The War on Drugs Essay - 2778 Words

Drugs have been around for thousands of years and were used for a variety of reasons. They were used for healing aliments that one might have and for recreational reasons. However, as time went on and society advanced so did its outlook on any form of a controlled substance and their uses. We began to see the benefits they had and developed other ways to use them for everyday illnesses, which wasn’t anything new, but we finally had the ability to understand why they helped. In the late 1800s Coke-a-Cola marketed their drink, or tonic, as having healing properties and claimed that if was a cure all. But, as time wore on we began to see the negative side and decided to control it for fear of what would happen, which lead to Prohibition†¦show more content†¦In the late 1800s people began to see the effect alcohol, which is a drug, had on people and society. This started the era of Prohibition trying to outlaw any beverage containing alcohol and put a stop to people d rinking and this only led to society fighting harder to get what they wanted even though it was viewed as wrong and immoral to consume it. People who wanted to continue either drinking or making alcohol found ways to get around the laws and continue doing what they wanted. Bootleggers, people who made alcohol during Prohibition, moved their operations into the woods out of the public eye and continued to brew what we now call Moonshine in order to keep up with the demand for alcohol. It didn’t stop at hiding the manufacturing spots. Bar owners who were worried about losing patrons would create secret rooms in which alcohol was served and people could drink relatively worry free. These establishments became known as Speakeasies and were to be kept a secret from the authorities so that people could continue to drink. No matter what law makers tried people would always find a way to drink. It was like fighting a losing battle and they still kept trying to put a stop to something that everyone seemed to want to badly. Because of the difficulty outlawing the substance the government finally lifted the ban and alcohol consumption and manufacturing went back to normal. This cycle wasShow MoreRelatedThe Drug War On Drugs1378 Words   |  6 Pagesnon-violent drug charges. These people’s lives are now forever changed because of a mistake they made. This mistake is continually made every single day and Americans are being punished in extreme ways for a non violent crime. The United States needs to decimalize all drugs because the drug war is costly, causes high incarceration rates, and isn’t effective as European drug solutions. In the 20th century, the United States government led a major renewed surge in drug prohibition called the War on DrugsRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs Essay972 Words   |  4 PagesThe war on drugs have been a critical issue that has repeatedly held a great debate topic. It was in the 1906 when the first act against drug was put into effect with the Pure Food and Drug Act which required all over-the-counter medication to have label of its ingredients. Under President Nixon the first executive branch office to coordinate drug policy was formed and the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act was put into place. Two years following that the Drug Enforcement AgencyRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs1486 Words   |  6 PagesThe War on Drugs Despite an estimated $1 trillion spent by the United States on the â€Å"War on Drugs†, statistics from the US Department of Justice (2010) has confirmed that the usage of drugs has not changed over the past 10 years. Approximately $350 billion is spent per year on the â€Å"war on drugs†, only $7 billion is spent on prevention programs by the federal government. The war on drugs is more heavily focused on how to control crime, instead of how to prevent it. Not only is the war on drugs costlyRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs Essay1549 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Drug has been a serious issue in our society and criminal justice institutes due to many problems associated, including the violence, negative health benefits, social disorganization, and other negative consequences. The police agencies have adopted a policy called â€Å"The War on Drugs†, as a response to the rising drug problems. The War on Drugs has popularized variety policies and practices that significantly increased the overall number of drug arrests, and other drug related offenses(TheRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs1199 Words   |  5 PagesThere was so much information on this topic of the War on Drugs that I am still wrapping my mind around it. It went into such detail about the war on drugs that are never talked about. We always hear â€Å"just say no.† I know that drugs are a very big problem in our society and even the whole world but I never knew to what extent it really was. I found it very interesting how Johann Hari interviewed these people who were in the middle of the drug war and their stories. It really opened my eyes to whatRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs808 Words   |  4 PagesWhose interests are advanced by sustaining the war on drugs? Police seems to gain a lot by sustaining the â€Å"war on drug†. Drugs are a significant force in police deviance, with as many as half of all convictions in police corruption cases involving drug-related crimes. Corruption in law enforcement, courts, and corrections can be explained through egoism selfish desires for personal gain. In other cases, however, corruption might be better understood as stemming from socially hedonistic incentives;Read MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs1821 Words   |  8 PagesThe war on drugs is a long going battle and it has created many issues all around the world and as of today the highest prison population can be found in the United States due to drug charges. About half of the inmates with in federal and state prisons can be found on drug convictions. Those charges can range from possession of an illicit substance to drug trafficking that surprisingly continues to be an issue in federal and state prisons. How can United States put an end to t he war on drugs? Read MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs2027 Words   |  9 Pagesincreased federal spending in an attempt to curb the number of drug users and the sale and importation of illicit narcotics the war on drugs began in earnest. The war on drugs has also played a major role in politics as well as having a significant impact on the economy. While there are many arguments in favor for the war on drugs and an equal number of arguments against it I will attempt to show an unbiased look at the war on drugs and drug prohibition and how it has affected society as a whole. SinceRead MoreWar On Drugs And Drugs1952 Words   |  8 PagesWar on Drugs The war on drugs has come a long way without any remarkable success. America has been dealing with the drug menace for many years to a point that four of its presidents have declared the war on drugs part of their main agenda. Sadly, it has been a lost war in various perspectives. Drug abuse continues to be a daily topic with drug abusers flooding not only the American society but also many countries’ hospitals, prisons and courts. The drug trade has continued to cause violent crimesRead MoreThe Drug War On Drugs Essay2030 Words   |  9 Pagesthe â€Å"War on Drugs† sought to control the sale and use of psychoactive drugs as well as promote access to treatment for those who abuse and misuse these substances (Bagley, 1988; Elkins, 1990). Policies implemented prohibited the possession and distribution of narcotics (e.g. marijuana, cocaine, heroin); the punitive policies, which often resulted in hefty fines and prison sentences for violators, ultimately prompted the emer gence of a black market, more potent and lethal drugs, synthetic drugs as well