes and disagreements therefore cartel leaders turn to violence and they are brutal towards anyone who stands between them and their profits. (Fichtelberg, 2008, p.214)

This paper aims to elaborate the significant reasons behind the war on drugs between the Mexican government and the drug cartels in Mexico and examine the impact of this conflict on Mexico and on US National Security. Drug Trafficking or any other illegal activity related to drug Cartels and gangs pose an imminent threat to the Mexican governance because of the corruption and the violence they generate. Illegal drugs affect not only Mexico but also the U.S in terms of trafficking and consumption. The Mexican government has always taken many initiatives to fight this threat and the pressure of the U.S has put the Mexican government in a complex situation with no other alternative than to continue to fight. The war on drugs in Mexico took a different turn when President Calderon took office in 2006. He implemented the Merida Initiative, a bi-lateral anti-narcotics initiative funded by the US and Mexico. Since the Mexican government has declared the war on drugs, its impact on the nation has been profound and the violence it generated has even crossed the border. The urge to create a safe environment for socio-economic development and to decrease violence linked to drug trafficking in the US are two significant reasons behind the war on drug in Mexico through the Merida Initiative. Moreover, the militarization of security strategies in Mexico to combat drugs has resulted in an increase in violence and human rights violations in the nation. It has also threatened the US border

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 have overdosed because the drugs are laced with something. According to “The Hidden Dangers of Laced Drugs”, there are two ways to alter drugs. The first way is called cutting. “Cutting is mixing a separate chemical or substance to stretch the drug,

This war on drugs was useless because they expected that shunning addicts would diminish drug use.

Throughout history, Americans have combative many enemies that intimidate the wellbeing of our great Nation and providing aid and materials to our partnering countries in their time of distress. However, the repercussion were substantial, countless courageous men and women lost their lives defending their country. Today American’s fight a different kind of war, a war without a clear enemy or end in sight. “[The war on drugs] has made a multibillion-dollar black market, enriched organized crime groups and promoted the corruption of government officials throughout the world.” (Schlosser) In his essay, “A People’s Democratic Platform”, which bestow a case for decriminalizing controlled substances. Government policies concerning drugs are more focused on illegalization instead of revitalization. Schlosser identifies a few of the disabling side effects of the present drug policy put in place by the Richard Nixon administration in the 1970s to forbid drug use and the violence and destruction that ensue from it. Ironically, not only is drug use as prevalent as ever, drug-related crime has also become a staple of our society. In fact, the policy of the criminalization of drugs has fostered a steady increase in crime over the past several decades.

The War on Drugs is the campaign to end the illicit consumption and distribution of drugs in the United States. Initially conceived by the Nixon Administration during the 1970s, the War on Drugs operates on the philosophy that increased enforcement and harsher punishments will deter individuals from committing drug offenses. While the motives behind the initiative to end what Nixon declared to be “public enemy number one” may have been good, the effects of the War on Drugs have been disastrous to American society. Harsher drug policies unjustly target racial minorities, and the increased incarceration rate for nonviolent offenses only fuels the development of a corrupt prison industrial complex. Additionally, the enforcement of drug prohibition is incredibly expensive for the American taxpayer. Ending the War on Drugs not only reaps numerous benefits for the American economy, but also provides opportunities to better regulate drug use and prevent addiction with education.