The War on Drugs

According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, there are 1.16 million Americans arrested every year for the sale, manufacture, or possession of illegal drugs. In the same period between 2019 and 2020, the number of arrests made dropped by over 400,000. Drug arrests, including marijuana, account for up to 26% of the total number of arrests in the U.S. The War Against Drugs, launched in the 1970s, aims to curtail the manufacture, distribution, and consumption of illegal substances on a global scale. Proponents maintain that it has proved its efficiency in decreasing the availability of drugs and the associated crimes. However, the supporters have their points of view, indicating that the war on drugs is responsible for overcrowded prisons, furthering mass incarceration, and encouraging human rights abuse. Studies recommend a new system that puts harm reduction, rehabilitation, and tackling the social problems that bring about substance abuse first. Although the forming of the War on Drugs had a vision of enhancing security in the communities, it achieved the opposite through its inefficiency and detrimental effects.

Arguments for the War on Drugs

According to many who champion drug law enforcement, stricter laws and more active police crackdowns have resulted in a reduced drug supply, which in turn changes the situation for the worse so that drugs are used less. Also, it is more challenging to get them. They argue that these policies are instrumental in the development of safe communities since there would be fewer incidents of drug abuse and related social diseases (Stilkind, 2022). However, opponents highlight the negative externalities generated by the adoption of such policies, including the expansion of the black markets, escalating incarceration rates, and the aggravation of systemic inequalities. While there could be arguments against drug confiscation measures, such as violating individual rights, supporters of drug law enforcement maintain that the capturing of drugs should continue as part of the strategy to fight drug abuse that has brought so much harm to society.

Supporters of the War on Drugs argue that drug use is closely linked to criminal activity. Hence, by targeting drug trafficking and incarcerating criminals, the war makes the crime rate decline. They contend that dismantling drug markets and arresting those who are involved in drug-related crimes not only decreases drug availability but also keeps people from being engaged in criminal activity associated with the drug trade (Corazon & Jose, 2020). Moreover, it further offers the idea that imprisoning drug offenders protects the public from the potential dangers of crime while also establishing a discouragement element for would-be law-breakers. This stance thus highlights the opinion that coercive enforcement measures are imperative to protect the people and observe the Rule of Law, notwithstanding the criticism of the War on Drugs’ broad social ramifications.

Proponents of strict drug policies allege that the absence of illegal substances from communities leads to a decrease in the severity of drug-related harms. Critics maintain that driving drugs out of the community will only leave the field open for crime and threaten vulnerable groups like children or people battling substance abuse (Corazon & Jose, 2020). The proponents of decriminalization of drugs believe that with the general rate of reducing crime by restricting drug access, there will be fewer dangerous cases of drug use that lead to violence, and drug addicts will experience minimal health consequences. “strong enforcement is instrumental in preserving the quality of health and security of people” is highlighted this way. Still, it is essential to analyze this to identify whether these approaches are practical and if they do not bring side effects that will prevent reaching the long-term safety goals.

Arguments Against the War on Drugs

The critics argue that the War on Drugs has not achieved much success in the primary purpose of restraining drug use and distribution; even though this spending and resources on a whole deal, the illegal drugs still rank, showing the inability to bring down an idea upon the consumption (Regilme, 2020). Furthermore, the development of solid criminal organizations and cartels flourishing within the prohibitionist regime display the invisible impacts of such a system. Instead of eliminating drug trafficking, this has only allowed secret networks to thrive, thereby aggravating the violence and instability already rampant in the affected places. The continued prevalence of drug problems despite stringent law enforcement confirms the need for alternative approaches that focus on harm reduction, public health, and the root causes of drug abuse.

Critics of mass incarceration focus on the deliberate racial and socioeconomic disparities

that intensify the imprisonment of minorities and people living in chronically deprived neighborhoods, usually for minor legal violations that are not usually violent offenses, which suggests bias in law enforcement policy. The discriminative crime system not only occupies the resources of the penal system but also inflicts irreversible consequences on the personal lives and communities (Cato Institute, 2021). The fact that population proportionality of prisons of marginalized individuals is an obvious indication that radical changes incorporate proper equalization. Tackling the root causes of society, like poverty, shortage of education, and the entrenched biases in policing and legal systems, is of deep concern with respect to forming an egalitarian society. The system could be transformed by means of creating efficient means of incarceration as well as providing its rehabilitation, which is proven to be successful in dismantling the structures that maintain mass incarceration and being a critical point of social justice.

Critics hold the opinion that the War on Drugs increases violence as it encourages the black market of illegal substances to thrive. A struggle among different criminal groups desiring control over the routes of transporting drugs has a number of consequences, such as the increased intensity of conflicts, kidnapping, and drug-related grievances in the affected areas (Regilme, 2020). Illegal drugs are very profitable for those involved in its trade. Therefore, violence is encouraged as groups seek to safeguard their interests and expand their market share. The increase of this violence, therefore, becomes a great danger to general public safety and also downgrades the efforts for building social cohesion and economic aspirations in devastated communities. Therefore, dealing with the fundamental problems of narcotics-related violence calls for a thorough rethinking of drug policy strategies, which should give more weight to measures that remove the influences of criminal organizations and create pathways for the peaceful resolution of drug addiction.

The ban on some drugs, especially marijuana, is associated with significant problems for public health. When these substances criminalize the misleading information that they have some healthcare benefits, research work into their therapeutic usage is minimized (Moury, 2022). Furthermore, the criminalization of drugs propels people into the black market, where they cannot test the quality and safety of the substances they get hold of. It means the possibility of drug abuse among these people assuming healthier routes of intake, engaging in other risky behavior such as sharing needles, and, thus, having an increased risk of overdose or the spread of infectious diseases. A health public viewpoint is that stricter prohibition policies are a barrier to accessing safe and standardized treatments of various diseases and also push the harm connected with drug misuse. Therefore, changing drug policies to a more fact-based harm reduction model becomes essential to ensure public health safety.

A Case for Reform

The harm reduction orientation, in particular, directs the measures to reduce the undesirable consequences of substance use using different tactics. This strategy rests on developing robust and convenient treatment models that effectively address addiction (Cato Institute, 2021). These programs specifically attempt to treat the root of the problems preceding substance abuse and supply people with suitable help and opportunities to beat their dependency. Through the presentation of proven therapy methods like counseling, medication, and rehabilitation services, people with substance use disorders can get the help they need to recover and achieve a good life. Supporting holistic treatment programs not only alleviates personal suffering while improving social wellness but also limits overall societal costs of drug-induced harm like crime and medical expenses.

Needle exchange programs constitute an instrumental harm reduction policy aimed at limiting the distribution of HIV and other blood-borne infections within communities suffering from drug use. These programs offer clean needles to people who inject drugs, hence reducing the sharing of used needles and thus reducing the transmission of infections (Rijnink et al., 2022). The research proves that needle exchange programs can reduce the occurrences of HIV and hepatitis C, among other infections, as a result of the use of contaminated needles. These programs also enable the involved persons to access comprehensive healthcare services and needle abuse treatment. Moreover, implementing a range of these strategies sums up to considerable cost-saving implications, which are seen during the process of avoiding the long-term high cost that is incurred when treating and managing HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases. Hence, needle exchange programs can be considered a critical public health intervention with visible effects on society and individuals.

Enhancing the distribution of Narcan, the medication capable of antidote opioid overdose, is the most promising harm reduction strategy that has empirical evidence. Research persistently shows that excessive mortality due to opioid overdose is found to be prevented by just these interventions. Community outreach programs can distribute Narcanbring to the community and prevent people’s downfall in emergency situations, and as a result, save more lives. Indeed, instead of being only instrumental in fatalities related to drug usage, these programs also play a significant role in limiting the spread of infections such as HIV and hepatitis (Huntley et al., 2020). Furthermore, it plays a crucial part in the decrease of drug criminal activities. Thus, promoting the increased allocation of Narcan agrees with evidence-based methods to public health and serves as a basis for the idea of a more effective opinion on saving so many lives from the opioid crisis.

Supporting Research

The findings of the 2020 Cato Institute study underscore a crucial aspect of drug policy: failure to comply with such a causal relationship between the severity of drug laws and the fact that drug usage rates are not reduced. Though the argument asserting that severe punishments discourage drug use still stays intact, the scientific finding proves that it has no foundation (Cato Institute, 2021). This is a challenge to the effectiveness of punishment paradigms in the fight against drug abuse and leaves many speculations on the importance of policies that focus only on law enforcement. Consequently, it encourages the transition to evidence-based tools that emphasize the prevention, education, and treatment of the problems. Policy-makers can begin to focus beyond punitive measures and embrace the comprehensive approaches that are informed by empirical research to tackle the complex drug misuse difficulties and promote healthy and resilient communities.

Experimental studies carried out in Portugal and Switzerland, where possession of drugs for personal use has been legalized, clearly demonstrate the positive effects of this direction. These researches uncover the notable decline in the number of drug-related deaths and HIV infection rates in these countries. Decriminalization of such drugs has made it possible to change the paradigm towards the public health approach centered around less detrimental measures and harmful effects (Moury, 2022). Treatment of drug abuse as a health issue instead of a criminalized responsibility helps individuals to look for assistance without fear of punishment, so the health outcomes are improved, and the rate of transmission of diseases is reduced. The studies in Portugal and Switzerland provide evidence of the gains associated with drug policies focusing on the causes of use and overall health.

Conclusion

The War on Drugs has become a pricey yet unproductive tactic for improving the safety of citizens. Inhibiting its capacity to focus on treatment and prevention of the problem of incarceration has become a robber of social solutions and undermines public health. The adoption of harm reduction policies, approved treatment programs as well as regulations of drug addiction similar to those that were elaborated for alcohol and tobacco plays a vital role in the conjuncture that has been observed. These reforms could encourage a more peaceful environment by reducing violence, emphasizing health, and ensuring the safety of people and the human community. This approach has the potential to divert resources away from punitive measures to prevention and treatment, thus solving the problem from the root causes, resulting in a pragmatic and humane approach toward the elimination of substance abuse.

References

Cato Institute. (2021). Cato Institute – InfluenceWatch. InfluenceWatch. https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/cato-institute/#:~:text=The%20Cato%20Institute%20has%20received,Koch%20Charitable%20Foundation.

Corazon, M., & Jose, J. M. (2020). The war on drugs, forensic science, and the death penalty in the Philippines. Forensic Science International: Synergy, 2, 32–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsisyn.2019.11.002

Huntley, K., Einstein, E. B., Palowitch, M. E., Thomas, A., Postma, T. L., Ling, S. M., & Compton, W. M. (2020). Enhancing Rates Of Opioid Overdose Education And Naloxone Distribution In Emergency Departments. Forefront Group. https://doi.org/10.1377/forefront.20200206.115680

Moury, C. (2022). Understanding Successful Policy innovation: the case of Portuguese drug policy. Addiction, 118(5). https://doi.org/10.1111/add.16099

Regilme, S. S. F. (2020). Visions of Peace Amidst a Human Rights Crisis: War on Drugs in Colombia and the Philippines. Journal of Global Security Studies, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.1093/jogss/ogaa022

Rijnink, A., Blake, D., Groot, S., & Brough, C. (2022). Accessing needle exchange services in disasters for remote areas of Aotearoa, New Zealand. Harm Reduction Journal, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-022-00709-2

Stilkind, J. (2022). Drug Related Crime Statistics [2023]: Offenses Involving Drug Use. NCDAS. https://drugabusestatistics.org/drug-related-crime-statistics/#:~:text=Total%20Drug%20Arrest%20Statistics&text=1.16%20million%20Americans%20are%20arrested%20annually%20for%20the%20sale%2C%20manufacture,all%20arrests%20in%20the%20U.S.