Saturday, December 28, 2019

The United States Current Drug Policy - 882 Words

Introduction Among highly developed nations, the United States is known for its stringent illegal drug use policy and the high percentages of its population that have consumed illegal substances. The United States has issued a drug war against millions of Americans who use and sell illegal substances. This war has cost taxpayers billions annually and continues to contribute to an incarceration rate that surpasses any other country (Walmsley 2009). Although, stringent policies have lowered the decline in U.S drug consumption since the 1970’s, the war on drugs in the United States has not succeeded in changing America from being the world leaders in use rates for illegal drugs. In order to find an alternative to the United States current drug policy, it is helpful to look at the current options. Governments typically take three broad approaches toward drugs. The first is legalization, in which possession and sale are lawful but still subject to regulation and taxation. The seco nd is criminalization, which consists of the banning of possession and sale with criminal punishment (i.e incarceration). Lastly, there is the combination of the two—where sale and possession are prohibited, yet possession is punishable only by sanctions, such as fines or abuse treatment but not jail time. For the purpose of this analysis, the illegal drugs that will be referenced are marijuana and cocaine, seeing as they are the most prevalent drugs associated with the war on drugs. The issues inShow MoreRelatedNew Rehab Programs Should Be Introduced1420 Words   |  6 Pages Since the start of the Drug War, which was the motion to use more policing in order to end the illicit drug market, the amount of arrests have increased for drug possession. Rehab programs in state and federal prisons have helped people overcome their addiction and relapse. The same way that King Leonidas in the graphic novel, 300, went about his Spartan initiation, it portrays the way a drug addict tries to overcome their addiction. By continuing to arrest people for substance abuse, it makesRead MoreTraffic : The Post Modern Civil War1639 Words   |  7 Pagesentangled in the Mexican cartel war, during a drug bust of one of the cartels. The second story in the movie is about a conservative federal judge in Ohio who has been appointed by the President to the position of director of the Office of National Drug Policy, or the United States Drug Czar. The judge’s daughter is slipping into drug addiction during his turnover process. The third story is about two Drug Enforcement Agents that bust a dealer in the United States that is working as the main distributorRead MoreTreatment Programs in the United States799 Words   |  4 PagesReview, another set of mistaken assumptions underlies current policy regarding...mandatory drug treatment, offered by the courts as an alternative to imprisonment, is an effective and enlightened policy (Fish, 2013). Fish (2013) attempted to convey to the readers, the absolute necessity of overhauling current United States policies regarding drug treatment. Several topics were touched upon, including the foundational policies of the War on Drugs as well as competing treatment paradigms. RegardingRead MoreThe Flawed Drug Policy of America1691 Words   |  7 PagesFlawed Drug Policy Introduction: As a major policy issue in the United States, the War on Drugs has been one of the most monumental failures on modern record. At a cost of billions of taxpayer dollars, thousands of lives lost and many thousands of others ruined by untreated addiction or incarceration, Americas policy orientation concerning drug laws is due for reconsideration. Indeed, the very philosophical orientation of the War on Drugs and of the current drug policy in the United States has beenRead MoreUnited States Drug Policy1302 Words   |  6 PagesUS Drug Policy Introduction Drug policy is a crucial topic in the country today. Substance abuse, as well as drug-related crime rates, are a huge problem. This is a fact. The way to fix the problem of substance abuse, however, is widely disagreed upon. Some think that stricter laws regarding drug possession and use would solve the problem, while others believe that loosening the restrictions would be a better option. The issue of legalizing drugs, especially marijuana, is one that is debated allRead MoreIllegal Drug Use1378 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Illegal drug use and abuse remains a pervasive social issue despite significant efforts to quell its existence. In fact, a recent report released by the RAND Corporation (2005) notes that drug abuse has become such a prominent social issue that substantial increases in prison populations all across the United States have been attributed to the tougher sentences that have been put in place for drug users. With the realization that current social policies toward reducing drug abuse are not working—onlyRead MoreHow Congress Has Influenced Our Current Ineffective Drug Policy1521 Words   |  7 Pagesnation s general drug history and look critically at how Congress has influenced our current ineffective drug policy. Through this analysis I hope to show that drug prohibition policies in the United States, for the most part, have failed. Additionally, I will highlight and evaluate the influences acting on individual legislators decisions to continue support for these ineffective po licies as a more general demonstration of Congress role in the formation of our nation s drug policy strategy. FinallyRead MoreDrugs And Its Effect On Society1645 Words   |  7 PagesThe official definition of drugs is a substance which has a physiological effect when introduced to the body. Drugs have been a part of human culture since the beginning of recorded history. People have use drugs for all sorts of reasons whether it is for a religious mind altering ritual, to save someone’s life or just to make themselves feel better, and they are still widely prevalent in today’s culture. We all know someone who currently partakes in drugs whether they choose to share that informationRead MoreMarijuana Should Be Banned Marijuana1667 Words   |  7 PagesCannabis, otherwise known as marijuana, is a way of preparing the marijuana plant so that it can be used as medicine or a psychoactive drug. It is the most extensively banned drug in Britain. However, many local societi es and organizations advocate a reform of its validity. These include NORML UK, UKCSC Drug Equality Alliance, as well as Cannabis Law Reform. Other societies such as the Centre for Social Justice and Skunk Sense argue in favour of cannabis remaining illegal (UK Government, 2014). ThereRead MoreEffects Of Prohibition On The United States1272 Words   |  6 PagesThe United States has been actively engaged in a ‘war’ for nearly 25 years. At the heart of this struggle is the fundamental question: Is this a battle the United States can win? Many sources, such as whitehouse.gov, make the claim that drug laws are working Instead, it has created a military police force, reinforced a violent black market, discouraged safe drug usage, and done little to actually reduce drug use. In order to reduce these problems as much as possible, the United States has

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.