Reagans War on Drugs Essay

The phrase sex, do mediciness, and rock and roll out held true to its hearty-earned spot in 1970s and 1980s society. With a parvenu, looser culture, explicit music, lascivious and rambunctious movies as well as a societal focus on mevery things immoral, it was an era of ch solelyenging sociable norms. As the example of recreational and h every(prenominal)ucinogenic medicines, as well as alcohol, increased, a new problem arose how does law enforcement and the g everyplacening undo the dam get on with being do by this new society? Laws were passed, bureaus and commissions were formed, and the chairman of the f each in States began what he called The cont nullify on medicates.Over the years, some of these stems have turn out to crystalize some impact. The initiation, tactics, and attempts at dealings a major blow to drug abuse have all modify the guidance the States sees drugs straightaway. A new type of contendfare had made its way into the country, and after a ll these years, it has made its unobjectionable share of positivist and negative do. on the dot say no. (Reagan Declares war on Drugs, 1982). This was cardinal of the numerous scare tactics used in the Statess new war on drugs. The chair sine qua noned to construct a object to detract the public eye from drugs fame.Nancy Reagan was as as adamant virtually holding the States safe and clean. She traveled to and mouth at some schools, enforcing the idea of exactly refusing the temptation of drugs. Before the Reagans began their war prison term, Richard Nixon introduced his possess war on drugs, stating, the Statess public enemy procedure one is drug abuse. In order to debate and defeat this enemy, it is necessary to wage a new, all-out offensive. (Remarks About an Intensified weapons platform for Drug Abuse Prevention, 1971).This mindset was tho an otherwise system used to make the States energized and willing to fight this war. Nixon passed the world-wide Drug Abuse Prevention and temper Act in the 1970s as a way to keep a constant eye on the drug exertion. This act demand the pharmaceutical industry to maintain physical security and inexorable record keeping for certain types of drugs. When Reagan became death chair he gave a speech, announcing, We are fetching down the surr residuumer flag that has flown over so many drug efforts were running up a appointment flag. (Reagans War on Drugs Speech, 1981).Americas first uncontaminating flack on the use of drugs was verbal this strategy temporarily affected the country, scarce to a greater extent had to be done to combat this enemy. The join States and its presidents had to take a fighting military strength if they wanted to decrease drug abuse. 1 of the first instances of this was President Nixons execution Intercept. Announced even before the formalized war on drugs began in family 1969 this campaign focused on reduce the amount of cannabis entering the United States fr om Mexico. Following this effort, the United States government funded the polemical Methadone livelihood Program.Methadone Maintenance treatment, a program in which given over individuals receive daily doses of methadone, was developed as area of a broad, multicomponent treatment program. (Center for infirmity Control, 2002). After Nixons trials and failures, President Carter went at the fight with a different, looser approach. Carter called for the decriminalization of marijuana. With a less vicious outlook, Carter believed that the punishment of a crime should not be more(prenominal) brutal than that said crime. President Carters tactic proved unworthy, as turn he was in office, use of cocaine increased dramatically.Finally, as Reagan took center format and stepped into presidential office, he kept a strong belief against this criminal act. Reagan created the station of National Drug Control insurance to eradicate illicit drug use, manufacturing and trafficking of drugs , as well as pose an end to drug associate violence and crimes. Reagan repose policies in place to strengthen his baleful grasp on drug-ridden society. He required mandatory minimum prison sentences for drug dealers a policy he initiated in hopes of making drugs seem less glamourous and infinitely more criminal.He began the reciprocal ohm Florida Task Force, which dealt with the increase of drug trafficking in Southern Florida. This force worked hand in hand with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the national Bureau of Investigations (FBI). operation Swordfish was intrust in place by the DEA to oncoming international drug organizations. The execution was dubbed operation swordfish because it was intended to snare the bulky fish in drug trade. (Drug Enforcement Agency, Operation Swordfish, 1980). Vice President George H. W. Bush began press that the CIA and U. S. Military become involved in drug interdiction efforts.The Drug-Free Media campaign Act of 1988 was pas sed in hopes to convince Americas youth and future generations to roll away from drugs. After all of these battles, did America finally win this war? The U. S. national Government spent over $15 billion in 2010 on the War on Drugs, a rate of about $500 per second. (The Budgetary Impact of Drug Prohibition, 2010). This is a sign that perhaps Reagans War on Drugs wasnt kind of as effective as he had so hoped. The United States today has the highest immurement rate and prison population of any country in the world.This is provided in part by the amount of arrests and incarcerations due to drug sentencing guidelines and policies. In the 1980s, speckle the number of arrests for all crimes had risen by 28%, the number of arrests for drug offenses rose 126%. (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2010). This did not specifically re vomite that there were more drug-related crimes, merely that law enforcement had simply cracked down on the arrests of said crimes. In comparison, Time Magazi nes recompenseion states, Drug convictions went from 15 inmates per 100,000 adults in 1980 to 148 in 1996, an almost tenfold increase.More than one-half of Americas federal inmates today are in prison on drug convictions. In 2009 alone, 1. 66 meg Americans were arrested on drug charges (Time Magazine, 2012). While this war on drugs whitethorn mollify be in effect, it may have positive outcomes for set ahead in the future. As for the time being, America has two main stances on the subject some call for further reparations in the war on drugs, while others believe the war is unsuccessful, and the focus of necessity to be shifted to more important and majestic issues. The War on Drugs has failed. (19 Member Commission, June 2, 2011). In another instance, a poll was interpreted throughout the country, and its results, three in 4 Americans believe that the War on Drugs is failing. (October 2008 Poll). Suggestions of decriminalization have been made by many. The legitimation o f drugs is claimed to have many positive effects on the country as a unscathed, including positive economic effects.While this war on drugs started off as a full-fledged attack on all users and distributors of illegal narcotics, it seems to have transformed into a war against itself will continuing these attacks do the country, or will allowing certain, less deleterious drugs to be legal prove to be a more reasonable solution? Legalizing drugs would save taxationpayers $76. 8 billion a year in the United States $44. 1 billion from law enforcement savings, and at to the lowest degree $32. 7 billion in tax revenue (Harvard Study by Jeffrey A. Miron, 2008). In addition, the policies put into effect by Nixon and Reagan may ave had a positive impact on crime in the United States, but it may not have been in the way they had wished.Drugs got enormously cheaper so users didnt have to hit as many old ladies over the head and abstract their pocketbooks. (Travis Wendel, More Drugs, Le ss Crime, 2010). Murders, robberies and other violent crimes seemed to decline as the toll of drugs went down could this happen if drugs were legalized as well? America in this day and age has a vast amount of governmental and international issues in desperate lead of resolution is drug control still one of them?The United States of America is a country known by many as land of the free, but does this mean that its citizens should be allowed to participate in activities such as drug use with such a negative intension? Did Reagans War on Drugs sincerely make an effective impact on the way America sees drugs today? The upshot to that question is this while his tactics may not have worked the way he had desired, America as a integral has indeed seen less drug related crime. This does not mean it does not exist, nor does it mean that by legalizing drugs will wreak all of the countrys problems.What this does mean is that Reagans war on drugs did not put an end to drug use, but i t meet may have opened Americas eyes to more clear and present danger. While drugs are in no way going to solve Americas problems, the once War on Drugs may now need to be adjusted to a title more fitting. A War on Crime as a whole perhaps? A War on Drug Related Violence? Reagan had the correct idea, now the country can put it into proper use. His War was not an end all war, but it just may have been enough to enhance America as a whole.