Many illicit narcotics have proven medicinal purposes, like “opioids for pain, amphetamines for narcolepsy and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and even cocaine for local blood control and anaesthesia in ear nose and throat (ENT) surgery” (Nutt, 2015, p. 2) A comparative risk assessment of drugs done by Dirk Lachenmeier and Jürgen Rehm, placed alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, and heroin all under high risk toxicological levels, while other agents (opiates, cocaine, amphetamine-type stimulants, ecstasy, and benzodiazepines) under lower risk toxicological levels, and cannabis having the lowest risk levels (Dirk W. Lachenmeier, 2015, p. 3). This clearly demonstrates the inconsistency of unfounded drug policy. Drug seizures, police raids,
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According to a report counting the costs of the war on drugs, “Using the criminal justice system to solve a public health problem has not only proved ineffective; it is also socially corrosive… criminalisation of people who use drugs fuels various forms of discrimination, problems made worse by populist drug-war rhetoric and media stereotyping and …show more content…
On the other side of the law, drug enforcement budgets are daunting, and continually expanding despite the dismal success of creating a drug-free world. One has to consider the opportunity cost of drug enforcement budget that could be better utilized in health applications or other pressing matters. Some argue that drug policy is too preoccupied putting drug users to jail, rather than giving the necessary support for rehabilitation. The United States has the highest prison population in the world. One of the most heavily criticized consequences of the current war on drugs, is the astounding amount of people being incarcerated for non-violent drug related offences. Even though private prison companies present themselves as just meeting existing demand, $10 million has been directed to president candidates since 1989 and have spent almost $25 million on lobbying efforts. (Paul Ashton, 2011, p. 3) For every inmate incarcerated, the private prison industry profits from the government. Therefore, it is in the private prison industries best interest to promote ineffective incarceration policy, which has succeeded, considering government
According to a report counting the costs of the war on drugs, “Using the criminal justice system to solve a public health problem has not only proved ineffective; it is also socially corrosive… criminalisation of people who use drugs fuels various forms of discrimination, problems made worse by populist drug-war rhetoric and media stereotyping and …show more content…
On the other side of the law, drug enforcement budgets are daunting, and continually expanding despite the dismal success of creating a drug-free world. One has to consider the opportunity cost of drug enforcement budget that could be better utilized in health applications or other pressing matters. Some argue that drug policy is too preoccupied putting drug users to jail, rather than giving the necessary support for rehabilitation. The United States has the highest prison population in the world. One of the most heavily criticized consequences of the current war on drugs, is the astounding amount of people being incarcerated for non-violent drug related offences. Even though private prison companies present themselves as just meeting existing demand, $10 million has been directed to president candidates since 1989 and have spent almost $25 million on lobbying efforts. (Paul Ashton, 2011, p. 3) For every inmate incarcerated, the private prison industry profits from the government. Therefore, it is in the private prison industries best interest to promote ineffective incarceration policy, which has succeeded, considering government