Editorial Contest Winner | The War on Drugs
APRIL 23, 2014
For the next 10 days we will be honoring each of the Top 10 winners of our Student Editorial Contest by publishing an essay a day, in the order of submission.
Up first, a piece by Brody Ford
Since 2006, over 70,000 deaths in Mexico have been directly attributed to the illegal drug trade. This is likely an extreme underestimate due to huge numbers of deaths left unreported. While the statistics might seem surprising, these types of numbers are typical for many Latin American countries. The demand for illicit drugs from the United States has turned previously peaceful cities and nations into war-torn wastelands. While Latin America is suffering most of the consequences, the United States has its share of problems. Over 51 billion dollars of taxpayer money is spent yearly on the drug war. Is this really accomplishing anything? Other than incarcerating over 1.55 million nonviolent Americans every year who weren’t harming anyone but themselves? Drug arrests have contributed to the United States having the highest incarceration rate in the world. As reported by Richard Viguerie with The New York Times, The United States’ prison system costs over 50 billion per year — up 450 percent since 1985.
The drug war is failing for the same reason that prohibition did in the 1920s. Supply for alcohol was cut, while the demand still existed. This gave power to criminals who were willing to break the law to supply alcohol and make quick money. This is more true now than it was in the 1920s. Because of a more globalized economy, better-established and more easily accessible trade routes, smuggling drugs into the country is easier than ever for cartels. The flawed logic here is that the drug war is something that can be won: If enough shipments are confiscated, or enough dealers are busted, the supply will end and drug abuse will cease to exist. Even if tomorrow, the head of the largest cartel were taken into custody, it wouldn’t make any difference. As long as demand exists from the United States for illegal drugs, there will always be someone willing to supply it.
After four decades, many Americans are wondering if it’s time for a change in policy. Drug usage rates have hovered around 8 to 9 percent since the 1970s, and accessibility to them is more common than ever. We have 42 years of proof that shows this approach doesn’t work, and I think it’s time for a different strategy. I believe the United States should follow the example of Portugal by decriminalizing possession of all drugs, and treating addiction as a health issue instead of a criminal one. Maia Szalavitz with Time reports that post-decriminalization, Portugal saw across-the-board drops in drug use. If these ideas were implemented in the United States, it would cripple violent cartels, save billions of dollars that could be used to give addicts the help they need and keep otherwise law-abiding Americans in society and out of jail.
Works Cited:
Shoichet, Catherine. “A grisly crime surges into spotlight as Mexico shifts drug war strategy.” CNN. CNN, 28 March. 2013. Web. 01 March. 2014.
Grillo, Ioan. “Drug War No More.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 27 November. 2013. Web. 01 March. 2014.
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2...-the-war-on-drugs/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
APRIL 23, 2014
For the next 10 days we will be honoring each of the Top 10 winners of our Student Editorial Contest by publishing an essay a day, in the order of submission.
Up first, a piece by Brody Ford
Since 2006, over 70,000 deaths in Mexico have been directly attributed to the illegal drug trade. This is likely an extreme underestimate due to huge numbers of deaths left unreported. While the statistics might seem surprising, these types of numbers are typical for many Latin American countries. The demand for illicit drugs from the United States has turned previously peaceful cities and nations into war-torn wastelands. While Latin America is suffering most of the consequences, the United States has its share of problems. Over 51 billion dollars of taxpayer money is spent yearly on the drug war. Is this really accomplishing anything? Other than incarcerating over 1.55 million nonviolent Americans every year who weren’t harming anyone but themselves? Drug arrests have contributed to the United States having the highest incarceration rate in the world. As reported by Richard Viguerie with The New York Times, The United States’ prison system costs over 50 billion per year — up 450 percent since 1985.
The drug war is failing for the same reason that prohibition did in the 1920s. Supply for alcohol was cut, while the demand still existed. This gave power to criminals who were willing to break the law to supply alcohol and make quick money. This is more true now than it was in the 1920s. Because of a more globalized economy, better-established and more easily accessible trade routes, smuggling drugs into the country is easier than ever for cartels. The flawed logic here is that the drug war is something that can be won: If enough shipments are confiscated, or enough dealers are busted, the supply will end and drug abuse will cease to exist. Even if tomorrow, the head of the largest cartel were taken into custody, it wouldn’t make any difference. As long as demand exists from the United States for illegal drugs, there will always be someone willing to supply it.
After four decades, many Americans are wondering if it’s time for a change in policy. Drug usage rates have hovered around 8 to 9 percent since the 1970s, and accessibility to them is more common than ever. We have 42 years of proof that shows this approach doesn’t work, and I think it’s time for a different strategy. I believe the United States should follow the example of Portugal by decriminalizing possession of all drugs, and treating addiction as a health issue instead of a criminal one. Maia Szalavitz with Time reports that post-decriminalization, Portugal saw across-the-board drops in drug use. If these ideas were implemented in the United States, it would cripple violent cartels, save billions of dollars that could be used to give addicts the help they need and keep otherwise law-abiding Americans in society and out of jail.
Works Cited:
Shoichet, Catherine. “A grisly crime surges into spotlight as Mexico shifts drug war strategy.” CNN. CNN, 28 March. 2013. Web. 01 March. 2014.
Grillo, Ioan. “Drug War No More.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 27 November. 2013. Web. 01 March. 2014.
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2...-the-war-on-drugs/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
