There has been a deep seeded relation between drugs and crime in the public’s mind; one that has cost the United States more than just the $2.5 trillion dollars estimated for the War on Drugs (Andrade & Mellen 2011). However, nowadays drugs are being associated with health and medicine. Now, strong advocacy for harm reduction, as well as decriminalization from people like the Global Commission on Drug Policy, are starting to put pressure on the American policy makers. Prohibition didn’t work, yet nearly forty years later Nixon starts a war in response to heroine that has continuously failed even until now (Reuter 80). It has dumped unreasonable amounts of money into foreign (military) aid, quasi-military law enforcement, overstuffed prisons,
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I was taken back, because that is money that is generating pressure on our government, in order to mold it in a certain way. Not only has it been found that pharmaceutical companies affect policy, but other corporations, or wealthy individuals can with their efforts. Take for instance the individual in VICE’s article, “The Cynical and Weird Hypocrisy of Florida’s Marijuana Opponents,” who gave $2.5 million to an anti-pot campaign that would benefit his casino business, but also funds marijuana research in Tel Aviv. This is a direct example of how money is a powerful player in policy, not necessarily ideology or the realities of what is taking place in regards to drugs. Perhaps the most benefitted by money in this whole process is the government itself, and for all intents and purposes this will include the private sector prison system that contributes to the highest incarceration rates in the world. Aside from the profitable prisons, law enforcement can use civil forfeiture to directly gain money from a situation (Walberg Web). In Tim Walberg’s article “Stopping the Abuse of Civil Forfeiture” he states how police can confiscate money and assets, and keeps them for their own benefit or usage. A large amount of what they take comes from drug raids and the entire black market of drugs in general, so they …show more content…
(2014, October 1). You Can Now Find Out How Much Big Pharma Is Paying Your
Doctor. Retrieved November 14, 2014, from http://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/10/01/3574509/big-pharma-doctor-payments-database/
Fang, L. (2014, August 11). The Cynical and Weird Hypocrisy of Florida's Marijuana
Opponents. Retreived November 14, 2014, from http://www.vice.com/read/the-shocking-and-weird-hypocrisy-of-floridas-marijuana-opponents-811
Inciardi, J. (1987). Sociology And American Drug Policy. The American Sociologist, 18(2), 179- 188.
Kohn, P., & Mercer, G. (1971). Drug Use, Drug-Use Attitudes, and the Authoritarianism- Rebellion Dimension. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 12(2), 125-131.
Reuter, P. (2013). Why Has US Drug Policy Changed So Little over 30 Years? Crime and Justice, 42(1), 75-140.
Sarich, C. (2014, May 16). Big Pharma Spends $65.4 Million On Lobbying In Q1 Of 2014. Retrieved November 12, 2014, at http://naturalsociety.com/big-pharma-spends-big-q1-2014/
Walberg, T. (2014, September 1). Stopping The Abuse of Civil Forfeiture. Retrieved November 14, 2014, from
I was taken back, because that is money that is generating pressure on our government, in order to mold it in a certain way. Not only has it been found that pharmaceutical companies affect policy, but other corporations, or wealthy individuals can with their efforts. Take for instance the individual in VICE’s article, “The Cynical and Weird Hypocrisy of Florida’s Marijuana Opponents,” who gave $2.5 million to an anti-pot campaign that would benefit his casino business, but also funds marijuana research in Tel Aviv. This is a direct example of how money is a powerful player in policy, not necessarily ideology or the realities of what is taking place in regards to drugs. Perhaps the most benefitted by money in this whole process is the government itself, and for all intents and purposes this will include the private sector prison system that contributes to the highest incarceration rates in the world. Aside from the profitable prisons, law enforcement can use civil forfeiture to directly gain money from a situation (Walberg Web). In Tim Walberg’s article “Stopping the Abuse of Civil Forfeiture” he states how police can confiscate money and assets, and keeps them for their own benefit or usage. A large amount of what they take comes from drug raids and the entire black market of drugs in general, so they …show more content…
(2014, October 1). You Can Now Find Out How Much Big Pharma Is Paying Your
Doctor. Retrieved November 14, 2014, from http://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/10/01/3574509/big-pharma-doctor-payments-database/
Fang, L. (2014, August 11). The Cynical and Weird Hypocrisy of Florida's Marijuana
Opponents. Retreived November 14, 2014, from http://www.vice.com/read/the-shocking-and-weird-hypocrisy-of-floridas-marijuana-opponents-811
Inciardi, J. (1987). Sociology And American Drug Policy. The American Sociologist, 18(2), 179- 188.
Kohn, P., & Mercer, G. (1971). Drug Use, Drug-Use Attitudes, and the Authoritarianism- Rebellion Dimension. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 12(2), 125-131.
Reuter, P. (2013). Why Has US Drug Policy Changed So Little over 30 Years? Crime and Justice, 42(1), 75-140.
Sarich, C. (2014, May 16). Big Pharma Spends $65.4 Million On Lobbying In Q1 Of 2014. Retrieved November 12, 2014, at http://naturalsociety.com/big-pharma-spends-big-q1-2014/
Walberg, T. (2014, September 1). Stopping The Abuse of Civil Forfeiture. Retrieved November 14, 2014, from