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From the earliest attempts at curbing drugs to the present-day war on narcotics, the fight against drugs has been a persistent issue in American society. Today, the methods the United States uses to combat drugs in our country simply do not work. Rehabilitation, making drugs illegal, the discrepancy between state and federal laws, and other issues intended to win the war on drugs hamper our progress. Drugs are an ongoing issue in society, and proper actions must be taken in order to win this war.

History

It's surprising how long America has had laws against drugs. "The first American anti-drug law was an 1875 San Francisco ordinance, which outlawed the smoking of opium in opium dens. It was passed because of the fear that Chinese men were luring women in their 'ruin' in opium dens" (). This was the first anti-drug law passed in the United States to address the narcotic problem. Once enacted, the federal government addressed the issue to control the opium being transported in the United States. Opium is a highly addictive drug, and politicians felt that it was damaging to our country.

Throughout the years, America continued to fight against drug use and trafficking. The United States identified the usage of controlled substances to be a problem in the 1960s, and just a year later established "The Controlled Substance Act of 1970." Per the Drug Enforcement Administration, the act "is the legal foundation of the governments fight against the abuse of drugs and other substances. This law is a consolidation of numerous laws regulating the manufacture and distribution of narcotics, stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, anabolic steroids, and chemical used in the illicit production of controlled substances" (). Before the act, hard drugs like acid were still technically legal. The 1970 act gave the Drug Enforcement Administration statutory power to declare which drugs were illegal.

Many have viewed drugs as a societal problem and not an epidemic. Narcotics were viewed as a severe issue at the time, and while only tiny groups of people were using drugs, the public scrutinized them. In response to the public scrutiny, President Johnson consolidated several drug agencies into one, and on “On June 17, 1971, President Richard J. Nixon declared war on drugs" (). It was around this time that Elvis Presley visited the White House to request a DEA badge for his collection. Nixon granted him one (Sullivan, 2010).

While Elvis claimed he wanted to help with the war on drugs, many celebrities today seem to be promoting their use. However, the United States is spending massive amounts of money to stop drug abuse, which is ultimately part of the "War on Drugs." From Nancy Reagan, who told kids to “just say no,” to modern-day methods of convincing poppy farmers to plant other crops, the methods used by the government are not working and tend to curtail any efforts that law enforcement uses to combat the war. One tactic currently used is the rehabilitation of drug users.The government will spend millions in rehabilitation, but the fact of the matter is that a long-time user will need medical assistance to terminate his or her habit. The rehabilitation methods offered by the courts are not practical, which leads to drug users abusing the system or not having the sufficient time to assist in the overall efforts of the program. One other problem is the overcrowding in the prison system. A person who opposes the "War on Drugs" will argue that narcotic offenders should not be treated as serious criminals, but that is not what the government chooses as a form of punishment. This leads to overcrowded prisons that neglect to offer proper forms of rehabilitation available. The main point in the argument against the "War on Drugs" is that the war is costly and there has been no dent placed in the amount of narcotics being funneled into the United States. The amount of narcotics being smuggled into the United States has increased rather than decreasing. This would raise the question by any rational person, why continue a war when the objective cannot be reached?

The war in drugs is not a war that can be fought like the wars in the past. The war is fought in the backyards of all Americans, every day. Planes, tanks, and missiles cannot win this war. The United States will lose many Americans to this war, but if drugs are legalized then the country will see an increase in casualties because drugs will be more readily available.

If cocaine and other drugs are legalized, obtaining drugs will be easier for people of all ages. With the increased use of drugs, there are bound to be more traffic collisions resulting from those who are driving while high. Also, if more people are lawfully able to use drugs, more people will buy them and the prices of drugs will go down, making them much easier to buy. Drugs will be everywhere, even in the hands of America's children.

The government spends a large amount of money on centers for the rehabilitation of those who are addicted to different types of drugs. If drugs are legalized, more people will become addicted and more rehabilitation centers will be needed for them. The more rehabilitation centers that are built, the more money our government spends, which is less money that can be spend on more important things.

This war should continue to be waged on the drug traffickers who prey on every American in the United States. These people are the enemy and the government should do everything they can to eradicate their illegal businesses from this country and other countries.

One current trend that has been an issue with many Americans is the clash between federal and State laws. The most controversial issue is the legalization of marijuana. In 1996, California voters passed Proposition 215 or the Compassionate Use Act of 1996. This act allows doctors to prescribe marijuana to patients diagnosed with medical problems such as cancer, anorexia, aids, chronic pain, glaucoma, arthritis, migraine, or any other illnesses for which the marijuana will provide relief. The patient is allowed to cultivate, possess and use marijuana if in possession of a valid recommendation of a doctor. The only restriction is that the patient can't sell the marijuana (“California Proposition,” 2010).

Currently 13 states have legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes, but the federal government still falls back on federal guidelines that marijuana is illegal, even for medicinal purposes. This causes problems in the "War on Drugs" because there is a serious issue brewing that causes the citizens of this country to become less interested or caring of the battle against dangerous drugs.

The citizens of California passed Proposition 36, which dealt with rehabilitating rather then punishment. There have been steps to decriminalize drugs in certain states and revert to treatment rather than criminal prosecution. "The Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act, also known as Proposition 36, was passed by 61% of California voters on November 7, 2000. This vote permanently changed state law to allow first and second time nonviolent, simple drug possession offenders to the opportunity to receive substance abuse treatment instead of incarceration" (“California Proposition,” 2010). Proposition 36 placed a dent into the criminal justice system war on drugs, but assisted the prisoners with overcrowding. The law allows people found to be in possession of dangerous drugs to either enter a treatment program or be placed on probation.

The United States Patriot Act was enacted after a devastating terrorist attack on the United States of America on September 11, 2001. According to the United States Patriot Act, the United States Congress passed this act to unite and strengthen America by providing the appropriate tools to intercept and obstruct terrorist activities. Even though this act is primarily used for terrorism there has been some benefits s to the "War on Drugs." One might ask what relevance terrorism has with the "War on Drugs." The underlying issue is that several of these countrys' enemies manufacture and distribute narcotics to fund their terrorist activities that are directed at the United States. When the United States Patriot Act was established, several issues were streamlined in order to help law enforcement agencies at the federal and state level to investigate these activities without jumping though several hoops. Investigations techniques such as sneak and peak search warrants, wiretaps, investigation of foreign banks involved in money laundering, have been less stringent and have proven to be a successful tool to law enforcement (Rolef, 2010).

The use, sales, distribution, and making of drugs have been around for many years and will continue to be around for many more years. I don't believe that the drug war is winnable, but I do think that we can do something to slow it down dramatically and make an impact on the distribution and sales portion of the drugs. The United States needs to continue to address the drug issues in this country because the future of this nation depends upon it. The borders of this country need to be secured to stop the importation and illegal drugs and terrorists. The country must also seek help of nations such as Afghanistan to eradicate opium, which enters the United States and Columbia to battle the drug lords who import the majority of the into this country. Common sense must dictate who is eligible for treatment programs when arrested for possession drugs. The repeat offenders who have constantly failed to rehabilitate must face some sort of penalty.

There is much we can do to stop the drug use and trafficking that is so abundant in our country. These actions involve approaching this issue from several different directions, but we can ultimately make a difference in the war against drugs. While we may not be able to win the war, we can win significant battles. In doing so, we will damage the sale and distribution of illegal substances. This is imperative, as drugs can only cause harm to our country and its citizens.

References

California Proposition 36. The Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act of 2000. Retrieved on May 22, 2010, from

Drug Abuse. Ed. Jennifer A. Hurley. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Apollo Library-Univ of Phoenix. 28 May. 2010

Grassley, Charles E. "The United States Should Continue the War on Drugs." Opposing Viewpoints: "The War on Drugs Cannot Be Won by Fighting Drug Trafficking." Current Controversies: Drug Trafficking. Ed. Julia Bauder. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Apollo Library-Univ of Phoenix. 28 May. 2010

McNamara, Joseph D, and Michael W. Lynch. "The War on Drugs Has Corrupted Law Enforcement." Opposing Viewpoints: The War on Drugs. Ed. Tamara L. Roleff. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2004. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Apollo Library-Univ of Phoenix. 28 May. 2010

Sullivan, B. (2010, January 7). Elvis-Nixon still 'pure Americana' » Knoxville News Sentinel. Knoxville News Sentinel: Local Knoxville, Tennessee News Delivered Throughout the Day.. Retrieved June 25, 2010, from

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