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It has been said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result; this statement fairly sums up the War on Drugs. Let us imagine a scenario of two men, one of them has killed 4 young women in cold blood, for ‘sport’ as he likes to say; the other man was caught with a large amount of an illegal drug. In prison it would not be unlikely for these two to share a cell, but my question is why? Why are these drastically different crimes seen as being worthy of the same punishment? According to a pro-marijuana web site, studies show that in Dallas, Texas “Possession of two ounces or less of marijuana is punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a fine up to $2,000. Possession of greater than two ounces is punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine up to $4,000” (“We Be High”). It seems to defy logic, and upon observation of the facts, it does. The War on Drugs, specifically the prohibition of marijuana, is an unnecessary drain on our country’s tax dollars and law enforcement agencies. Some would even say that these agencies have no right to tell us what we as US Citizens can put into our bodies in the first place. Not only that, but the skepticism and prohibition of marijuana is keeping people from exploring the amazing potential that it has in the medicinal field. If marijuana were legalized properly, not only would these problems begin to work themselves out, but the illegal market and the problems and dangers caused by the prohibition of marijuana would cease to exist.…
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In the article entitled “Would Legalized Drugs Produce a Zombie Nation?”(Cederblorn and Paulsen, 332 - 334) written by Stephen Chapman. The author (Stephen Chapman) provides a clear details and analogy of the drug use and abuse in the American society. The article gave a picture of a theoretical view where the use of banned drugs is legitimized by the United States government. The unbelievable situation of having a legitimate way of circulating the proscribed drugs would create a lot of chaos in the communities and society in general.…
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Although Richard Nixon first declared a “war on drugs” in 1971, the war escalated during the Reagan presidency and shifted its focus from treatment toward incarceration and law enforcement. As George Moss and Evan Thomas explain, Reagan came to Washington “committed to waging a war on drugs and bringing the international drug trade under control” in 1981. Thanks to the rise of the Medellin Cartel in Colombia and other cartels in Latin America during the 1980s, illegal drug trade networks flourished, and America became “the world’s major consumer of illicit drugs.” This increased usage of drugs led to many social crises, including heightened urban crime and health problems, which encouraged both the Reagan administration and private groups…
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In the 1980s and early ‘90s, Nancy Reagan proposed an anti-drugs campaign with the slogan Just Say No. Her solution to the drug problem was to teach children to say no to drugs, and rely on self-restraint to defeat temptation. Reagan believed children would be able to turn away from drugs if they had parents who raised them to be morally sound. Conservatives give priority to Moral Strength, and see those who use marijuana and drugs as morally weak and lacking self-control. A drug user, then, must change their personal values instead of relying on drug treatment centers or social change in order to quit their habit, Lakoff explains, “If the metaphor of Moral Strength has priority over other forms of explanation, then your poverty or your…
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Eugene Jarecki explains that Nannie Jeter was like a second mother to him, and her children, grandchildren a second family and not every one of whom are still alive, and many of whom have been in and out of prison due to drugs. She was contracted by his family to care for him while his parents worked, and she was a part of his family when he first came home from the hospital in Connecticut where Eugene's father worked as a doctor. Later when his family moved to a comfortable suburb of New York City where his father had started a successful business, they offered to double Nannie's pay if she would go with them to New York. She believed that more money would improve a life for her family left behind in New Haven.…
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Vidal author of "Drugs" witting in 1970 on New York Time's expresses the authors feeling and devotions making a stand on what she believes to be the truths, backing up every statement with facts or relatable historical events, which are relatable. The author Vidal speaks her mind about making drug illegal does not work, as to end drug addiction, deaths and trafficking, why legalizing drugs would work, and why nonetheless legalization is unlikely to happen, but also including Homage to Daniel Shays Collected Essays. The authors tone is opening straightforward and rational which haves a direct impact on the reader by the use of words creating an atmosphere of her true feelings on this subject which is that neither legalizing or abolishing drugs would solve the problem Americans are facing with the obsessive dealing of drugs which haves many effects on peoples'…
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The Case for Decriminalizing Drugs, he takes a different approach to regarding the War on Drugs. While he feels that current drug policies have failed, his book focuses on the injustice of punitive drug laws and believes we should stop punishing people for using illicit drugs. “A law whose purpose is deterrence must always be backed by a demonstration that the law is just.” (ix) His book is presented in three chapters. Chapter one describes our present drug policies and laws and raises questions to answer whether these are just or unjust and offers his position of decriminalization as a more ethical approach to drug use. Chapter two reviews the most frequent arguments used in favor of punishing drug users and Husak believes that none of these are convincing enough to warrant enacting laws on a person’s behavior. Chapter three declares that punishing drug users is counterproductive and damaging to us…
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The history associated with drug criminalization in America contains more political motivators than concerns for public health and safety. The biggest politically motivated aspect to drug deterrence comes from Richard Nixon’s s war on drugs in 1971 which has created a system that discriminates against minority groups and has had little effect on deterring drug use. The war on drugs has thus far been notoriously noted for discriminating against people of color by pumping drugs into their communities and then imposing severe criminal consequences for drug possession, use, or distribution. In fact, one of Nixon’s aides John Ehrlichmen stated that the war on drugs was intended for the following:…
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As you look through modern political history we see the government try, and fail to contain alcohol, and drugs. Prohibition in the 1920s only made alcohol more dangerous, and gave the market to the mafia who gladly took it over. It’s now 2017, and we are 46 years into Nixon’s failing “War on Drugs”. The only thing that has happened is increased drug use, the drugs have gotten more dangerous to use, and the drug cartels have taken over the market, and that’s not even mentioning the fact that our “limited government” in the “land of the free and the home of the brave” are putting people in cages for 20+ years for injecting a substance into their own bodies, on their own accord, on their own personal time, it is one of the most contradictory statements…
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Similar to World War II propaganda, those statements should not be taken seriously since it is a way of getting into people. Additionally, people see it as black and white when it comes to these materials. For example, people determine that drug users are bound to fail in life. On the contrary, knowing the safety and having the moderation of using these items can ensure that people will not hurt themselves. People know the potential dangers of their hobbies, but with carefulness, they can succeed the way they use those objects. Which is why this gray area exists. Moreover, people will always find a way to get what they want. In 1920, there was a national prohibition of alcohol in America. Until the government abandoned the prohibition in 1933, people bootlegged their alcoholic drink and created organized crimes. Looking back to this, getting rid of these objects creates more and new problems. However, to benefit society people must give others the freedom of what they want. Look at how Colorado boost their economy with taxes from legalizing weed. Moreover, Mexican cartels' largest illegal drugs were the weed, but their business is badly crippled because the US legalized weed. Thus, simply allowing people to do what they want can have a huge…
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Within the last 50 years, drug legalization has been a very hotly debated topic in the United States society. It almost seems that every "street drug" was once legal, but banned soon after its introduction in society. Illegal substances that one sees today were once synthesized and created by chemist such as LSD, ecstasy, methamphetamine, cocaine, and etc., and at some point used for medical reasons, however during many circumstances were deemed illegal by the government due to detrimental effects after prolonged usage. William Bennett's "Drugs: Should Their Sale and Use Be Legalized" targets the general American public into understanding the societal importance of upholding the nations current drug policy. Bennett starts his piece by stating, "The issue I want to address is our national drug policy and the intellectuals" (Bennett 592). Bennett specifically addresses the issue the nation, by using the pronoun "our." Also this is a "national" issue, which is also an indication that he is targeting the general American public. Bennett is clearly on the side of keeping and enforcing banning and making narcotics illegal. He is trying to win over the individuals who are in between the issue, and of course the liberals who are opposed to the nation's drug policy.…
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In an article called “Drugs” by Gore Vidal. Vidal makes a strong case for legalizing all drugs in this country. He discusses basic human nature and events to make his claim. Basically Gore makes three main points about drug use. He tells the reader that making drugs illegal does not stop drug addiction and trafficking, why legalized drugs would work, and why legalization is still unlikely to occur. My own view on the legalizing of drugs does not agree with Vidal.…
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In “Against the Legalization of Drugs,” by Peter de Marneffe, the argument that the use and possession of drugs needs to be decriminalized is made, because of the belief that the criminalization of drug use and possession violates the rights of citizens. In this paper, I will defend de Marneffe’s position by refuting a possible objection. Contrarians may claim that decriminalizing drugs will inevitably lead individuals to try harder and more dangerous drugs.…
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Vidal's purpose for writing this essay is to propose a different vision and possibly suggest a new radical solution for the drug war that exists in America today. His reasoning is that some people will naturally become alcoholics no matter what the law is and he suggests that forbidding people from things they like or think they might like makes them want those things all the more. He assumes the legalized drugs would be more…
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Gore Vidal's essay, "Drugs" mainly discusses his opinions of who is to blame for America's drug problems. He states that drugs exist in the means they do because of the United States government. Because our government makes drugs illegal, it only makes people want them more. Vidal states that the government has learned nothing from prohibition in the past, referring to prohibition of alcohol in the 1920s and how many problems it caused. Vidal's solution for America's drug problems is to simply legalize drugs and to label them with a description and the effects of each drug.…
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