essay topics on the war on drugs

Presentations made painless

• Get Premium

129 War on Drugs Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

The war on drugs has been a controversial and ongoing battle for decades. From the criminalization of drug use to the rise of the opioid epidemic, there are countless topics to explore and discuss when it comes to this complex issue. If you're looking for inspiration for your next essay on the war on drugs, look no further. Here are 129 essay topic ideas and examples to help get you started:

• The history of the war on drugs in the United States
• The impact of the war on drugs on minority communities
• The role of the media in shaping public perception of the war on drugs
• The connection between drug addiction and mental health
• The effectiveness of drug education programs in schools
• The legalization of marijuana and its impact on the war on drugs
• The role of pharmaceutical companies in the opioid epidemic
• The relationship between poverty and drug addiction
• The impact of the war on drugs on incarceration rates
• The connection between drug trafficking and organized crime
• The role of law enforcement in the war on drugs
• The impact of drug addiction on families and communities
• The connection between drug addiction and homelessness
• The role of drug treatment programs in reducing recidivism rates
• The ethics of drug testing in the workplace
• The impact of drug addiction on the economy
• The connection between drug addiction and domestic violence
• The role of drug courts in the criminal justice system
• The impact of the war on drugs on public health
• The connection between drug addiction and human trafficking
• The relationship between drug addiction and child welfare
• The role of peer support groups in recovery from drug addiction
• The impact of drug addiction on academic performance
• The connection between drug addiction and risky sexual behavior
• The role of prescription drug monitoring programs in combating the opioid epidemic
• The ethics of mandatory minimum sentencing for drug offenses
• The impact of drug addiction on the foster care system
• The connection between drug addiction and suicide rates
• The role of faith-based organizations in helping individuals recover from drug addiction
• The impact of drug addiction on healthcare costs
• The connection between drug addiction and gun violence
• The relationship between drug addiction and child abuse
• The role of harm reduction programs in reducing drug-related harm
• The impact of drug addiction on veterans
• The connection between drug addiction and mental illness
• The role of drug addiction in the spread of infectious diseases
• The ethics of drug testing welfare recipients
• The impact of drug addiction on emergency room visits
• The connection between drug addiction and incarceration rates
• The role of drug addiction in the spread of HIV/AIDS
• The impact of drug addiction on the criminal justice system
• The connection between drug addiction and unemployment rates
• The relationship between drug addiction and domestic terrorism
• The role of drug addiction in the rise of fentanyl overdoses
• The impact of drug addiction on child development
• The connection between drug addiction and human rights abuses
• The role of drug addiction in the rise of synthetic drugs
• The ethics of drug testing pregnant women for drug use
• The impact of drug addiction on the environment
• The connection between drug addiction and animal cruelty
• The relationship between drug addiction and cybercrime
• The role of drug addiction in the rise of drug-resistant bacteria
• The role of drug addiction in the rise of prescription drug abuse
• The ethics of drug testing athletes for performance-enhancing drugs
• The impact of drug addiction on the military
• The connection between drug addiction and elder abuse
• The relationship between drug addiction and school shootings
• The role of drug addiction in the rise of synthetic opioids
• The impact of drug addiction on the prison system
• The connection between drug addiction and cyberbullying
• The role of drug addiction in the rise of designer drugs
• The ethics of drug testing students for drug use
• The connection between drug addiction and gang violence
• The relationship between drug addiction and environmental degradation
• The role of drug addiction in the rise of drug-related deaths

These essay topic ideas and examples are just a starting point for exploring the many facets of the war on drugs. Whether you're interested in policy implications, public health issues, or social justice concerns, there is no shortage of angles to consider when writing about this important and complex topic.

Want to create a presentation now?

Instantly Create A Deck

Let PitchGrade do this for me

Hassle Free

We will create your text and designs for you. Sit back and relax while we do the work.

Explore More Content

• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Service

© 2023 Pitchgrade

• History Classics
• Your Profile
• Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window)
• Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window)
• Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window)
• Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window)
• Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window)
• This Day In History
• History Podcasts
• History Vault

War on Drugs

By: History.com Editors

Updated: December 17, 2019 | Original: May 31, 2017

The War on Drugs is a phrase used to refer to a government-led initiative that aims to stop illegal drug use, distribution and trade by dramatically increasing prison sentences for both drug dealers and users. The movement started in the 1970s and is still evolving today. Over the years, people have had mixed reactions to the campaign, ranging from full-on support to claims that it has racist and political objectives.

The War on Drugs Begins

Drug use for medicinal and recreational purposes has been happening in the United States since the country’s inception. In the 1890s, the popular Sears and Roebuck catalogue included an offer for a syringe and small amount of cocaine for $1.50. (At that time, cocaine use had not yet been outlawed.)

In some states, laws to ban or regulate drugs were passed in the 1800s, and the first congressional act to levy taxes on morphine and opium took place in 1890.

The Smoking Opium Exclusion Act in 1909 banned the possession, importation and use of opium for smoking. However, opium could still be used as a medication. This was the first federal law to ban the non-medical use of a substance, although many states and counties had banned alcohol sales previously.

In 1914, Congress passed the Harrison Act, which regulated and taxed the production, importation, and distribution of opiates and cocaine.

Alcohol prohibition laws quickly followed. In 1919, the 18th Amendment was ratified, banning the manufacture, transportation or sale of intoxicating liquors, ushering in the Prohibition Era. The same year, Congress passed the National Prohibition Act (also known as the Volstead Act), which provided guidelines on how to federally enforce Prohibition.

Prohibition lasted until December, 1933, when the 21st Amendment was ratified, overturning the 18th.

Marijuana Tax Act of 1937

In 1937, the “Marihuana Tax Act” was passed. This federal law placed a tax on the sale of cannabis, hemp, or marijuana .

The Act was introduced by Rep. Robert L. Doughton of North Carolina and was drafted by Harry Anslinger. While the law didn’t criminalize the possession or use of marijuana, it included hefty penalties if taxes weren’t paid, including a fine of up to $2000 and five years in prison.

Controlled Substances Act

President Richard M. Nixon signed the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) into law in 1970. This statute calls for the regulation of certain drugs and substances.

The CSA outlines five “schedules” used to classify drugs based on their medical application and potential for abuse.

Schedule 1 drugs are considered the most dangerous, as they pose a very high risk for addiction with little evidence of medical benefits. Marijuana , LSD , heroin, MDMA (ecstasy) and other drugs are included on the list of Schedule 1 drugs.

The substances considered least likely to be addictive, such as cough medications with small amounts of codeine, fall into the Schedule 5 category.

Nixon and the War on Drugs

In June 1971, Nixon officially declared a “War on Drugs,” stating that drug abuse was “public enemy number one.”

A rise in recreational drug use in the 1960s likely led to President Nixon’s focus on targeting some types of substance abuse. As part of the War on Drugs initiative, Nixon increased federal funding for drug-control agencies and proposed strict measures, such as mandatory prison sentencing, for drug crimes. He also announced the creation of the Special Action Office for Drug Abuse Prevention (SAODAP), which was headed by Dr. Jerome Jaffe.

Nixon went on to create the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in 1973. This agency is a special police force committed to targeting illegal drug use and smuggling in the United States. 

At the start, the DEA was given 1,470 special agents and a budget of less than $75 million. Today, the agency has nearly 5,000 agents and a budget of $2.03 billion.

Ulterior Motives Behind War on Drugs?

During a 1994 interview, President Nixon’s domestic policy chief, John Ehrlichman, provided inside information suggesting that the War on Drugs campaign had ulterior motives, which mainly involved helping Nixon keep his job.

In the interview, conducted by journalist Dan Baum and published in Harper magazine, Ehrlichman explained that the Nixon campaign had two enemies: “the antiwar left and black people.” His comments led many to question Nixon’s intentions in advocating for drug reform and whether racism played a role.

Ehrlichman was quoted as saying: “We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course, we did.”

The 1970s and The War on Drugs

In the mid-1970s, the War on Drugs took a slight hiatus. Between 1973 and 1977, eleven states decriminalized marijuana possession.

Jimmy Carter became president in 1977 after running on a political campaign to decriminalize marijuana. During his first year in office, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to decriminalize up to one ounce of marijuana.

Say No to Drugs

In the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan reinforced and expanded many of Nixon’s War on Drugs policies. In 1984, his wife Nancy Reagan launched the “ Just Say No ” campaign, which was intended to highlight the dangers of drug use.

President Reagan’s refocus on drugs and the passing of severe penalties for drug-related crimes in Congress and state legislatures led to a massive increase in incarcerations for nonviolent drug crimes. 

In 1986, Congress passed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, which established mandatory minimum prison sentences for certain drug offenses. This law was later heavily criticized as having racist ramifications because it allocated longer prison sentences for offenses involving the same amount of crack cocaine (used more often by black Americans) as powder cocaine (used more often by white Americans). Five grams of crack triggered an automatic five-year sentence, while it took 500 grams of powder cocaine to merit the same sentence.

Critics also pointed to data showing that people of color were targeted and arrested on suspicion of drug use at higher rates than whites. Overall, the policies led to a rapid rise in incarcerations for nonviolent drug offenses, from 50,000 in 1980 to 400,000 in 1997. In 2014, nearly half of the 186,000 people serving time in federal prisons in the United States had been incarcerated on drug-related charges, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

A Gradual Dialing Back

Public support for the war on drugs has waned in recent decades. Some Americans and policymakers feel the campaign has been ineffective or has led to racial divide. Between 2009 and 2013, some 40 states took steps to soften their drug laws, lowering penalties and shortening mandatory minimum sentences, according to the Pew Research Center .

In 2010, Congress passed the Fair Sentencing Act (FSA), which reduced the discrepancy between crack and powder cocaine offenses from 100:1 to 18:1.

The recent legalization of marijuana in several states and the District of Columbia has also led to a more tolerant political view on recreational drug use.

Technically, the War on Drugs is still being fought, but with less intensity and publicity than in its early years.

Sign up for Inside History

Get HISTORY’s most fascinating stories delivered to your inbox three times a week.

By submitting your information, you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Networks. You can opt out at any time. You must be 16 years or older and a resident of the United States.

More details : Privacy Notice | Terms of Use | Contact Us

War On Drugs Essays (Examples)

War On Drugs

ACLU (2020). Against drug prohibition. Retrieved from:   https://www.aclu.org/other/against-drug-prohibition  " target="_blank" REL="NOFOLLOW">

Effectiveness Of The War On Drugs

Fbi drugs and wmds.

Manchikanti, Laxmaiah, Jaya Sanapati, Ramsin M. Benyamin, Sairam Atluri, Alan D. Kaye, and Joshua A. Hirsch. "Reframing the prevention strategies of the opioid crisis: focusing on prescription opioids, fentanyl, and heroin epidemic." Pain physician 21, no. 4 (2018): 309-326.

• Pablo Escobar

Teenage Health Vulnerabilities With Substance Abuse US

Youth.gov. (2019). Substance abuse agencies. Retrieved from   https://youth.gov/youth-topics/substance-abuse/prevalence-substance-use-abuse-and-dependence  .

The US Sentencing System Disparities And Discrimination

Race and incarceration rates.

Plessy v. Ferguson. 1896. Retrieved July 30, 2019 (  https://www.oyez.org/cases/1850-1900/163us537  ).

The Rise Of The Opium Trade In Afghanistan Following The US Invasion

Kiras, J. D. (2002). Terrorism and Irregular Warfare, in John Baylis, James Wirtz, Eliot Cohen and Colin Gray eds., Strategy in the Contemporary World (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002), 208–232.

Counterterrorism Strategy For The Next U S Presidential Administration

Related topics.

• War On Terror

Category Topics

• Population Growth
• Community Policing
• Child Welfare
• Federal Government
• Sovereignty
• Military Deployment
• Social Services

Improve your studying and writing skills

We have over 150,000+ study documents to help you.

Join thousands of other students and

"spark your studies"..

Study Guides

Writing Guides

Studying / Writing Tools

Customer Service

Your customer service team resolved my issue in minutes!

Study Spark - providing your mind the spark it needs to help improve your grades.

©2020 Study Spark LLC.

Studyspark.com uses cookies to offer our users the best experience. By continuing, you are agreeing to receive cookies. Privacy Policy

• Search Menu
• Browse content in Arts and Humanities
• Browse content in Architecture
• History of Architecture
• Browse content in Art
• History of Art
• Browse content in Classical Studies
• Classical Literature
• Religion in the Ancient World
• Browse content in History
• Colonialism and Imperialism
• Diplomatic History
• Environmental History
• Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing
• Historical Geography
• History by Period
• History of Agriculture
• History of Gender and Sexuality
• Industrial History
• Intellectual History
• International History
• Legal and Constitutional History
• Local and Family History
• Maritime History
• Military History
• Political History
• Regional and National History
• Revolutions and Rebellions
• Slavery and Abolition of Slavery
• Social and Cultural History
• Theory, Methods, and Historiography
• Urban History
• World History
• Linguistics
• Browse content in Literature
• Literary Studies (Romanticism)
• Literary Studies (American)
• Literary Studies (European)
• Literary Studies - World
• Literary Studies (1500 to 1800)
• Literary Studies (19th Century)
• Literary Studies (20th Century onwards)
• Literary Studies (British and Irish)
• Literary Studies (Early and Medieval)
• Literary Studies (Fiction, Novelists, and Prose Writers)
• Literary Studies (Plays and Playwrights)
• Literary Studies (Poetry and Poets)
• Literary Studies (Postcolonial Literature)
• Literary Studies (Queer Studies)
• Literary Studies (War Literature)
• Literary Studies (Women's Writing)
• Literary Theory and Cultural Studies
• Shakespeare Studies and Criticism
• Media Studies
• Browse content in Music
• Applied Music
• Ethnomusicology
• Music Cultures
• Music and Media
• Music Theory and Analysis
• Musical Scores, Lyrics, and Libretti
• Musical Structures, Styles, and Techniques
• Musicology and Music History
• Performance Practice and Studies
• Race and Ethnicity in Music
• Browse content in Performing Arts
• Browse content in Philosophy
• Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art
• Epistemology
• History of Western Philosophy
• Metaphysics
• Moral Philosophy
• Philosophy of Language
• Philosophy of Mind
• Philosophy of Science
• Philosophy of Law
• Philosophy of Religion
• Philosophy of Mathematics and Logic
• Social and Political Philosophy
• Browse content in Religion
• Biblical Studies
• Christianity
• History of Religion
• Judaism and Jewish Studies
• Qumran Studies
• Religion and Politics
• Religion and Art, Literature, and Music
• Religious Studies
• Browse content in Society and Culture
• Cultural Studies
• Technology and Society
• Browse content in Law
• Company and Commercial Law
• Browse content in Comparative Law
• Systems of Law
• Browse content in Constitutional and Administrative Law
• Government Powers
• Local Government Law
• Criminal Law
• Employment and Labour Law
• Environment and Energy Law
• History of Law
• Human Rights and Immigration
• Intellectual Property Law
• Browse content in International Law
• Public International Law
• Jurisprudence and Philosophy of Law
• Law and Politics
• Law and Society
• Browse content in Legal System and Practice
• Legal Skills and Practice
• Medical and Healthcare Law
• Browse content in Policing
• Police Regional Planning
• Property Law
• Browse content in Medicine and Health
• History of Medicine
• Browse content in Public Health and Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Browse content in Science and Mathematics
• Browse content in Biological Sciences
• Microbiology
• Zoology and Animal Sciences
• Browse content in Earth Sciences and Geography
• Palaeontology
• Environmental Science
• History of Science and Technology
• Browse content in Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Evolutionary Psychology
• Health Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Browse content in Social Sciences
• Browse content in Anthropology
• Theory and Practice of Anthropology
• Browse content in Business and Management
• Business Ethics
• Business History
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Browse content in Economics
• Agricultural, Environmental, and Natural Resource Economics
• Econometrics and Mathematical Economics
• Economic History
• Economic Systems
• Economic Development and Growth
• Financial Markets
• History of Economic Thought
• International Economics
• Labour and Demographic Economics
• Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics
• Microeconomics
• Public Economics
• Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics
• Browse content in Environment
• Climate Change
• Conservation of the Environment (Social Science)
• Social Impact of Environmental Issues (Social Science)
• Browse content in Politics
• African Politics
• Comparative Politics
• Conflict Politics
• Environmental Politics
• International Relations
• Middle Eastern Politics
• Political Economy
• Political Theory
• Politics and Law
• Public Policy
• Russian Politics
• UK Politics
• US Politics
• Browse content in Regional and Area Studies
• African Studies
• Asian Studies
• Native American Studies
• Browse content in Sociology
• Childhood Studies
• Economic Sociology
• Health, Illness, and Medicine
• Migration Studies
• Organizations
• Race and Ethnicity
• Social Theory
• Social Stratification, Inequality, and Mobility
• Sociology of Religion
• Sociology of Education
• Urban and Rural Studies
• Reviews and Awards
• Journals on Oxford Academic
• Books on Oxford Academic

Drugs and Thugs: The History and Future of America's War on Drugs

• Cite Icon Cite

How can the United States chart a path forward in the war on drugs? This book uncovers the full history of this war that has lasted more than a century. The book provides an essential view of the economic, political, and human impacts of U.S. drug policies. It takes readers from Afghanistan to Colombia, to Peru and Mexico, to Miami International Airport and the border crossing between El Paso and Juarez to trace the complex social networks that make up the drug trade and drug consumption. Through historically driven stories, the book reveals how the war on drugs has evolved to address mass incarceration, the opioid epidemic, the legalization and medical use of marijuana, and America's shifting foreign policy.

Signed in as

Institutional accounts.

• Google Scholar Indexing
• GoogleCrawler [DO NOT DELETE]

Personal account

• Sign in with email/username & password
• Get email alerts
• Save searches
• Purchase content
• Activate your purchase/trial code

Institutional access

• Sign in with a library card Sign in with username/password Recommend to your librarian
• Institutional account management
• Get help with access

Access to content on Oxford Academic is often provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. If you are a member of an institution with an active account, you may be able to access content in one of the following ways:

IP based access

Typically, access is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically, and it is not possible to sign out of an IP authenticated account.

Sign in through your institution

Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. Shibboleth/Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institution’s website and Oxford Academic.

• Click Sign in through your institution.
• Select your institution from the list provided, which will take you to your institution's website to sign in.
• When on the institution site, please use the credentials provided by your institution. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.
• Following successful sign in, you will be returned to Oxford Academic.

If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institution’s website, please contact your librarian or administrator.

Sign in with a library card

Enter your library card number to sign in. If you cannot sign in, please contact your librarian.

Society Members

Society member access to a journal is achieved in one of the following ways:

Sign in through society site

Many societies offer single sign-on between the society website and Oxford Academic. If you see ‘Sign in through society site’ in the sign in pane within a journal:

• Click Sign in through society site.
• When on the society site, please use the credentials provided by that society. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.

If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society.

Sign in using a personal account

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below.

A personal account can be used to get email alerts, save searches, purchase content, and activate subscriptions.

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members.

Viewing your signed in accounts

Click the account icon in the top right to:

• View your signed in personal account and access account management features.
• View the institutional accounts that are providing access.

Signed in but can't access content

Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. The institutional subscription may not cover the content that you are trying to access. If you believe you should have access to that content, please contact your librarian.

For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Here you will find options to view and activate subscriptions, manage institutional settings and access options, access usage statistics, and more.

Our books are available by subscription or purchase to libraries and institutions.

• About Oxford Academic
• Publish journals with us
• University press partners
• What we publish
• New features  
• Open access
• Rights and permissions
• Accessibility
• Advertising
• Media enquiries
• Oxford University Press
• Oxford Languages
• University of Oxford

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide

• Copyright © 2024 Oxford University Press
• Cookie settings
• Cookie policy
• Privacy policy
• Legal notice

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only

Sign In or Create an Account

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription.

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

The War On Drugs: 50 Years Later

After 50 years of the war on drugs, 'what good is it doing for us'.

During the War on Drugs, the Brownsville neighborhood in New York City saw some of the highest rates of incarceration in the U.S., as Black and Hispanic men were sent to prison for lengthy prison sentences, often for low-level, nonviolent drug crimes. Spencer Platt/Getty Images hide caption

During the War on Drugs, the Brownsville neighborhood in New York City saw some of the highest rates of incarceration in the U.S., as Black and Hispanic men were sent to prison for lengthy prison sentences, often for low-level, nonviolent drug crimes.

When Aaron Hinton walked through the housing project in Brownsville on a recent summer afternoon, he voiced love and pride for this tightknit, but troubled working-class neighborhood in New York City where he grew up.

He pointed to a community garden, the lush plots of vegetables and flowers tended by volunteers, and to the library where he has led after-school programs for kids.

But he also expressed deep rage and sorrow over the scars left by the nation's 50-year-long War on Drugs. "What good is it doing for us?" Hinton asked.

Revisiting Two Cities At The Front Line Of The War On Drugs

Critics Say Chauvin Defense 'Weaponized' Stigma For Black Americans With Addiction

As the United States' harsh approach to drug use and addiction hits the half-century milestone, this question is being asked by a growing number of lawmakers, public health experts and community leaders.

In many parts of the U.S., some of the most severe policies implemented during the drug war are being scaled back or scrapped altogether.

Hinton, a 37-year-old community organizer and activist, said the reckoning is long overdue. He described watching Black men like himself get caught up in drugs year after year and swept into the nation's burgeoning prison system.

"They're spending so much money on these prisons to keep kids locked up," Hinton said, shaking his head. "They don't even spend a fraction of that money sending them to college or some kind of school."

Aaron Hinton, a 37-year-old veteran activist and community organizer, said it's clear Brownsville needed help coping with the cocaine, heroin and other drug-related crime that took root here in the 1970s and 1980s. His own family was devastated by addiction. Brian Mann hide caption

Aaron Hinton, a 37-year-old veteran activist and community organizer, said it's clear Brownsville needed help coping with the cocaine, heroin and other drug-related crime that took root here in the 1970s and 1980s. His own family was devastated by addiction.

Hinton has lived his whole life under the drug war. He said Brownsville needed help coping with cocaine, heroin and drug-related crime that took root here in the 1970s and 1980s.

His own family was scarred by addiction.

"I've known my mom to be a drug user my whole entire life," Hinton said. "She chose to run the streets and left me with my great-grandmother."

Four years ago, his mom overdosed and died after taking prescription painkillers, part of the opioid epidemic that has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans.

Hinton said her death sealed his belief that tough drug war policies and aggressive police tactics would never make his family or his community safer.

The nation pivots (slowly) as evidence mounts against the drug war

During months of interviews for this project, NPR found a growing consensus across the political spectrum — including among some in law enforcement — that the drug war simply didn't work.

"We have been involved in the failed War on Drugs for so very long," said retired Maj. Neill Franklin, a veteran with the Baltimore City Police and the Maryland State Police who led drug task forces for years.

He now believes the response to drugs should be handled by doctors and therapists, not cops and prison guards. "It does not belong in our wheelhouse," Franklin said during a press conference this week.

Aaron Hinton has lived his whole life under the drug war. He has watched many Black men like himself get caught up in drugs year after year, swept into the nation's criminal justice system. Brian Mann/NPR hide caption

Aaron Hinton has lived his whole life under the drug war. He has watched many Black men like himself get caught up in drugs year after year, swept into the nation's criminal justice system.

Some prosecutors have also condemned the drug war model, describing it as ineffective and racially biased.

"Over the last 50 years, we've unfortunately seen the 'War on Drugs' be used as an excuse to declare war on people of color, on poor Americans and so many other marginalized groups," said New York Attorney General Letitia James in a statement sent to NPR.

On Tuesday, two House Democrats introduced legislation that would decriminalize all drugs in the U.S., shifting the national response to a public health model. The measure appears to have zero chance of passage.

But in much of the country, disillusionment with the drug war has already led to repeal of some of the most punitive policies, including mandatory lengthy prison sentences for nonviolent drug users.

In recent years, voters and politicians in 17 states — including red-leaning Alaska and Montana — and the District of Columbia have backed the legalization of recreational marijuana , the most popular illicit drug, a trend that once seemed impossible.

Last November, Oregon became the first state to decriminalize small quantities of all drugs , including heroin and methamphetamines.

Many critics say the course correction is too modest and too slow.

"The war on drugs was an absolute miscalculation of human behavior," said Kassandra Frederique, who heads the Drug Policy Alliance, a national group that advocates for total drug decriminalization.

She said the criminal justice model failed to address the underlying need for jobs, health care and safe housing that spur addiction.

Indeed, much of the drug war's architecture remains intact. Federal spending on drugs — much of it devoted to interdiction — is expected to top $37 billion this year.

The Coronavirus Crisis

Drug overdose deaths spiked to 88,000 during the pandemic, white house says.

The U.S. still incarcerates more people than any other nation, with nearly half of the inmates in federal prison held on drug charges .

But the nation has seen a significant decline in state and federal inmate populations, down by a quarter from the peak of 1.6 million in 2009 to roughly 1.2 million last year .

There has also been substantial growth in public funding for health care and treatment for people who use drugs, due in large part to passage of the Affordable Care Act .

"The best outcomes come when you treat the substance use disorder [as a medical condition] as opposed to criminalizing that person and putting them in jail or prison," said Dr. Nora Volkow, who has been head of the National Institute of Drug Abuse since 2003.

Volkow said data shows clearly that the decision half a century ago to punish Americans who struggle with addiction was "devastating ... not just to them but actually to their families."

From a bipartisan War on Drugs to Black Lives Matter

Wounds left by the drug war go far beyond the roughly 20.3 million people who have a substance use disorder .

The campaign — which by some estimates cost more than $1 trillion — also exacerbated racial divisions and infringed on civil liberties in ways that transformed American society.

Frederique, with the Drug Policy Alliance, said the Black Lives Matter movement was inspired in part by cases that revealed a dangerous attitude toward drugs among police.

In Derek Chauvin's murder trial, the former officer's defense claimed aggressive police tactics were justified because of small amounts of fentanyl in George Floyd's body. Critics described the argument as an attempt to "weaponize" Floyd's substance use disorder and jurors found Chauvin guilty.

Breonna Taylor, meanwhile, was shot and killed by police in her home during a drug raid . She wasn't a suspect in the case.

"We need to end the drug war not just for our loved ones that are struggling with addiction, but we need to remove the excuse that that is why law enforcement gets to invade our space ... or kill us," Frederique said.

The United States has waged aggressive campaigns against substance use before, most notably during alcohol Prohibition in the 1920s and 1930s.

The modern drug war began with a symbolic address to the nation by President Richard Nixon on June 17, 1971.

Speaking from the White House, Nixon declared the federal government would now treat drug addiction as "public enemy No. 1," suggesting substance use might be vanquished once and for all.

"In order to fight and defeat this enemy," Nixon said, "it is necessary to wage a new all-out offensive."

President Richard Nixon's speech on June 17, 1971, marked the symbolic start of the modern drug war. In the decades that followed Democrats and Republicans embraced ever-tougher laws penalizing people with addiction.

Studies show from the outset drug laws were implemented with a stark racial bias , leading to unprecedented levels of mass incarceration for Black and brown men .

As recently as 2018, Black men were nearly six times more likely than white men to be locked up in state or federal correctional facilities, according to the U.S. Justice Department .

Researchers have long concluded the pattern has far-reaching impacts on Black families, making it harder to find employment and housing, while also preventing many people of color with drug records from voting .

In a 1994 interview published in Harper's Magazine , Nixon adviser John Ehrlichman suggested racial animus was among the motives shaping the drug war.

"We knew we couldn't make it illegal to be either against the [Vietnam] War or Black," Ehrlichman said. "But by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and Blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities."

Despite those concerns, Democrats and Republicans partnered on the drug war decade after decade, approving ever-more-severe laws, creating new state and federal bureaucracies to interdict drugs, and funding new armies of police and federal agents.

At times, the fight on America's streets resembled an actual war, especially in poor communities and communities of color.

Police units carried out drug raids with military-style hardware that included body armor, assault weapons and tanks equipped with battering rams.

President Richard Nixon explaining aspects of the special message sent to the Congress on June 17, 1971, asking for an extra $155 million for a new program to combat the use of drugs. He labeled drug abuse "a national emergency." Harvey Georges/AP hide caption

President Richard Nixon explaining aspects of the special message sent to the Congress on June 17, 1971, asking for an extra $155 million for a new program to combat the use of drugs. He labeled drug abuse "a national emergency."

"What we need is another D-Day, not another Vietnam, not another limited war fought on the cheap," declared then-Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., in 1989.

Biden, who chaired the influential Senate Judiciary Committee, later co-authored the controversial 1994 crime bill that helped fund a vast new complex of state and federal prisons, which remains the largest in the world.

On the campaign trail in 2020, Biden stopped short of repudiating his past drug policy ideas but said he now believes no American should be incarcerated for addiction. He also endorsed national decriminalization of marijuana.

While few policy experts believe the drug war will come to a conclusive end any time soon, the end of bipartisan backing for punitive drug laws is a significant development.

More drugs bring more deaths and more doubts

Adding to pressure for change is the fact that despite a half-century of interdiction, America's streets are flooded with more potent and dangerous drugs than ever before — primarily methamphetamines and the synthetic opioid fentanyl.

"Back in the day, when we would see 5, 10 kilograms of meth, that would make you a hero if you made a seizure like that," said Matthew Donahue, the head of operations at the Drug Enforcement Administration.

As U.S. Corporations Face Reckoning Over Prescription Opioids, CEOs Keep Cashing In

"Now it's common for us to see 100-, 200- and 300-kilogram seizures of meth," he added. "It doesn't make a dent to the price."

Efforts to disrupt illegal drug supplies suffered yet another major blow last year after Mexican officials repudiated drug war tactics and began blocking most interdiction efforts south of the U.S.-Mexico border.

"It's a national health threat, it's a national safety threat," Donahue told NPR.

Last year, drug overdoses hit a devastating new record of 90,000 deaths , according to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The drug war failed to stop the opioid epidemic

Critics say the effectiveness of the drug war model has been called into question for another reason: the nation's prescription opioid epidemic.

Beginning in the late 1990s, some of the nation's largest drug companies and pharmacy chains invested heavily in the opioid business.

State and federal regulators and law enforcement failed to intervene as communities were flooded with legally manufactured painkillers, including Oxycontin.

"They were utterly failing to take into account diversion," said West Virginia Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who sued the DEA for not curbing opioid production quotas sooner.

"It's as close to a criminal act as you can find," Morrisey said.

Courtney Hessler, a reporter for The (Huntington) Herald-Dispatch in West Virgina, has covered the opioid epidemic. As a child she wound up in foster care after her mother became addicted to opioids. "You know there's thousands of children that grew up the way that I did. These people want answers," Hessler told NPR. Brian Mann/NPR hide caption

Courtney Hessler, a reporter for The (Huntington) Herald-Dispatch in West Virgina, has covered the opioid epidemic. As a child she wound up in foster care after her mother became addicted to opioids. "You know there's thousands of children that grew up the way that I did. These people want answers," Hessler told NPR.

One of the epicenters of the prescription opioid epidemic was Huntington, a small city in West Virginia along the Ohio River hit hard by the loss of factory and coal jobs.

"It was pretty bad. Eighty-one million opioid pills over an eight-year period came into this area," said Courtney Hessler, a reporter with The (Huntington) Herald-Dispatch.

Public health officials say 1 in 10 residents in the area still battle addiction. Hessler herself wound up in foster care after her mother struggled with opioids.

In recent months, she has reported on a landmark opioid trial that will test who — if anyone — will be held accountable for drug policies that failed to keep families and communities safe.

"I think it's important. You know there's thousands of children that grew up the way that I did," Hessler said. "These people want answers."

A needle disposal box at the Cabell-Huntington Health Department sits in the front parking lot in 2019 in Huntington, W.Va. The city is experiencing a surge in HIV cases related to intravenous drug use following a recent opioid crisis in the state. Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty Images hide caption

A needle disposal box at the Cabell-Huntington Health Department sits in the front parking lot in 2019 in Huntington, W.Va. The city is experiencing a surge in HIV cases related to intravenous drug use following a recent opioid crisis in the state.

During dozens of interviews, community leaders told NPR that places like Huntington, W.Va., and Brownsville, N.Y., will recover from the drug war and rebuild.

They predicted many parts of the country will accelerate the shift toward a public health model for addiction: treating drug users more often like patients with a chronic illness and less often as criminals.

But ending wars is hard and stigma surrounding drug use, heightened by a half-century of punitive policies, remains deeply entrenched. Aaron Hinton, the activist in Brownsville, said it may take decades to unwind the harm done to his neighborhood.

"It's one step forward, two steps back," Hinton said. "But I remain hopeful. Why? Because what else am I going to do?"

• opioid epidemic
• public health
• war on drugs
• drug policy

• Undergraduate
• High School
• Architecture
• American History
• Asian History
• Antique Literature
• American Literature
• Asian Literature
• Classic English Literature
• World Literature
• Creative Writing
• Linguistics
• Criminal Justice
• Legal Issues
• Anthropology
• Archaeology
• Political Science
• World Affairs
• African-American Studies
• East European Studies
• Latin-American Studies
• Native-American Studies
• West European Studies
• Family and Consumer Science
• Social Issues
• Women and Gender Studies
• Social Work
• Natural Sciences
• Pharmacology
• Earth science
• Agriculture
• Agricultural Studies
• Computer Science
• IT Management
• Mathematics
• Investments
• Engineering and Technology
• Engineering
• Aeronautics
• Medicine and Health
• Alternative Medicine
• Communications and Media
• Advertising
• Communication Strategies
• Public Relations
• Educational Theories
• Teacher's Career
• Chicago/Turabian
• Company Analysis
• Education Theories
• Shakespeare
• Canadian Studies
• Food Safety
• Relation of Global Warming and Extreme Weather Condition
• Movie Review
• Admission Essay
• Annotated Bibliography
• Application Essay

Article Critique

• Article Review
• Article Writing
• Book Review
• Business Plan
• Business Proposal
• Capstone Project
• Cover Letter
• Creative Essay
• Dissertation
• Dissertation - Abstract
• Dissertation - Conclusion
• Dissertation - Discussion
• Dissertation - Hypothesis
• Dissertation - Introduction
• Dissertation - Literature
• Dissertation - Methodology
• Dissertation - Results
• GCSE Coursework
• Grant Proposal
• Marketing Plan
• Multiple Choice Quiz
• Personal Statement
• Power Point Presentation
• Power Point Presentation With Speaker Notes
• Questionnaire
• Reaction Paper
• Research Paper
• Research Proposal
• SWOT analysis
• Thesis Paper
• Online Quiz
• Literature Review
• Movie Analysis
• Statistics problem
• Math Problem
• All papers examples
• How It Works
• Money Back Policy
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• We Are Hiring

The War on Drugs, Essay Example

Pages: 6

Words: 1727

Hire a Writer for Custom Essay

Use 10% Off Discount: "custom10" in 1 Click 👇

You are free to use it as an inspiration or a source for your own work.

The “Drug War” should be waged even more vigorously and is a valid policy; government should tell adults what they can or cannot ingest. This paper argues for the position that the United States government should ramp up its efforts to fight the war on drugs.  Drug trafficking adversely affects the nation’s economy, and increases crime.  The increase in crime necessitates a need for more boots on the ground in preventing illegal drugs from entering this country.  Both police and border patrol agents are on the frontline on the battle against the war on drugs.  The war on drugs is a valid policy because it is the government’s responsibility to protect its citizens.  Citizens who are addicted to drugs are less likely to contribute to society in an economic manner, and many end up on government assistance programs and engage in crimes.

Introduction

This paper argues that The War on Drugs is a valid policy, and that government has a right, perhaps even a duty to protect citizens from hurting themselves and others.  Fighting drug use is an integral part of the criminal justice system.  Special taskforces have been created to combat the influx of illegal drugs into the United States. The cost of paying police and border control agents is just the beginning of the equation.  Obviously, the detriment to the US economy is tremendous.  But the emotional stress on the friends and family of the drug user represent the human cost of illegal drugs.  Families are literally torn apart by this phenomen.

(1). The cost of police resources to fight the drug war is exorbitant, but necessary .  In order for a war against drugs to be successful, federal, local and state authorities must make sure that there a plenty of drug enforcement officers to make the appropriate arrests.  This means that drug enforcement officers must be provided with the latest equipment, including technology to detect illegal drugs (Benson).  The cost of providing all the necessary equipment to border patrol agents and the policemen and policemen on the frontlines is well justified.  It is necessary to have a budget that will ensure that drug enforcers have everything they need to combat illegal drugs at their disposal.

(2). The government has the responsibility to protect its citizens.   If a substance is illegal, it should be hunted down by law enforcement authorities and destroyed.  The drug user is a victim of society who needs help turning his or her life around.  Without a proper drug policy in effect, the drug user will continue to purchase drugs without the fear of criminal punishment.  That is why the drug war is appropriate.  The government has a right to tell citizens what it cannot ingest, particularly substances that when ingested can cause severe harm to the individual.  This harm may take on the form of addiction.  Once a person is addicted to drugs, the government has treatment programs to help him or her get off drugs.  The economic cost of preventing illegal drugs from getting into the wrong hands, and the cost of drug treatment is worth the financial resources expended because people who are not addicted to drugs are more involved in society and in life in general (Belenko).

(3). Anti-drug policies tend to make citizens act responsibly .  Adult drug users must understand that what they are doing is negatively impacting society.  Purchasing illegal drugs drains the nation’s economy.  These users have probably been in and out of drug rehabilitation programs many times with little to no success.  These drug programs are run by either the federal, state, or local governments (Lynch).   Each failed incident of a patient going back to the world of drugs costs the taxpayers money.  Once the drug user is totally rehabbed, he or she will realize the drag that he or she has been on society.  Therefore, the drug treatment centers are a way to teach adults how to be more responsible.

(4). Drug regulation in the United States has an effect on the international community.  America’s image to the rest of the world is at stake.  If America cannot control its borders, rogue leaders of other countries will think that America is soft on drugs.  This in turn makes America’s leaders look weak (Daemmrich).  Border patrol agents on the United States-Mexican border represent the best that America has to offer in preventing illegal drugs from entering the United States.  It is imperative that part of the drug policy of the United States provides enough financial resources for the agents to do their job.  The international community must see a strong front from the United States against illegal drugs.  Anything less is a sign of weakness in the eyes of international leaders, including our allies.

(5). Women are disproportionately affected by illegal drug use and therefore neglect their children.   As emotional beings, women have to contend with many issues that evade men (Gaskins).  The woman’s primary responsibility is to her children.  If a woman is a drug user, her children will be neglected.  Most of the children end up becoming wards of the state.  Having to cloth and feed children places a major burden on organizations that take these children of addicts in.  A drug addict cannot take care of herself, and she certainly cannot take care of her children.  Both the woman and her children will become dependent on the government for food and shelter.  This person is not a productive member of society.  Increased prison sentences may seem harsh for women with children, but these sentences may serve as deterrence from using drugs.

(6 ). If students know that the criminal penalty is severe, it may serve as a deterrent to drug related crimes.   Educating students, while they are still in school about the harmful effects and consequences of using drugs is imperative in fighting the drug war.  However, many students may tune out the normal talk about how drugs affect them physically.  The key to effectively making the point to students that illegal drug use is wrong is to present them with the consequences of having a felony drug conviction on their record (Reynolds). In fact, having a criminal record is bad enough without the felony drug conviction.  Students should know that such a record can prevent them from obtaining employment in the future.  It should be stressed that many companies will not hire anyone with a criminal record, especially if the conviction was related to illegal drugs.  The threat of extensive incarceration should also deter students from using illegal drugs or participating in drug related activities.

(7). Parents who use drugs in front of their children are bad influences and contribute to the delinquency of the minor.    Children are extremely impressionable, and starting to use drugs at a young age can be devastating to their future.  The government fights the drug war to protect law abiding citizens, and to punish criminals.  People who use illicit drugs are criminals, and parents who influence their children by introducing and approving of their drug use need to suffer severe penalties under the law (Lynch).  It is more than likely that the parents that use drugs have been incarcerated at one time or the other.  This incarceration may be drug related.  Children see their parents go in and out of jail, so that becomes their “normal.” Thus you have generational incarcerations which are an expense to prison sector and taxpayers.  The government is right in ramping up the penalties on drug use in front of children.

(8). People who use drugs are likely to drive under the influence which has all sorts of possible negative outcomes. There are so many consequences resulting from illegal drug use that they are too numerous to list.  One of the “unspoken” consequences is driving under the influence.  The entire population has made a concerted effort to curtail drinking and driving, and the deaths from alcohol related traffic accidents gave gone down significantly since strict laws have been put in place.  The government needs to find a way to crack down on drivers who are under the influence of illegal drugs (Belenko).  Drivers must be clear headed and focused to driver responsibly.  The government should get harsher, and find a way to test (as in the breathalyzer for alcohol) for marijuana.  The government has been successful in keeping the number of drunken drivers down.  However, many drivers are still legally able to pass a breathalyzer test if they are smoking marijuana, or using other drugs.  Accidents can still happen regardless of what drug the driver is under the influence of.  The government must find a way to crack down on these drivers who think that they are beating the system.

If the United States wants to get serious on the war on drugs, it should wage the war more vigorously.  Although the war on drugs is a valid policy, it needs to receive more attention and financial resources from the Federal government.  Preventing illegal drugs from crossing our borders is costly, but highly effective if there are plenty of border patrol agents on the United States-Mexican border.  This is the main avenue by which illegal drugs make it into the United States.  The argument that the government has the right to tell citizens what they can ingest is correct.  This is because it is the government’s responsibility to protect its citizens.  Keeping people off of drugs makes for productive citizens who contribute to building a drug free society.

Works Cited

Belenko, Steven R., ed. Drugs and Drug Policy in America: A Documentary History. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2000. Questia. Web. 2 Nov. 2012.

Benson, Bruce L., Ian Sebastian Leburn, and David W. Rasmussen. “The Impact of Drug Enforcement on Crime: An Investigation of the Opportunity Cost of Police Resources.” Journal of Drug Issues 31.4 (2001): 989+. Questia. Web. 2 Nov. 2012.

Daemmrich, Arthur A. Pharmacopolitics: Drug Regulation in the United States and Germany. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina, 2004. Questia. Web. 2 Nov. 2012.

Gaskins, Shimica. “”Women of Circumstance”-The Effects of Mandatory Minimum Sentencing on Women Minimally Involved in Drug Crimes.” American Criminal Law Review 41.4 (2004): 1533+. Questia. Web. 2 Nov. 2012.

Lynch, Timothy, ed. After Prohibition: An Adult Approach to Drug Policies in the 21st Century. Washington, DC: Cato Institute, 2000. Questia. Web. 2 Nov. 2012.

Reynolds, Marylee. “Educating Students about the War on Drugs: Criminal and Civil Consequences of a Felony Drug Conviction.” Women’s Studies Quarterly 32.3/4 (2004): 246+. Questia. Web. 2 Nov. 2012.

Stuck with your Essay?

Get in touch with one of our experts for instant help!

Dr. Strangelove, Essay Example

Valuing Caring Behaviors Within Simulated Emergent Situations, Article Critique Example

Time is precious

don’t waste it!

Plagiarism-free guarantee

Privacy guarantee

Secure checkout

Money back guarantee

Related Essay Samples & Examples

Voting as a civic responsibility, essay example.

Pages: 1

Words: 287

Utilitarianism and Its Applications, Essay Example

Words: 356

The Age-Related Changes of the Older Person, Essay Example

Pages: 2

Words: 448

The Problems ESOL Teachers Face, Essay Example

Pages: 8

Words: 2293

Should English Be the Primary Language? Essay Example

Pages: 4

Words: 999

The Term “Social Construction of Reality”, Essay Example

Words: 371

Home — Essay Samples — Law, Crime & Punishment — War on Drugs — The Effects of the War on Drugs on Society

The Effects of The War on Drugs on Society

• Categories: War on Drugs

About this sample

Words: 735 |

Published: Jan 29, 2024

Words: 735 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Table of contents

The origins and goals of the war on drugs, the impact on incarceration rates, economic consequences, the rise of drug cartels and organized crime, drug addiction and public health, racial disparities and social injustice, alternatives and policy reform, ix. conclusion, references:.

• Alexander, M. (2010). The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. New York: The New Press.
• Dewan, S. (2020). The Human Toll of the War on Drugs. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/11/us/war-on-drugs-us-mexico.html
• The Council of State Governments Justice Center. (2018). Issue Brief: The Impact of the War on Drugs on the Criminal Justice System. Retrieved from https://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Issue-Brief-The-Impact-of-the-War-on-Drugs-on-the-Criminal-Justice-System.pdf
• Transform Drug Policy Foundation. (2019). What is drug policy reform? Retrieved from https://transformdrugs.org/what-is-drug-policy-reform/

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Verified writer

• Expert in: Law, Crime & Punishment

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

3 pages / 1476 words

3 pages / 1523 words

6 pages / 2904 words

4 pages / 2027 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on War on Drugs

The State and federal government spend a lot of funds on running prisons, jails, and parole for drug-related charges. Decriminalization of drugs would reduce the number of arrests made on drugs and related charges; law [...]

Tim O'Brien's short story "On the Rainy River" is a powerful exploration of the themes of shame, guilt, and the struggle to define one's own identity. The story is part of O'Brien's collection of stories in his book "The Things [...]

Accuracy is a critical aspect that can make or break a film's credibility. One such film that has sparked debates over its accuracy is "Jarhead," directed by Sam Mendes. The film, based on the memoir of the same name by Anthony [...]

The Pyrrhic Defeat Theory, named after the ancient Greek general King Pyrrhus, argues that some victories in war may be so costly that they are essentially defeats. This theory challenges the conventional understanding that [...]

The War on Drugs is the attempt of preventing people from using substances that are considered bad for consumption. The American government has waged a war on drugs for several years. Since its declaration, the war on drugs has [...]

The war on drugs: fact or fiction? Well, it depends on how you look at it. According to the film, “The House I Live In,”directed by Eugene Jarecki, the war on drugs is an overblown scare tactic that has historically not [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Essay on War Against Drugs

Students are often asked to write an essay on War Against Drugs in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on War Against Drugs

What is the war against drugs.

The War Against Drugs refers to the global campaign initiated to reduce the illegal drug trade and consumption. Governments have taken a tough stance against the production, distribution, and use of illegal drugs to protect their citizens from the harmful effects of drug abuse.

Scope of the War Against Drugs

The War Against Drugs is not just about fighting drug traffickers and users. It also includes campaigns to educate people about the dangers of drugs, provide drug addiction treatment and support, and reduce drug-related crime. Governments around the world work together to share information and resources to combat drug trafficking and abuse.

Success and Challenges

The War Against Drugs has been successful in reducing drug trafficking and abuse in some countries. This has been achieved by strict law enforcement, effective drug prevention programs, and international cooperation. However, the problem of drug trafficking and abuse still exists, and it continues to be a major challenge for law enforcement agencies, governments, and communities around the world.

250 Words Essay on War Against Drugs

War against drugs: a futile battle.

The “War Against Drugs” is a worldwide campaign led by the United States government to discourage the production, distribution, and consumption of illegal drugs. It began in the 1970s and has since been a topic of intense debate.

A Disastrous Approach

The “War Against Drugs” has been a costly and ineffective approach to addressing drug-related issues. It has led to mass incarceration, with the United States having the highest incarceration rate in the world. The criminalization of drugs has disproportionately affected minority communities, leading to racial disparities in the criminal justice system.

Failed Policies

The focus on harsh drug laws and punitive measures has done little to reduce drug use or trafficking. In fact, it has driven the drug trade underground, making it more dangerous and profitable for criminal organizations. The “War Against Drugs” has also failed to address the root causes of drug abuse, such as poverty, mental health issues, and lack of opportunities.

Alternative Approaches

Instead of relying on criminalization and punishment, a more effective approach would be to focus on harm reduction, public health measures, and evidence-based treatment programs. Decriminalization of drugs has been shown to reduce crime, improve public health, and free up resources that can be invested in treatment and prevention programs. Expanding access to affordable and quality healthcare, including mental health services, can also help address the underlying issues that contribute to drug abuse.

The ongoing “War Against Drugs” has been a colossal waste of resources and has caused immense harm to individuals and communities, particularly marginalized groups. Embracing a more compassionate and evidence-based approach, one that prioritizes public health, harm reduction, and treatment, is essential for addressing drug-related issues effectively and humanely.

500 Words Essay on War Against Drugs

War against drugs: a global perspective.

The War on Drugs is a worldwide campaign that began in the early 20th century. It includes various government actions aimed at stopping the illegal drug trade, reducing drug use, and punishing people involved in drug-related activities.

The History of the War on Drugs

The War on Drugs started in the United States in the early 1900s, when the government banned drugs like opium, cocaine, and heroin. In the 1970s, President Richard Nixon declared drug abuse “public enemy number one” and launched a massive campaign against drug trafficking. This led to more arrests, harsher sentences, and increased funding for law enforcement. The War on Drugs has since spread to many other countries, and it has had a significant impact on global society.

The Impact of the War on Drugs

The War on Drugs has had both positive and negative effects. On the positive side, it has helped to reduce the availability of illegal drugs and decrease drug use in some areas. It has also led to the arrest and imprisonment of many drug traffickers and dealers. However, the War on Drugs has also had several negative consequences. It has led to the mass incarceration of nonviolent drug offenders, disproportionately affecting people of color and low-income communities. It has also fueled the growth of the black market for drugs, leading to violence, corruption, and instability in many countries.

The Future of the War on Drugs

The War on Drugs has been a costly and controversial policy. In recent years, there has been a growing debate about the effectiveness of the War on Drugs and the need for reform. Some countries, such as Portugal and Uruguay, have decriminalized the possession and use of small amounts of drugs. Other countries are considering legalizing and regulating the sale of certain drugs. The future of the War on Drugs is uncertain, but it is clear that the current approach is not sustainable.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Want To Become A Radiologic Technologist
• Essay on Want To Be An Esthetician
• Essay on Want To Be A Welder

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

The War on Drugs and its Impact on the United States

How it works

Illegal drugs have been a very prevalent issue in the United States for decades, with almost no clear solution to stop the spreading and use of them. With the epidemic of opium currently ravaging the U.S, it all stemmed from a colossal failure in the 1980s: The War on Drugs. While the intent of the War on Drugs was to stop the spreading of illegal drugs, it managed to become more negative for America than it was originally intended. The War on Drugs was one of the most influential but detrimental movements for modern America on an economic, societal, and political level.

There were several instances of combating the use of drugs throughout history before the start of the drug wars within the United States.

A few of the bigger examples were the Opium wars in China where Britain forced their opium onto the Chinese population, the Harrison Narcotics Act which made the dealing of cocaine illegal in America and directly targeting the Southern black population, and the first anti marijuana laws which aimed specifically Hispanics in the southwest (Drug Policy Alliance). Drugs were also used to manipulate certain groups within the United States by the CIA, which the allegations towards them weren’t addressed until much later. However, in those situations, these laws or actions were made to either manipulate a body of people or were due to the lack of urgency in researching these drugs. Soon after these events, there was a rapid increase in drug use within the United States rapidly increased, which resulted in the United States started to take the drug epidemic seriously in the form of the War on Drugs.

Concerning the politics of the Drug Wars, there were many Presidential administrations and policies enacted that all combated the use of drugs, but most of the attempts were lackluster. The first president to address the issue of drugs in America was the Richard Nixon, who was credited with starting the War on Drugs. During the press conference to which he addressed the issue, he proclaimed that all illegal drugs and the abuse of them were “public enemy number one” and that “it was necessary to wage a new, all out offensive,” leading to the start of the War on Drugs (Nixon, 1971). To continue the political wave against drug abuse, President Reagan also addressed the rising use of drugs and America as a whole, stating “Drug abuse is a repudiation of everything America is. The destructiveness and human wreckage mock our heritage’ (Reagan, 1986).

However, this mentality did not last, as both Presidents failed to enforce their initial stances towards drugs. There were also some policies enacted for drug reform, the most drastic being the Three Strikes Rule in California. The Three Strikes Law was simple, as it was a mandatory sentencing law if one has committed more than three felonies. Unfortunately, since the use of recreational drugs were treated as such, there were a surplus of people incarcerated for upwards of a life sentence for minor drug offences (United States Justice Department). Many of these political attempts to counter drug use were failures and ended up hurting the United States in the long run, which help establish the War on Drugs as a failure itself. In addition to the political fumbles in dealing with drug use, the economic repercussions in dealing with drug use were substantial. Because of the way drugs were smuggled into the U.S, it took an immense amount of money and resources to try to stop the spreading of drugs.

However, it is difficult to stop the many cartels and drug hustles going on, so a lot of what was put in to stop them was wasted. There were also many healthcare costs for using drugs, as if physicians prescribed certain drugs to their patients, they could become convicted drug traffickers if “prosecutors decided that their prescription practices were not appropriate,” which led to them facing prison time (McNamara, 2011). Even the people using drugs would have to pay for their choice drug, which all varied in price over the course of the 80s-90s period but were all costly. Whoever used most illegal drugs back then almost certainly get themselves injured due to lack of knowledge and awareness, so they had to pay medical bills for rehabilitation and other injury costs, especially if one was an addict. For an example of how much money illegal drugs have costed the us, drug abuse cost the US economy around $180 billion in 2002 (ONDCP 2004). All of this money could have gone towards to more beneficial areas, like funding for schools, construction, or medical facilities. Because of these immense expenses of the War on Drugs, it would have been more profitable if it did not occur. Finally, American society was greatly affected by the War on Drugs, as more people were using illegal drugs than ever before. In order to combat the rising use of drugs, a new organization was formed that specifically targeted younger demographics of people to teach them about the horrors of drugs, called D.A.R.E.

The D.A.R.E campaign’s main goal was to spread awareness of illegal drugs and the effects of those drugs so children and adolescents wouldn’t be tempted to use them. They even had celebrities star in some drugs PSAs, one of the more popular ones being Mr. T’s ad, where he used his persona to “shake some sense into [the] kids” and scare them out of using drugs (Mr. T, 1984). However, these attempts backfired, as drug use continued to rise well into the 2000s and to the present day. While D.A.R.E was trying to oppose the use of drugs, the movement ignored the injustices of those who have already been convicted. For the incarcerations from cocaine-use, 84.7% of cases were brought onto African Americans while only 5.7% of cases were brought onto Whites, even though the amount of white crack users vastly outnumbers black crack users (ACLU). These proportions stay consistent with the use of other drugs as well, exhibiting signs of racial biasing when it came to the strictness of drug sentencing. Because of this, many black people were jailed for minor offences, and with the overflow of prisons happening due to increased sentencing overall, prisons didn’t have enough resources to feasibly handle the new prisoners.

The drug problem was and still is difficult for American society even with the existence of D.A.R.E and with the racial profiling that comes with drug incarcerations, resulting in the War on Drugs not being worthwhile foe America. Because of all the controversies and policies resulting from the War on Drugs, it became one of the main contributors to the development of current America. While there are some who think that the War on Drugs was beneficial to the country overall, there were too many faults with the way it was handled to truly call it a success, with statistics also supporting the negative impact of the movement.

Works Cited

• Barber, Chris. “Public Enemy Number One: A Pragmatic Approach to America’s Drug Problem » Richard Nixon Foundation.”
• Richard Nixon Foundation, Richard Nixon Foundation, 20 Oct. 2016, www.nixonfoundation.org/2016/06/26404/.
• Bush, George. The National Drug Control Strategy: 2004.
• White House, Office of National Drug Control Policy, Executive Office of the President, 1997.
• McNamara, Joseph D. “The Hidden Costs of America’s War on Drugs.” Journal of Private Enterprise, vol. 26, no. 2, Spring 2011, pp. 97–115.
• EBSCOhost, doi:http://journal.apee.org/index.php/Category:Issues. ‘Editorial Opinion: Reagan Declares War on Drugs.’ World News Digest, Infobase Learning, 1986,
• http://wnd.infobaselearning.com.eznvcc.vccs.edu:2048/recordurl.aspx?wid=98275&nid=471325&umbtype=0. Accessed 4 Jan. 2019.

Cite this page

The War on Drugs and its Impact on the United States. (2021, Oct 19). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/the-war-on-drugs-and-its-impact-on-the-united-states/

"The War on Drugs and its Impact on the United States." PapersOwl.com , 19 Oct 2021, https://papersowl.com/examples/the-war-on-drugs-and-its-impact-on-the-united-states/

PapersOwl.com. (2021). The War on Drugs and its Impact on the United States . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-war-on-drugs-and-its-impact-on-the-united-states/ [Accessed: 28 Apr. 2024]

"The War on Drugs and its Impact on the United States." PapersOwl.com, Oct 19, 2021. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/the-war-on-drugs-and-its-impact-on-the-united-states/

"The War on Drugs and its Impact on the United States," PapersOwl.com , 19-Oct-2021. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-war-on-drugs-and-its-impact-on-the-united-states/. [Accessed: 28-Apr-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2021). The War on Drugs and its Impact on the United States . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-war-on-drugs-and-its-impact-on-the-united-states/ [Accessed: 28-Apr-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

Literature Review: The War on Drugs Essay

Introduction.

The war on illicit substances is a global initiative intended to eliminate the burdens associated with drug supply, sale, possession, and use. It is vital to note that castigatory policies are informed by the deontological idea that the use of certain drugs is morally reprehensible and perpetrators must be punished (Holland, 2020). The aforementioned policies are further guided by the belief that the substances in question have the potential to cause harm to users.

However, the misguided notion that anything with the potential to cause harm is immoral has led to the limited effectiveness of punitive policies with regard to the reduction of the negative impacts of drug use. This literature review will demonstrate the ineffectiveness of the UK’s current war on drugs and propose mechanisms through which outcomes can be improved. The UK’s insistence on implementing punitive rather than liberal drug policies is the main reason the war on drugs has negatively impacted the lives of its residents.

Methodology

The identification of credible sources that highlight relevant issues with regard to the war on drugs in the UK was the primary objective. A total of twelve sources from specific databases such as the House of Commons Library, the AlJazeera News Network, Google Scholar, and the Directory of Open Access Journals were identified. A specific set of criteria was then used to select articles relevant to the literature review. The articles had to be at least five years old in addition to having been published by reputable organizations. They also had to focus on specific drug-related issues. These included relevant statistical data, the need for policy reform, potential solutions, and the benefits of implementing change. A total of seven articles were analyzed and a synthesis of the collected data is presented in the findings below.

The Need for Reform

The current drug policies applied across the world are failing in view of the fact that the consumption of drugs is on the rise. The Open Society Foundations (2021) elaborates how the illegal drug market has evolved into a breeding ground for corruption, conflict, and violence. The implementation of ill-conceived drug policies and the incarceration of individuals who use illicit substances have worsened health crises and led to the social marginalization of low-level actors (Open Society Foundations, 2021). The current efforts to eliminate illicit substances are geared towards the destruction of supply chains that allow the entry of drugs into the UK. It is vital to note that the UK’s approach to the drug menace has not only failed but created a new set of problems.

The use of drugs in the United Kingdom has affected numerous communities and led to the loss of lives. According to the Office for National Statistics (2020), in 2020, it is estimated that 1 in 11 adults between 16 and 59 years of age in England and Wales consumed drugs which represents an 8.6% increase compared to the year 2019. In addition, 3.4% of all adults aged between 16 and 59 years in the same countries took a class A drug in 2020 which is similar to the rates reported in the previous year (Office for National Statistics, 2020). The Office of National Statistics (2020) highlights the fact that cannabis remained the most popular drug among adults followed by powder cocaine and nitrous oxide. The findings suggest that overall drug consumption has remained fairly stable, with the highest rates reported among the youth.

One of the challenges of the efforts to eliminate illicit substances is the increase in violence. According to Open Society Foundations (2021), sixteen years after Mexico’s former president declared that he will oversee the eradication of drug trafficking rings through the use of arms approximately 300,000 people have lost their lives. It is vital to note that health epidemics have arisen as a result of the war on drugs. For instance, the Centers for Disease Control estimates that 70,000 people died in 2019 due to drug overdoses (Open Society Foundations, 2021). In addition, the use of injectable drugs has increased the spread of diseases such as HIV and chronic hepatitis. The aggressive nature of anti-drug law implementation forces drug users into hiding meaning they have no access to the treatment they desperately need.

The illicit drug problem has significantly impacted the UK’s economy. According to HM Government (2017), the estimated economic and social cost of the supply of drugs in Wales and England is 10.7 billion pounds annually. Stauber (2021) notes that the high drug-related mortality rate in the UK is a result of prohibition. The strict laws are inextricably linked to the high death rate among drug users. The adoption of a more liberal drug policy is likely to reduce drug-related fatalities in the UK.

The criminalization of drug possession is associated with serious psychological and physical adverse effects. According to Holland (2020), interactions with the criminal justice system lead to the exacerbation of various social and health inequalities especially when individuals are subjected to prosecution. The UK’s approach to addressing the drug problem has specific objectives. According to Barber, Harker, and Pratt (2017), the first is to prevent people, especially the youth, from getting addicted to drugs. Barber, Harker, and Pratt (2017) further note that the government is determined to offer individuals with substance abuse problems the best possible chance of recovery while leading action on an international scale. It is vital to note that the aforementioned objectives have not effectively eliminated the effects of drug and substance abuse in the UK.

Proposed Solutions

Decriminalization is perhaps the most widely suggested proposal to help effectively address the drug problem. According to Open Society Foundations (2021), the UK government should implement a legal policy where drugs are still considered illegal but individuals found engaging in the prohibited behavior are charged with administrative offenses or misdemeanors. Madden, Tanguay, and Chang (2021) illustrate the idea that drug users are invaluable resources and meaningful engagement will facilitate the creation of effective solutions. Including drug users in the policy-making process will facilitate the assessment of contextual factors that have made the war on drugs largely unsuccessful.

Regulation is an important tool that can be used to improve outcomes in the fight against illicit substances. Madden, Tanguay, and Chang (2021) propose that nations such as the UK should implement a model where the purchase and supply of drugs are allowed and legalized under specific conditions. Some proposals include the use of medical prescriptions, governmental monopoly over the access and supply of the substances, and the licensing of private operators who must adhere to stringent rules. According to Madden, Tanguay, and Chang, (2021), the implementation of threshold amounts for all drugs will facilitate the differentiation of genuine users from dealers and will guide the implementation of legal statutes designed to dissuade drug use. It is vital to note that taking a non-punitive policy approach to the drug problem is likely to yield better results than the current tactics employed in the UK.

Potential Benefits

The UK could benefit immensely from the implementation of reforms in its attempt to eliminate substance abuse. Nations that have taken a less restrictive approach to the drug menace have experienced unprecedented success. For instance, Open Society Foundations (2021) notes that since decriminalizing the possession of drugs in 2001, Portugal’s drug use levels have remained lower than the EU average. It should be noted that the number of people sent to prison in Portugal due to drug-related offenses dropped by 44% after the implementation of the revised drug policies (Open Society Foundations, 2021). Portugal’s success is proof that punitive drug policies increase incidences of violence instead of making the population safe.

The fight against illicit drugs is a complex and multifaceted endeavor. The UK’s approach has undoubtedly yielded little success given that the number of people using illegal substances is on the rise. In addition, the challenges associated with the implementation of punitive policies have led to significant health, social and economic problems. The UK should adopt a liberal approach to the drug problem by focusing on decriminalization and regulation.

It is vital to note that there is insufficient evidence demonstrating the benefits of regulation with regard to illicit substances. Further studies need to be conducted on the benefits of implementing a non-punitive legal policy with regard to drugs in the UK. It is essential to gather objective data that will aid enforcement agencies to implement evidence-based policies designed to effectively address the drug menace. The UK needs to reform its drug policies to save the lives of those affected by drugs.

Reference List

Barber, S., Harker, R. and Pratt, A. (2017) Human and financial costs of drug addiction, House of Commons Library . Web.

HM Government (2017) 2017 Drug strategy . Web.

Holland, A. (2020) ‘An ethical analysis of UK drug policy as an example of a criminal justice approach to drugs : a commentary on the short film putting UK drug policy into focus’, Harm Reduction Journal , 17(97), pp. 1–9. Web.

Madden, A., Tanguay, P. and Chang, J. (2021) Drug decriminalisation: progress or political red herring? International network of people who use drugs . Web.

Office for National Statistics (2020) Drug misuse in England and Wales . Web.

Open Society Foundations (2021) Why we need drug policy reform . Web.

Stauber, P. (2021) ‘ These people are broken’: Why the UK’s war on drugs has failed . Al Jazeera. Web.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2022, August 11). Literature Review: The War on Drugs. https://ivypanda.com/essays/literature-review-the-war-on-drugs/

"Literature Review: The War on Drugs." IvyPanda , 11 Aug. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/literature-review-the-war-on-drugs/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Literature Review: The War on Drugs'. 11 August.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Literature Review: The War on Drugs." August 11, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/literature-review-the-war-on-drugs/.

1. IvyPanda . "Literature Review: The War on Drugs." August 11, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/literature-review-the-war-on-drugs/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Literature Review: The War on Drugs." August 11, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/literature-review-the-war-on-drugs/.

• “The Concise History of the Crusades” by Madden
• “One by One in the Darkness” by Deirdre Madden
• Women and “Troubles”- “One by One in the Darkness” by Deidre Madden
• "Shakespeare in Love" by John Madden Review
• Drug-Related and Other Warrants Execution
• Does Drug Interdiction Increase or Decrease Drug-Related Crime?
• Women and the “Troubles” as Reflected in One by One in the Darkness
• Portugal Country Profile
• Business Law. Punitive Damages in Florida
• Drug-Related Individual Situation and Treatment Method
• Benefits of the Legalization of THC
• The Effects of the Criminal Justice System
• The State of Colorado vs. Chris Watts Case
• Researching of Criminal Law and Procedure
• Chesier v. On Q Financial Incorporated: Case Discussion