The War on Drugs The war on drugs has led to the development of many policies. These policies, over the last five decades, have had a negative effect on our societies well-being. Many policies were made to prevent drug use for certain drugs. Acts such as The Pure Food and Drug Act and Harrison Narcotics Act in 1914 are some of many examples that I will be sharing. In 1986, Ronald Reagan doubled down on the war of drugs that had been started by president Richard Nixon in 1971 (Bandele, 2016). Drugs were known for being bad because they fried your brain. Drug dealers were monsters because they sold to our neighborhoods. They were the reason why our cities were failing. In the 1990’s incarceration rates in the United States were sailing high through the roof (Bandele, 2016). As of today, we are imprisoning more people than any other country including China, Russia, Cuba, and Iran. Although the intentions behind the policies of the war on drugs were in good faith, the overall effects of the war on drugs have lead to astronomical annual expenditure, the highest incarceration rates in the world, and an outdated system that is failing.
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The market for drugs and medicinal intervention was highly unregulated at the beginning of the 20th century. To prevent the manufacture, sale, or transportation of misbranded foods, drugs, and liquors and to regulate traffic, congress passed “The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906”, which focused on toxic drugs. This bill was later altered to include regulations on misleading drug labels in 1912 (PBS, 2016). Most consumers were unaware of the potency of these drugs, which consequently lead to user abuse. This act was also known as the Wiley Act, one of the most regulatory mandates ever passed in American history. Many other acts were passed, but none were as long lasting and effective as the Pure Food and Drug
The market for drugs and medicinal intervention was highly unregulated at the beginning of the 20th century. To prevent the manufacture, sale, or transportation of misbranded foods, drugs, and liquors and to regulate traffic, congress passed “The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906”, which focused on toxic drugs. This bill was later altered to include regulations on misleading drug labels in 1912 (PBS, 2016). Most consumers were unaware of the potency of these drugs, which consequently lead to user abuse. This act was also known as the Wiley Act, one of the most regulatory mandates ever passed in American history. Many other acts were passed, but none were as long lasting and effective as the Pure Food and Drug