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.