In the name of fighting drug abuse, governments unleashed a war on drugs that continues to rage today. Drugs have numerous negative consequences that can result from an addiction, but some can have positive effects when used appropriately and under the care of a healthcare professional. The War on Drugs is a government-led initiative aimed at stopping illegal drug use, distribution, and trade by issuing increased prison sentences for drug-related offenses, and it increased federal funding for drug-control agencies and treatment efforts. Instead, it has resulted in a disproportionate amount of incarcerations of minorities. Despite the government's “best” efforts, drug use and addiction rates continue to rise, and the criminalization of drug …show more content…
It is important to acknowledge the potential risks associated with recreational drug use, it is also vital to understand that drug addiction is not a matter of willpower or moral principles, but a disease that requires professional treatment. Therefore, rather than advocating for recreational drug use, efforts should focus on the prevention, education, and treatment of drug addiction. Now, let's talk about drugs. Marijuana is one of the most commonly used drugs in the United States and has been used recreationally for centuries all around the world. In recent years there has been growing support for its legalization, like the overwhelming share of U.S. adults (88%) who say either that marijuana should be legal for medical and recreational use by adults (59%) or that it should be legal for medical use only (30%). Just one-in-ten (10%) say marijuana use should not be legal, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in Oct. …show more content…
It contains compounds called cannabinoids that interact with the body's endocannabinoid system to produce a range of effects, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is responsible for the plant's psychoactive effects. Another important cannabinoid is cannabidiol (CBD), which does not produce psychoactive effects but has been shown to have many therapeutic benefits. One of the most well-established uses of medical marijuana today is for the treatment of chronic pain. Studies have found that marijuana is effective in treating pain associated with conditions such as neuropathy, arthritis, and multiple sclerosis, as well as nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, and for appetite stimulation in patients with HIV/AIDS. It has also been shown to have potential therapeutic benefits for a variety of other conditions, including epilepsy, glaucoma, and PTSD. Research has also found that cannabidiol (CBD) may be effective in reducing seizures in children with epilepsy, and may also have antipsychotic and anxiolytic effects. It also has neuroprotective effects, which could make it useful for treating conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Other benefits include anti-inflammation, which could make it useful for treating conditions such as Crohn's disease and rheumatoid
In 1970, President Richard Nixon, in response to the drug use coupled with the hippie counterculture of the late 1960s, signed the Controlled Substance Act (CSA) which enacted a method of classifying drugs by categorizing them into five schedules, schedule one considered to be the most dangerous. Shortly following this act, in June of 1971, Nixon declared “The War On Drugs”, famously naming drugs and drug abuse “Public enemy number one”. (History.com, 2016). Following Nixon’s presidency, many presidents and administrations, including Reagan, Bush, and Clinton, have continued the support for The War on Drugs, but where are the results? It seems today that the abuse of drugs is worse than ever before.
There are many different opinions and attributes on drugs and there are many different policies out in our societies. The images and the reputation of drugs is pouring in every corner we look, from radios to many different popular movies and what that does is convey a sense of evil and brutality that reveals immediate and brutal retaliation. The war on drugs is something that has a huge impact on society, it’s something that is extremely important especially when it comes to communities, broken families, the impact that the drug itself has on people’s lives and the actual destroyed community itself. War on drugs is an issue that isn’t only about the drugs but also about the growth of inequality between the rich and the poor, the black and the
President Ronald Reagan's "War on Drugs" policy in the early 1970s resulted in an increase in incarceration rates and had a negative impact on minority communities. However, drug policies have since changed with a focus on decriminalization and legalization. These new approaches aim to address mass incarceration caused by drug-related offenses through new strategies for addressing drug abuse and dealing. Drug decriminalization allows society to explore different approaches for solving crimes related to drugs while also promoting public health, reducing stigmatization, and establishing treatment programs. In contrast, drug legalization presents another solution that seeks to eliminate the black market and cartels by regulating the sale of
In conclusion, the modern history of drugs in the U.S. has seen significant changes in drug use patterns, policy approaches, and societal attitudes. From the countercultural movements of the 1960s to the crack epidemic of the 1980s, and the current opioid crisis and marijuana legalization, the nation has faced ongoing challenges in addressing drug-related issues. Drug abuse in the United States is a multifaceted issue with complex causes and far-reaching impacts. Understanding these causes and effects is crucial in developing effective strategies to address the problem and mitigate its consequences. One of the main causes of drug abuse in the U.S. is rooted in social and economic factors.
In short, the War on Drugs Legislation not only did not work it amplified the problem. Rather than seeking a solution to the setback and trying to reform drug criminalization, Congress continues to suppress the minorities. Drugs continue to be hard on society and cause both economical and societal problems. In an attempt to stop addiction, Nixon and Regan only fueled it. Addiction needs to be addressed in a therapeutic manner by seeking solutions to the trauma behind the use.
Drug abuse is a major problem throughout the world. Drugs can influence the everyday lives of people, whether they be users, dealers, drug-related crime victims, or the friends and family of a person affected. Violent crime, prostitution, government corruption, and more can all have a link to narcotics. Much of the world, including the United States, try to stop these effects of illicit drugs by focusing on stricter laws and enforcement. Yet this this approach may be counterproductive.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, over 11 million young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 have used marijuana in 2015 (1). Marijuana has been highly debated in recent years. New research has led to conflicting opinions on the benefits and risks of cannabis. This so-called gateway drug is the most commonly used illicit drug in the united states. The legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado and Washington in 2015 has created a snowball effect on many states who now allow medicinal and or recreational use of the drug.
This piece of evidence proves Marijuana helps with a lot of different issues. Over 60 types of cannabinoids have been identified, but two main types have been studied: delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly known as THC, and cannabidiol, which is commonly known as CBD. As it turns out, the human body has its own cannabinoid system known as the endocannabinoid system, in which the brain and immune system produce cannabinoids, which bind to the body’s receptors known as CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors are located in the brain and other parts of the central nervous system, as well as in other tissues and organs like the digestive tract, liver, lungs, kidneys and eyes. CB2 receptors are found mainly in tissues related to immune function like white blood cells, bone marrow, tonsils, the thymus and the spleen.
That’s all mam. Have you ever heard the war on drugs? Do you think it is effective? For me, in my opinion we have been fighting this war for decades and I think we are actually failing rather than succeeding however this is my opinion so ladies and gentlemen here I am in front of all of you to discuss the war on drugs; what is war on drugs?
“Drug use is not a victimless crime” (McCaffrey, 1999). Often, an entire community is affected; therefore, this senseless crime has many victims. McCaffrey discusses other repercussions of drug use, such as increased child abuse and neglect, drugged driving accidents, workplace accidents, and decreased productivity (McCaffrey, 1999). Decriminalization would encourage experimentation and make it easier to access dangerous drugs. Therefore, the decriminalization of drugs would not be a social benefit to the U.S. population.
Drugs have been around this earth for many years. Production, disruptions, and consumption have gone hand and hand together. Due to the high rise of consumers causing death, addiction, and drug-related crimes led to this "War on Drugs" to be declared by President Nixon in 1971. The war on drugs was a government tactic to decrease drug abuse and drug-related crimes, yet led to severely punishable sentencing if convicted of possession, selling, trafficking, or disrupting. This led to the convictions of any drug-related crime increasing tremendously not only in color communities but anyone.
The benefits far outweigh the setbacks. The evidence that the “war on drugs” is not effective can be seen in any jail, courtroom, high school, and in-patient rehabilitation center in the United States. The United States has been ignoring one of the basic laws
The Mayo Clinic statements of their studies shows that the main chemical associated in marijuana THC helps treat conditions like nausea and vomiting associated with a number of medical conditions. While this may be true THC also accounts for the multiple psychoactive effects of marijuana. It is the leading cause for the illusions the brain experiences during the time of the
The whole cannabinoid system comes with multiple medical benefits, like The THC in cannabis is used for pain. The CBI receptors quiet the body’s response to pain or other noxious chemicals, it also relieves neuropathic pain, neuropathic pain is a pain caused by damaged nerves like in HIV for example. Other forms of this “medicine” comes in pills, oral sprays designed to relieve the stiffness and muscle spasms in multiple sclerosis (Zimmerman). Epileptic seizures are often treated with medical marijuana when the patients have drug resistant epilepsy, which makes other drugs impossible for treating the seizures. With marijuana having multiple benefits, it is also used to treat mental illnesses such as those with heavy addiction.
Fifty years after the initiation of the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, and 40 years after President Nixon launched the US government’s war on drugs; fundamental reforms in national and global drug control policies are urgently needed. Vast expenditures on criminalization and repressive measures directed at producers, traffickers and consumers of illegal drugs have clearly failed to effectively curtail supply or consumption. Apparent victories in eliminating one source or trafficking organization are negated almost instantly by the emergence of other sources and traffickers. Repressive efforts directed at consumers impede public health measures to reduce HIV/AIDS, overdose fatalities and other harmful consequences of drug use. Government expenditures on futile supply reduction strategies and incarceration displace more cost-effective and evidence-based investments in demand and harm reduction.