Former lieutenant General George S. Patton once said, “Prepare for the unknown by studying how others in the past have coped with the unforeseeable and the unpredictable.” From segregation to the war on drugs, throughout United States history our government has continued to infringe on our civil rights. One of the most talked about substances cited in the war on drugs is the controversial drug Cannabis, also known as Marijuana. Falling to third with 37% of the vote behind alcohol, and tobacco is marijuana. The United Nations Office on Drugs, World Drug Report (2012), reported that globally, it is estimated that in 2012, between 162 million and 324 million people, corresponding to between 3.5 per cent and 7.0 per cent of the world population
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However the war on drugs continues to this day. The cost has been large in terms of lives, money and the well-being of many Americans, especially the poor and less educated. Despite an estimated $1 trillion spent by the United States on the “War on Drugs”, statistics from the US Department of Justice (2012) has confirmed that the usage of drugs has not changed over the past 10 years Approximately $350 billion is spent per year on the “war on drugs”, only $7 billion is spent on prevention programs by the federal government. The war on drugs is more heavily focused on how to fight crime, instead of how to prevent it. The most controversial drug on the list is marijuana. Marijuana has been classified as a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance since the war on drugs began. This title means that it has a “high potential for abuse” and possesses “no currently accepted medical …show more content…
The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate of any comparable developed country. About half of those imprisoned are there due to non-violent drug offenses, many of which are cases that would not have been seen as criminal prior to our nation’s War on Drugs. The war against marijuana has cost tax payers not only tremendous amounts of money, but has impacted thousands of families. Just as American prohibition of alcohol in the 1920s resulted in gang violence and a huge black market of speakeasies and an underground culture, the current War on Drugs produces similar consequences. Since 2006 there have been over 60,000 drug trade related deaths. Over 660,000 people were arrested in 2014 for marijuana possession. It has been estimated that enforcement of federal marijuana laws costs on average a minimum of $5.5 billion dollars each year. (FBI) The enforcement of this prohibition does not come without greater financial or societal consequences. With the U.S. federal debt approaching $18 trillion, you would expect our officials to look at cutting costly failed programs such as those pertaining to the War on Drugs. The mass prohibition of marijuana is allowing our country to loose millions of dollars each year. Since we have strict laws against marijuana the Mexican drug cartel makes an estimated profit
However the war on drugs continues to this day. The cost has been large in terms of lives, money and the well-being of many Americans, especially the poor and less educated. Despite an estimated $1 trillion spent by the United States on the “War on Drugs”, statistics from the US Department of Justice (2012) has confirmed that the usage of drugs has not changed over the past 10 years Approximately $350 billion is spent per year on the “war on drugs”, only $7 billion is spent on prevention programs by the federal government. The war on drugs is more heavily focused on how to fight crime, instead of how to prevent it. The most controversial drug on the list is marijuana. Marijuana has been classified as a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance since the war on drugs began. This title means that it has a “high potential for abuse” and possesses “no currently accepted medical …show more content…
The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate of any comparable developed country. About half of those imprisoned are there due to non-violent drug offenses, many of which are cases that would not have been seen as criminal prior to our nation’s War on Drugs. The war against marijuana has cost tax payers not only tremendous amounts of money, but has impacted thousands of families. Just as American prohibition of alcohol in the 1920s resulted in gang violence and a huge black market of speakeasies and an underground culture, the current War on Drugs produces similar consequences. Since 2006 there have been over 60,000 drug trade related deaths. Over 660,000 people were arrested in 2014 for marijuana possession. It has been estimated that enforcement of federal marijuana laws costs on average a minimum of $5.5 billion dollars each year. (FBI) The enforcement of this prohibition does not come without greater financial or societal consequences. With the U.S. federal debt approaching $18 trillion, you would expect our officials to look at cutting costly failed programs such as those pertaining to the War on Drugs. The mass prohibition of marijuana is allowing our country to loose millions of dollars each year. Since we have strict laws against marijuana the Mexican drug cartel makes an estimated profit