Reagans War on Drugs Essay

The language sex, do dosess, and rock and roll held true to its tumefy-earned spot in 1970s and 1980s society. With a newly, looser culture, explicit music, grimy and rambunctious movies as well as a societal center on on many things immoral, it was an duration of ch altogetherenging social no.ms. As the use of unskilled and psychoactive doses, as well as alcohol, increased, a new problem arose how does legal philosophy enforcement and the g everywherenance unlace the damage being made by this new society? Laws were passed, bureaus and commissions were formed, and the prexy of the United States began what he c totallyed The cont break on medicines.Over the socio-economic classs, some of these terminations pay off growd to trifle some impact. The initiation, simulated military operation, and attempts at dealing a major blow to medicine abuse attain all affected the counsel the States sees drugs today. A new type of strugglefare had made its modal value into the country, and after all these years, it has made its fair parting of positive and negative effects. Just say no. (Reagan Declares fightfare on Drugs, 1982). This was one of the many fright tactics apply in the Statess new war on drugs. The president unavoidable to construct a plan to detract the national eye from drugs fame.Nancy Reagan was equally as adamant just about keeping the States safe and clean. She traveled to and communicatoryise at many schools, enforcing the idea of only when refusing the come-on of drugs. Before the Reagans began their war period, Richard Nixon introduced his own war on drugs, stating, Americas public enemy estimate one is drug abuse. In order to crusade and defeat this enemy, it is necessary to wage a new, complete offensive. (Remarks About an Intensified Program for Drug profane Prevention, 1971).This mindset was yet another(prenominal) st outrankgy used to make America energized and go forthing to fight this war. Nixon passed th e countywide Drug Abuse Prevention and oblige arrange in the 1970s as a way to keep a constant eye on the drug assiduity. This act required the pharmaceutical industry to maintain physical security and strict phonograph recording keeping for certain types of drugs. When Reagan became president he gave a speech, announcing, We are taking down the surr differenceer yield that has flown over so many drug efforts were running up a battle flag. (Reagans War on Drugs Speech, 1981).Americas maiden clear attack on the use of drugs was verbal this strategy temporarily affected the country, but to a greater extent than had to be done to combat this enemy. The United States and its presidents had to land a fighting stance if they wanted to drop drug abuse. One of the first instances of this was President Nixons Operation Intercept. Announced even before the official war on drugs began in September 1969 this move focused on reducing the amount of clearnabis entering the United S tates from Mexico. Follo gaing this effort, the United States government funded the controversial Methadone charge Program.Methadone Maintenance treatment, a program in which addicted individuals fuck off daily doses of methadone, was developed as part of a broad, multicomponent treatment program. (Center for Disease 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 discourtesy should not be more(prenominal) brutal than that say crime. President Carters tactic proved unworthy, as while he was in office, use of cocaine increased dramatically.Finally, as Reagan took center stage and stepped into presidential office, he kept a strong ruling against this criminal act. Reagan created the Office of National Drug Control Policy to eradicate illicit drug use, manufacturing and trafficking of d rugs, as well as put an end to drug related violence and crimes. Reagan put policies in infinite to strengthen his deadly grasp on drug-ridden society. He required mandatory minimum prison sentences for drug dealers a policy he initiated in hopes of qualification drugs seem less glamorous and infinitely more criminal.He began the South 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 Federal business office of Investigations (FBI). Operation Swordfish was put in empower by the DEA to attack international drug organizations. The physical process was dubbed operation swordfish because it was intended to snare the stupendous fish in drug trade. (Drug Enforcement Agency, Operation Swordfish, 1980). misdeed President George H. W. Bush began insisting that the CIA and U. S. Military father involved in drug interdiction efforts.The drug-free Media Campaign Act o f 1988 was passed in hopes to convince Americas youth and future generations to stray outdoor(a) from drugs. After all of these battles, did America finally win this war? The U. S. Federal Government spent over $15 billion in 2010 on the War on Drugs, a rate of about $ viosterol per second. (The Budgetary Impact of Drug Prohibition, 2010). This is a home run that perhaps Reagans War on Drugs wasnt quite as effective as he had so hoped. The United States today has the highest incarceration rate and prison population of any country in the world.This is provided in part by the amount of arrests and incarcerations overdue to drug sentencing guidelines and policies. In the 1980s, while 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 incriminate that there were more drug-related crimes, but that law enforcement had simply cracked down on the arrests of said crim es. In comparison, Time Magazines study states, Drug convictions went from 15 inmates per 100,000 adults in 1980 to 148 in 1996, an almost tenf aged increase.More than half of Americas federal inmates today are in prison on drug convictions. In 2009 alone, 1. 66 million Americans were arrested on drug charges (Time Magazine, 2012). While this war on drugs whitethorn still be in effect, it may fix positive outcomes for further in the future. As for the time being, America has two main stances on the guinea pig some call for further reparations in the war on drugs, while others believe the war is unsuccessful, and the focus needs to be shifted to more important and august issues. The War on Drugs has failed. (19 Member Commission, June 2, 2011). In another instance, a poll was taken throughout the country, and its results, tercet in four Americans believe that the War on Drugs is failing. (October 2008 Poll). Suggestions of decriminalization ingest been made by many. The le galization of drugs is claimed to mystify many positive effects on the country as a whole, including positive stinting 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 help the country, or will allowing certain, less harmful drugs to be legal prove to be a more reasonable solution? Legalizing drugs would save taxpayers $76. 8 billion a year in the United States $44. 1 billion from law enforcement savings, and at least $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 steal their pocketbooks. (Travis Wendel, More Drugs, little Crime, 2010). Murders, robberies and other violent crimes seemed to decline as the price 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 need of resolution is drug figure still one of them?The United States of America is a country known by many as land of the free, but does this flirt with that its citizens should be allowed to participate in activities such as drug use with such a negative intension? Did Reagans War on Drugs really make an effective impact on the way America sees drugs today? The answer to that question is this while his tactics may not have worked the way he had desired, America as a whole has so seen less drug related crime. This does not mean it does not exist, nor does it mean that by legalizing drugs will net all of the countrys problems.What this does mean is that Reagans war on drugs did not put an end to drug use, but it just may have opened A mericas 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 name more fitting. A War on Crime as a whole perhaps? A War on Drug link up 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.