War on Drugs Americas Fight against Drugs - 1278 Words

Americas War on Drugs: In the past 40 years, the American government has spent more than $2.5 trillion dollars on the war against drugs. The huge expenditure has been coupled by numerous the ad campaigns, clean-up on smuggling, and increase in illicit drug users and incarceration rates. Actually, the increase in illicit drug users currently stands at 19.9 million in the United States with huge supplies from Mexico. With the increase in both the expenditure and number of illegal drug users, there have been huge concerns regarding the countrys war on drugs. The main question is why the United States can continue spending much money on this war while it can legalize and tax the supply of drugs. The most appropriate and effective measure for tackling the problem of drugs is through legalizing and collecting taxes than spending huge amounts in stopping the flow of the commodities to America. Background of the War on Drugs: The United States government has been involved in the war against drugs for many decades since President Eisenhower established a committee to eradicate narcotic addiction in 1954. The term War on Drug became prominent in 1973 when President Nixon established the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as an all-out initiative to attack the drug problem across the globe. Since then, there have been various campaigns to fight this national and global phenomenon including Drug Abuse Resistance Education in 1983 and the Partnership for a Drug-FreeShow MoreRelatedBudget And Policy Paper1597 Words   |  7 PagesPaper War on Drugs Bridget Brown, Shaketra Jones, Matt Anderson, Jerry Carter, and Lisa Rivers CJA/464 Matthew Kite October 20, 2014 More than 45 years ago President Richard Nixon announced and declared the nation is at war, that war was the War on Drugs. Nancy Reagan campaigned heavily in the fight against drug use as well; her fight was that of teaching young children the slogan of â€Å"Just Say No†. The goals of the criminal justice system in the war on drugs haveRead MoreThe Federal Government Should Legalize Recreational Marijuana1577 Words   |  7 Pageslosing a major war: the war on drugs. And it is time for us, as a nation, to admit our country’s drug laws are doing more harm than good. The fight against drugs is not as effective as it was originally envisioned. Both the federal government and states have taken extreme measures and enforced strict laws to keep our cities and neighborhoods free of drugs. However, it is time for a change. And I believe this change should start by settling the conflict between federal and state drug laws. The federalRead More The War On Drugs Essay578 Words à ‚  |  3 PagesThe â€Å"War on Drugs† is the name given to the battle of prohibition that the United States has been fighting for over forty years. And it has been America’s longest war. The â€Å"war† was officially declared by President Richard Nixon in the 1970’s due to the abuse of illegitimate drugs. Nixon claimed it as â€Å"public enemy number one† and enacted laws to fight the importation of narcotics. The United States’ War on Drugs began in response to cocaine trafficking in the late 1980’s. As the war continues toRead MoreEssay on The War On Drugs1079 Words   |  5 PagesIn recent years the so-called â€Å"war on drugs† has taken over the streets and back alleys of suburban America. It has caused a problem that mirrors the prohibition days of the 1920’s and early 30’s. Politicians trying to play â€Å"tough guy,† are only contributing to more violence. Their laws have created an underground d rug-trade, in which modern drug-dealers have taken the place of the bootleggers of old. The real question is whether or not this â€Å"war† is working. Most people would like to believe thatRead MoreThe Problems with Alcohol and Illegal Drugs Essay1570 Words   |  7 Pages â€Æ' Drugs have been a big part of our history dating back all the way to the 1800’s and beyond. We have to remember that drugs were first introduced as a form of early medication and its intent was to help cure things such as depression, headache, and used as a form of an anesthetic. The biggest downside of the medical drug evolution was the side effect of mass addiction. Although there was a problem with addiction the drugs still were very effective in helping cure many problems. Even with theRead MorePresident Richard Nixon s The War On Drugs1335 Words   |  6 PagesStarting in 1971, President Richard Nixon declared the War on Drugs. He stated, â€Å"America’s public enemy number one in the United States is drug abuse. In order to fight and defeat this enemy, it is necessary to wage a new, all-out offensive.† The War on Drugs aimed to fight against a supply and demand epidemic that had America at its knees. Nixon’s policies blatantly reflect soci ety s attitude regarding the trafficking of illegal narcotics. In 1973, Nixon initiated an interdiction effort in MexicoRead MoreAmerica s War On Drugs Essay1299 Words   |  6 Pagesserved time in prison for his connection in the Watergate scandal, the Drug War was â€Å"intended to disempower the anti-war and black rights movements in the 1970s.† It’s no secret that drug use in the United States has been a problem. Many Americans have struggled with addiction to some of the worse drugs. Many lives have been affected in some of the most terrible ways. It can be easily said that due to America’s history with drugs that former president Richard Nixon noticed the problem and felt thereRead MoreThe War on Drugs: a Losing Battle?1626 Words   |  7 Pageswhen American soldiers came home from the Vietnam war addicted to heroin, President Richard Nixon initiated the War on Drugs. More than a decade later, President Ronald Reagan launches the South Florida Drug Task force, headed by then Vice-President George Bush, in response to the city of Miami’s demand for help. In 1981, Miami was the financial and import central for cocaine and Marijuana. Thanks to the task force, drug arrests went up by 27%, and drug seizures went up by 50%. With that, the need forRead MoreEssay on Columbia1712 Words   |  7 Pages America’s War on Drugs Chaos best describes the current state of the Republic of Colombia. Rebelling terrorist groups from within the country threaten to topple Colombia’s actual government. Again and again, Colombia has shown its inability to fight the rebelling terrorists and simultaneously protect its civilians from harm. America has several reasons to intervene, with its military force if necessary, in Colombia. America must be protected against drugs and the countless crimes and social problemsRead MoreDrug Trafficking1134 Words   |  5 PagesThe international drug trade from Latin American states is having an impact on a global scale. The trafficking of drugs along with corruptness and murder is an international conflict that is being fought daily. There are many aspects of the drug war from Mexico and other Latin American states which have effects on United States policy as well as policies from other countries that participate in the global suppression of illegal drugs. It can be hard to differentiate between conflict and issue