is the war on drugs working?

Question

I personally feel like the war on drugs is very narrow minded now that we have more information about addiction and disease. 
   
It also reminds me a lot of prohibition where the black market still makes drugs very accessible and profitable while evading taxes and regulations of public safety. 
    
What are your thoughts? If you don't agree, please back your perspective up with studies and research to help me understand the opposite view.

Answer

The war on drugs is a racist system in effect. It overcriminalizes drugs instead of helping those with addictions to drugs. It overly affects black and Hispanic populations because police avoid the white, suburban communities to search for these drugs. Crack cocaine is a less expensive drugs, used mostly by minorities, yet powder cocaine has a lesser punishment and is mostly used by richer white people. 
Then, you couple that with policies like 3 Strikes You're Out, where people are getting sentenced to life in prison for drug possession or drug use, which doesn't solve anything and is too harsh of a punishment for the crime. Plus, since blacks and Hispanics are more like to get arrested for drugs, they are more likely to get life when their 3rd felony is a drug offense. Not to mention, whites will likely be admitted into a rehabilitation facility when they use drugs, yet blacks will most likely be imprisoned.

Answer

100% effective*. There's been no issues with drugs in the United States since Nancy Reagan just told us all to say no*. No over criminalization of minority communities*. No more gangs or drug running*. How different would my life have been without DARE officer Denny explaining to me exactly what drugs were, and how all the cool kids do them? Plus look at these cool pencils we can thank tax payers for providing to us. 
*Statements annotated with an asterisk have not been evaluated for truthiness, and may only be applicable in the magical land of Utah.

Answer

Have you watched the documentary 13th? It goes into how the war on drugs is racist and used as a way to keep enough people in prison so prisons can capitalize off of it. It would be one thing if the war on drugs was focused on rehabilitation, but it's only focused on throwing people into prison and doing nothing to help their addiction.

Answer

I personally feel like the war on drugs is not helping. It only targets the big fishes in the game and doesn't really attack the problem at its source. If one big fish gets caught, another one will simply take its place. We should aim to decrease the demand, meaning treating the users. Educating the addicts is also something that needs to be looked at. Teaching them how to "shoot" their drugs safely, not sharing needles and such. Some of the needle-exchange programs also give away condoms, which I think is also needed. This way we might reduce the spread of blood borne diseases. Educating users on how to use methadone, it's used when someone over doses on heroin, is also needed. If someone is going to use drugs, they will, regardless of what any one tells them, so why not make sure they know how to do it safely?

Answer

Absolutely not. This country has spent countless billions on the "war on drugs" and put hundreds of thousands of people in prison for FIRST TIME NON VIOLENT DRUG OFFENSES which then costs the tax payers more money! I am not saying that drugs should be legalized (except pot, cuz I mean come on! Like alcohol or cigarettes are SO much less dangerous) but the money spent on this "war" has not done anything to reduce drug use. The only thing this "war" has done is overcrowd prisons and cost taxpayers TONS of money.

Answer

It's a terrible system for many reasons. It's not effective and feeds people into prison systems. The whole thing is absolutely fucked.

Answer

It's been proven that the war on drugs has more cons than pros. It's also been very costly with little to show for itself. I also don't understand why people feel the need to punish someone or keep them from their self destruction. If someone wants to do drugs why stop them unless they ask for help? And if they need help, why punish them?

Answer

I don't really know a whole lot about what's being done, but I know too many people who have gone to drugs to ease psychological distress. It's dangerous and worsens any problems they already have and obviously creates a new one. They have developed a drug that stops a heroin overdose or something like that but I don't see much of an attempt in prevention. Sure it's great that people aren't dying from overdosing, but I think better access to adequate therapy and mental health help is really something that's needed for prevention. Additionally, I think we need to get rid of the negative connotation and stigma of seeking help for mental health problems. I'll further the point and say we need to get a hold on drug problems and not just see it as a problem when it starts affecting white, suburban communities.

Answer

Nope 👎 never will

is the war on drugs working?

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