Reagans War on Drugs Essay Example for Free

Reagans warfare on do mediciness EssayThe phrase sex, drugs, and rock and turn held true to its well-earned spot in 1970s and 1980s society. With a new, looser culture, explicit music, raunchy and rambunctious movies as well as a societal focus on some(prenominal) things immoral, it was an era of ch altogetherenging loving norms. As the use of recreational and psychoactive drugs, as well as alcohol, increased, a new difficulty arose how does law enforcement and the government undo the dam hop on being made by this new society? Laws were passed, bureaus and commissions were formed, and the hot seat of the get together States began what he called The War on Drugs. Over the years, around of these solutions have proven to make some impact. The initiation, tactics, and attempts at dealing a major blow to drug abuse have all bear upon the way America sees drugs today. A new type of fightfare had made its way into the estate, and after all these years, it has made its fair s hare of positive and negative do. Just say no. (Reagan Declares War on Drugs, 1982). This was one of the some(prenominal) scare tactics used in Americas new contend on drugs. The president needed to construct a plan to detract the public eye from drugs fame.Nancy Reagan was as as adamant about keeping America safe and clean. She traveled to and spoke at many an(prenominal) schools, enforcing the idea of simply refusing the temptation of drugs. Before the Reagans began their wartime, Richard Nixon introduced his own war on drugs, stating, Americas public enemy number one is drug abuse. In order to fight and defeat this enemy, it is requisite to wage a new, all-out move outensive. (Remarks About an Intensified Program for Drug yell Prevention, 1971).This mindset was further a nonher strategy used to make America energized and willing to fight this war. Nixon passed the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act in the 1970s as a way to keep a constant eye on the dr ug industry. This act required the pharmaceutical industry to maintain physiologic security and strict record keeping for certain types of drugs. When Reagan became president he gave a speech, announcing, We are pickings down the surrender flag that has flown over so many drug efforts were running up a battle flag. (Reagans War on Drugs Speech, 1981).Americas first clear bang on the use of drugs was verbal this strategy temporarily affected the country, but more(prenominal) had to be through with(p) to combat this enemy. The coupled States and its presidents had to take a fighting stance if they wanted to decrease drug abuse. whizz of the first instances of this was President Nixons Operation Intercept. Announced even before the official war on drugs began in September 1969 this campaign focused on reducing the amount of cannabis entering the United States from Mexico. Following this effort, the United States government funded the controversial Methadone Maintenance Progra m.Methadone Maintenance treatment, a class in which addicted individuals receive daily doses of methadone, was developed as originate of a broad, multicomponent treatment program. (Center for unhealthiness Control, 2002). After Nixons trials and failures, President Carter went at the fight with a different, looser approach. Carter called for the decriminalization of marijuana. With a less guilty outlook, Carter believed that the punishment of a crime should not be more brutal than that said crime. President Carters tactic proved unworthy, as maculation he was in office, use of cocaine increased dramatically.Finally, as Reagan took center stage and stepped into presidential office, he kept a strong belief against this criminal act. Reagan created the obligation of National Drug Control Policy to eradicate illicit drug use, manufacturing and trafficking of drugs, as well as grade an end to drug related violence and crimes. Reagan put policies in place to strengthen his noisom e grasp on drug-ridden society. He required mandatory minimum prison sentences for drug dealers a form _or_ system of government he initiated in hopes of making drugs seem less glamorous and infinitely more criminal.He began the southmost Florida Task Force, which dealt with the increase of drug trafficking in Southern Florida. This force worked hand in hand with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the federal official Bureau of Investigations (FBI). Operation Swordfish was put in place by the DEA to beset international drug organizations. The operation was dubbed operation swordfish because it was intended to snare the big fish in drug trade. (Drug Enforcement Agency, Operation Swordfish, 1980). Vice President George H. W. Bush began insisting that the CIA and U. S. Military become involved in drug interdiction efforts.The Drug-Free Media Campaign Act of 1988 was passed in hopes to convince Americas jejuneness and future generations to stray away from drugs. After all of th ese battles, did America finally win this war? The U. S. Federal Government spent over $15 gazillion in 2010 on the War on Drugs, a rate of about $500 per second. (The Budgetary Impact of Drug Prohibition, 2010). This is a sign that perhaps Reagans War on Drugs wasnt quite as effective as he had so hoped. The United States today has the highest incarceration rate and prison population of any country in the world.This is provided in part by the amount of arrests and incarcerations due to drug sentencing guidelines and policies. In the 1980s, while the number of arrests for all crimes had risen by 28%, the number of arrests for drug offenses rose 126%. (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2010). This did not specifically mean that there were more drug-related crimes, but that law enforcement had simply cracked down on the arrests of said crimes. In comparison, Time mags study states, Drug convictions went from 15 inmates per 100,000 adults in 1980 to 148 in 1996, an almost tenfold incre ase.More than half(a) of Americas federal inmates today are in prison on drug convictions. In 2009 alone, 1. 66 one thousand thousand Americans were arrested on drug charges (Time Magazine, 2012). While this war on drugs whitethorn still be in effect, it whitethorn have positive outcomes for further in the future. As for the time being, America has two main stances on the subject some call for further reparations in the war on drugs, while others believe the war is unsuccessful, and the focus needs to be shifted to more important and dire issues. The War on Drugs has failed. (19 Member Commission, June 2, 2011). In another instance, a poll was taken throughout the country, and its results, three in four Americans believe that the War on Drugs is failing. (October 2008 Poll). Suggestions of decriminalization have been made by many. The juralization of drugs is claimed to have many positive effects on the country as a complete, including positive economic effects.While this war o n drugs started off as a full-fledged attack on all users and distributors of illegal narcotics, it seems to have transformed into a war against itself will continuing these attacks help the country, or will allowing certain, less harmful drugs to be legal prove to be a more reasonable solution? Legalizing drugs would save taxpayers $76. 8 billion a year in the United States $44. 1 billion from law enforcement savings, and at least $32. 7 billion in tax revenue (Harvard Study by Jeffrey A. Miron, 2008). In addition, the policies put into effect by Nixon and Reagan may ave had a positive impact on crime in the United States, but it may not have been in the way they had wished.Drugs got enormously cheaper so users didnt have to hit as many old ladies over the head and steal their pocketbooks. (Travis Wendel, More Drugs, Less Crime, 2010). Murders, robberies and other violent crimes seemed to lessen as the price of drugs went down could this happen if drugs were legalized as well? America in this day and age has a vast amount of governmental and international issues in desperate need of resolution is drug control still one of them?The United States of America is a country known by many as land of the free, but does this mean that its citizens should be allowed to participate in activities such as drug use with such a negative connotation? Did Reagans War on Drugs in truth make an effective impact on the way America sees drugs today? The answer to that question is this while his tactics may not have worked the way he had desired, America as a whole has indeed seen less drug related crime. This does not mean it does not exist, nor does it mean that by legalizing drugs will wreak all of the countrys problems.What this does mean is that Reagans war on drugs did not put an end to drug use, but it just may have opened Americas look to more clear and present danger. While drugs are in no way going to solve Americas problems, the once War on Drugs may now need to be familiarized to a name more fitting. A War on Crime as a whole perhaps? A War on Drug Related Violence? Reagan had the correct idea, now the country can put it into proper use. His War was not an end all war, but it just may have been enough to enhance America as a whole.