Drug Policy Reform

These minor changes in the way we combat drugs will create significant change and have lasting effects. Some may not be too familiar with the war on drugs and the effects it has had on the society we live in. The war on drugs was started by the Nixon administration in the early seventies. Nixon deemed drug abuse “public enemy number one”. This was the commencement of the war on drugs, this war has lasted to this day and has been a failure.

Kleiman, Mr.Caulkins and Mrs. Hawken, the legalization of drugs would be an ideal solution to eliminate the black market but would result in an increase in drug abuse; an increase in drug abuse would lead to many negative societal effects. The authors claim that although the legalization may not be the most effective way to address the drug war they believe that decriminalization would be a probable solution under strict circumstances. They expand they idea of decriminalization by proposing several programs including 24/7, the “carding” program and HOPE. All three programs focus on diminishing drug addiction amongst the jail population. First, the program 24/7 helps people who are in jail for alcohol related crimes.

Drug abuse is the habitual use of substances in dangerous amounts or even methods that may bring harm to the user of the substances (World Health Organization, 2009). The substances commonly used are psychoactive substances which can easily lead to a dependency problem by the substance user. Drug abuse is a sociological threat that poses a danger to all people especially the youth. Addiction is possible not only with illegal drugs such as heroin and cocaine, but also with prescription drugs such as oxycodone. According to National Institute on Drug Abuse, the United States government loses about $700 billion every year due to crimes caused by people under the influence of drugs, medical costs, and addicted workers.

The legalization of drugs has been at the center of interminable debate. Drugs have widely been perceived as a dominant threat to the moral fabric of society. Drug use has been attributed as the source responsible for a myriad of key issues. For instance, it is believed that drugs have exacerbated the already weak status of mental health in the United States in which some individuals suffering from mental illness administer illicit substances such as heroin or cocaine in an attempt to self-medicate. Moreover, drugs are blamed for turning auspicious members of the community into worthless degenerates.

Different states have legalized the use of Marijuana for medical reasons. Today the demands are changing in different states. In States such as Colorado and Washington, marijuana has been legalized for recreational use. This move raised several questions as far as decriminalization of marijuana is concerned. Besides portraying the US in a bad light, legalization of marijuana for recreation increases the risk of developing mental problems, increases government expenditure on public health, jeopardizes the future of children, and is a gateway to other dangerous drugs.

Pros and Cons of Workplace Drug Testing The drug problem in any country continues to proliferate despite efforts of the government in preventing these drugs from further destructing the lives of the people. Clandestine laboratories sprout on different parts of the world and find ways on how it can reach vulnerable individuals. What makes it more alarming is how drug addiction has affected children as young as 12 years old. The popularity of drug use is caused by the following factors: • The availability of both prescription and street drugs. • Untreated psychological or emotional illnesses.

That, coupled with the fear of the United States government cracking down with “The War on Drugs”, LSD being one of the most punishable drugs with a minimum of 5 years and a fine of no more than two million for possession of one to nine grams (LSD: Penalties for Sale and Possession). The Manson murders and the fear that illicit drugs are the sole reason to blame. The fear of death or being disassociated with yourself, with ego death and ego loss. And the fear of the taboo nature of drugs; are the reasons more countries and research labs do not focus on the possibilities of LSD-25. As powerful as many substances are, LSD remains one of the most potent with a threshold dose as low as 20 µg; it also remains one of the most life altering as it can help you

The cost of being sued, and the cost of malpractice insurance, greatly influences medical professionals (Braunstein, 2012). Healthcare costs in the United States are, in general, expensive. However, the cost of medical malpractice insurance coverage is becoming so expensive that they are starting to affect the practices of medicine. Due to this, many states have passed tort reform measures to limit the amounts rewarded to plaintiffs in medical malpractice suits (Hellinger & Encinosa, 2006). It is believed, by many in the medical profession, that limiting payments helps reduce the amount of malpractice claims.

Controversy in Health Care Health care has been one of the primary focuses for American voters in the upcoming election. The importance of the problems that the United States is facing is how the dissatisfaction of how the government has led. The controversy of Pharmaceutical companies are under fire due to them jacking up prices for generic and new drugs. In addition, Medicare has spent up to $4 billion within the first half of 2015 on expensive drugs in order to treat high cholesterol and hepatitis C. Therefore, voters are utilizing polls to reflect that due to high drug prices is causing some concern for health care in the United States. Majority of voters believe that pharmaceutical companies are to blame for this concern and voters believe that the government should have the capability to negotiate prices for Medicare.

I got to see a side of the criminal justice system that I have never seen before. After writing multiple papers on the War on Drugs, I am completely aware of the injustices it entails. Federal lawmakers impact lower-level, nonviolent drug defendants with their enactment of mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines, even though they are attempting to target high-level distributors. Incarceration of these people destroys their lives because a criminal conviction makes it harder to live a productive life as you are not eligible for certain jobs, loans, etc. All things considered, my experience at the King County Drug Diversion Court opened my eyes to some of the changes occurring in our justice system in regards to the War on Drugs.