Activity 8- War on Drugs

Richard Nixon declared the war on drugs on June 17^th, 1971. At a press conference, Nixon named drug abuse as public enemy number one in the United States. In response to this problem, Nixon created the DEA and declared that we will wage an all-out war on drugs. Nixon creates the Special Office for Drug Abuse Prevention and Operation Golden Flow. Once Ford took office, the war began to become less important due to new issues. Public opinion started shifting toward punishment for drugs rather than treatment. Jimmy Carter took office and attempted to campaign for the decriminalization of drugs, but ended up reversing opinions on marijuana and making it a new target. During the Reagan era, the zero-tolerance movement came about and the drug advisor of the time stated that all illegal drugs are dangerous and treatment encourages use. Regan appropriated $1.7 billion to fight the drug crisis and the creation of mandatory minimum penalties for drug offenses  George H.W. Bush carried on the previous administrations policies, Bill Clinton increased the federal anti-drug budget ten fold, and George W. Bush oversaw the Rave Act, the Victory Act, and the Meth Project. Presently, Obama has promised not to prosecute medical marijuana use and has supported the fair sentencing act.

In my opinion, I do not think that we have fully lost the war on drugs; I think America is still fighting. However, I do think that it has taken the back burner to other political, social, and economic issues that citizens today see as more important. I think that America is on the verge of losing the war, especially with increased public want for the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana in particular. I don’t think that the United States or President Barack Obama see drug abuse as public enemy number one any longer, but the DEA that Nixon put in place is still relevant in today’s America. I support the war on drugs and I believe that it has provided definite gains for American society.

One gain of fighting the war on drugs is that it prevents the potential increase in the amount of drug users and addicts. I think if the war were completely lost, it would be detrimental to society. For example, I think that even if medical marijuana is the only type of drug legalized, this can lead to the rise of increased recreational use and ultimately lead to another serious issue like the prescription pill epidemic.

Another gain of the war on drugs is that it can protect the young people in society and prevent them from experimenting with drugs and becoming a life long addict. If drugs are decriminalized and become more accessible, young people would be more inclined to begin use. I think it would be similar to young people and their use of alcohol. Young people everywhere use alcohol, despite the fact that it is illegal for their age to use it. Because it is not illegal for everyone, it seems more of an acceptable thing to do than drugs. For example, when I was young, I felt that it was more acceptable to drink alcohol than to try and experiment with marijuana and other drugs. If marijuana and other drugs become legal, I think teenagers today will have the same mindset.

One additional gain that the war on drugs has provided is the creation of the Drug Enforcement Agency and agencies that fight against drugs. This agency, and others, have significantly decreased the amount of drugs on the streets and have protected America. Although there is a definite presence of drugs, these agencies have made an impact and reduced the amounts of drugs and the crimes associated with drug trafficking.

Activity 7- UF Law Review’s “Legalize Marijuana? A Conversation with the Experts”

The UF Law Review’s “Legalize Marijuana? A Conversation with the Experts” was a very interesting panel forum that provided insight to the debate on whether or not marijuana should be legalized. Both sides of the issue provided very good arguments and supporting details for their view on the subject.

Panelists in favor of legalization argued that as of 2012 the public opinion on legalizing marijuana increased to 52%. This shows that society is becoming more and more accepting of this drug and its potential benefits. Perhaps the strongest argument for the legalization of medical marijuana is the fact that it can be used as a pain reliever for those with severe pain and those suffering from cancer and other chronic illnesses. Additionally, as far as medical benefits, there are a number of studies show marijuana is as effective at increasing food intake as the drug Marinol. This can be very helpful in cancer patients. Another argument for the legalization of marijuana is that medication does not have to be effective for everything in order for it to have a benefit. During the panel there were several more arguments in favor of legalizing marijuana. The panelists in favor of legalization argued that abuse potential should not be a criteria when considering whether or not marijuana should be moved down from schedule I due to the fact that drugs such as amphetamines have abuse potential and are not schedule I drugs. Additionally, it was argued that although dosage can be varied and higher in marijuana, it does not mean people will consume more of the drug. It would just mean that one would smoke less. The example that was used was that one wouldn’t drink a stiff drink the same as beer. Proponents argued that scientific literature is biased and that we can predict how people respond to drugs. A proponent for legalization stated that it is hard to project if it is good or bad for public health. One final point of importance was that changes made in regards to legalizing marijuana do not have to be permanent.

As far as prohibition goes, the panelists argued that marijuana should remain a Schedule 1 drug because it has a high potential for abuse, has no medical purpose, and does not have a proven safety standard. In support of this argument, the DSM-5 was sighted in reference to the cannabis abuse disorder. As far as the use of marijuana for medical purposes, there is not enough research and data to back this up by FDA standards. Panelists also argued that potency of the drug is an issue and each strain can differ. Another argument is that researchers do not have any information on long-term safety consequences of the drug and not every person reacts to drugs in the same way. There are several physical effects that marijuana use can have on people, especially the young. These include lower IQ by an average of 8 points, mental disorders, anxiety, and increased risk of testicular cancer. Legalization proponents argue that alcohol and tobacco have very severe negative health concerns and have high-risk potential, so why should marijuana be held to a higher standard? In response to this, those in favor of marijuana prohibition argue that this does not justify adding yet another substance to the legal market just because the others are legal. This could lead to yet another drug epidemic problem in society like the prescription pill epidemic. Proponents of prohibition pointed out that places that have dispensaries have more adult recreational use of marijuana. Additionally, the legalization of medical marijuana would increase use in younger people. When the drug is perceived as more dangerous it is less likely to be used. Also, people putting money into promoting and advocating the safety for marijuana far outnumber those against it. There is team of people that hide and suppress evidence against marijuana. As far as public policy, it was pointed out in the forum that there are three levels of government- federal, state, and local.  The legalization of marijuana in certain states causes issues due to the fact that it conflicts with federal policy. This discrepancy between state/local and federal government is one of concern because it causes tension between the two levels of government. In addition, it can cause tension between local and state governments if their laws differ from one another.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed watching this lecture and listening to the different sides of the argument. It really opened my mind to both sides of the issue and gave me a better idea of the consequences and benefits legalizing marijuana.