Adopting and altering laws and policies through a reclassifying drugs based on public and personal health consequences will allows resources to better help target at risk and affected populations within a community. Though there must be continuous acknowledgement of the international drug trade and its contributions to anti-American criminal syndicates and terrorist groups in this reclassifying and other proposed policies. These measures in combination with tailored in-patient and out-patient facilities for the health related consequence of regular and prolonged drug use can slowly lower the population suffering from drug dependence. The end result being in a more manageable population of drug users and hopefully quicker time frames of recovery, and improved health conditions for the general…
In class we have been discussing how America will never be a drug free America. Americans started to use drugs, as early as when they started to consume plants. According to our past history, the first law regarding illegal drugs started once the Chinese came to do our rail roads and government officials found out that they were using the drug known as Opium. In addition, a few years later anti- marijuana laws were then made, and were directed to the Mexican immigrants. As one can see, drugs was always part of our society and the anti-drug laws were always targeted to the minorities in society.…
James Wilson begins his argument by informing the reader of his position of power. President Nixon appointed him the chairman of the National Advisory Council for Drug Abuse Prevention in 1972. His primary role was to provide direction on the war on drugs, essentially focusing on the impermissibility of the legalization of cocaine and heroin. Wilson attacks the well-known economist Milton Friedman in his publication addressing the call for the legalization of heroin. Friedman made this claim based on a two-prong argument.…
The national bills introduced this legislative session focused on primary prevention of substance abuse and distributing grants from national stakeholders to create individual state treatments. Numerous bills introduced at the national level were bills that amended previously passed substance abuse bills. The two substances focused on in these bills were general substances and opioids. “General substances” refers to the abuse of multiple drugs, which includes opioids. The opioid abuse bills focus specifically on opioids and heroin.…
The national bills introduced this legislative session focused on primary prevention of substance abuse and distributing grants from national stakeholders to create individual state treatments. The two substances mentioned in these bills were general substances and opioids. “General substances” refers to the abuse of multiple drugs, which includes opioids. The opioid abuse bills focus specifically on opioids and heroin. HR 4378, referred to as the Access to Substance Abuse Treatment Act of 2016, was introduced on January 13, 2016.…
Under the controlled substance act (CSA), drugs are listed under schedules that are based off how likely a person is the abuse the drug and if a person will become physically or psychologically dependent on this drug. As the schedule number increases the abuse rate and dependency on this drug decreases. Some examples of schedule 1 drugs are heroin, LSD, ecstasy, methaqualone which are known as Quaaludes, peyote which is a cactus that is a hallucinogen, and marijuana. Yes, you read that correctly, weed is in the same category as heroin and some cactus that makes you trip. According to the DEA website, “Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.”…
Based on history within the United States, race plays a role towards policy, when certain ethnic groups come in contact with drugs. Upon interaction, politicians and the media perpetuate the dangers of drugs and its influence on people’s behaviors and crime. By creating drug scare, politicians initiate legislative policies that tackles said drug interactions to gain support. Drug policies are derived from hysteria and fear. Which results in the mass incarceration of minority groups as a means of control and suppression in society.…
What should be allowed in America? Drugs have become very big items these days, either being used for medical reasons or just for fun, they are extremely common. As known, most drugs are illegal; however, people have connections to others to be able to get these illegal drugs to play around with and get high off of. Although, individuals with diseases or illnesses may benefit from illegal drugs to counteract the effects of their sickness, so the questions then comes up- should drug sales and usage be legalized? In the article “Drug Policy and the Intellectuals” by William J. Bennett, he plays off both sides whether or not drugs should be legalized.…
Drug policies have become somewhat of a hot topic of discussion in Europe and the United States and many other countries all over the world. In many countries, there have been debates about the legalization and control of previously or currently illegal substances, and this could change the dynamic of drug consumption and trafficking in the future. In the European Union specifically, there is no unified drug policy that all of the member states must follow. The law is designed so that individual states decide the legislation for drugs. There are two members of the European Union, in particular that have completely different perspectives when it comes to drug policy.…
Foreign policies have gone from a model of prohibition to decriminalization. The European and Latin American focus has been on prevention, education, and treatment rather than zero-tolerance policy. Five years ago 25 political leaders from across the world came together to form The Global Commission on Drug Policy. The approach steers away from prohibition. It advocates for policies that put public health, community safety, and human rights and development at the center.…
The negative will now prove the treating of abuse of illigal drugs should be a matter of criminal justice because first of all the absense of punishment will lead to an idea of acceptance among drug users. Secondly, locking up drug abusers is an effective way to keep them from harming civilians. Thirdly, the only way a drug abuser can quit is only if they want help and want change themselves. This issue adresses not only the U.S but also the rest of the world…
The War On drugs has cost the United States a lot of money despite being the War being very unsuccessful. Some say the War On drugs is a war on people or a war on minorities. According, to Dirk Chase Eldridge, the author of “Ending The War On Drugs”, the United States has 5 percent of the world’s population but consumes 60 percent of its illicit drugs. For decades, The United States has conducted a costly, escalating, and largely futile, war on illegal drugs. The War on Drugs has been paid for using billions of taxpayer dollars for decades.…
In reviewing other countries drug policies, Portugal has found an answer to the drug epidemic. Previously, Portugal was spending millions and getting nowhere. In the 90’s drug problems increased significantly. “In 1991, 4,667 people were arrested for drug offenses.…
With the continuing discovery of drugs’ effects, uses, and treatments, drug legalization and decriminalization has become a highly contentious issue in our modern world with some groups promoting full legalization while others seek outright bans. Several countries such as Portugal have taken steps in decriminalization, which entails eliminating jail time for users but not dealers and traffickers, as opposed to legalization, which involves removing all penalties for drug usage (Vastag). On July 1, 2001, Portugal decriminalized all drugs and established a stronger support and rehabilitation system for those caught with drugs, which is the antithesis of the government’s intentions in 1984 (Rosenberg). To the government, drugging the citizens induces complacency and peace. By focusing on…
This policy has been proven effective, as drug use is down in Portugal. Portugal also adopted a new policy in dealing with drug users. Instead of mass incarceration, people in Portugal who are addicted to drugs, get treatment. Instead of treating drug use as a criminal justice issue, it is treated as a public health issue. As a result, drug use is down (This Policy is Working 2).…