The War on Drugs arguably has been a war against the puritan ideals within the United States versus those who want to consume drugs. To be forthcoming, I am not advocating the use of drugs recreationally; however, I feel that where the United States has committed a major error is by not allowing drugs in because what has transpired as a result is the creation of bodies of crime that have caused a great deal of violence. To call this a “war” is a gross exaggeration. The reason for this is that a “war” involves the Untied States combatting those who do drugs and those cartels who sell drugs; however, the United States has tried this method and it has made matters worse. What the United States is fighting for is no drugs just as they fought for no alcohol. IF one truly looks at the patterns of these two vicious cycles, banning the substances caused more crime than legalizing. Thus, what the United States really needs to do is to legalize these substances and then make a great deal of revenue off taxation. This will reduce the number of inmates in prisons that are living of United States citizen’s tax paying dollars, generate more revenue for the state in substance taxation, create jobs within the distribution industry, and will eliminate the cartels that cause so much violence. Only then, will our society in the United States win the war against violence pertaining to drugs. To be fighting a “war” against using, buying or selling drugs in general is unrealistic because like alcohol, there is always going to be someone who will distribute or get high to bend the rules, (Reisinger, W., 2009).
When the conflict with the drugs in the United States became a real issue was the drug running that happened between the United States and Latin America in the 1980’s that really intensified in the 1990’s with the drug cartels in Colombia led by leaders such as Pablo Escobar, (Frontline, 2016). What the public does not see is that the giants such as Pablo Escobar were created by the restriction of the drugs within the United States. This festered a development of a culture that wanted the forbidden fruit just like the prohibition era, (Drug Policy Alliance, 2016). This is important to remember because even though the effects of these drugs are terrible, the illegal distribution of these substances does foster crime rings that arguably leads to more violence than actually legalizing these substances, (Reisinger, W., 2009).
When individuals ask whether we won the drug war, I am not entirely sure they realize what they are asking because I doubt one could say that we won exactly. Given that the drugs are still illegal and that our country pays several taxes on those arrested for these crimes and the confiscation of these drugs, we fiscally are losing. What is important to remember is that no matter how many Dobermans the Untied States places at Miami International Airport or Tijuana Border, the drugs are still going to get in. By implementing these measures, the United States actually is creating a more corrupt and sophisticated criminal that will do whatever it takes to make millions off of selling drugs, (Drug Policy Alliance, 2016). We are not dealing with the unsophisticated individual who merely wants to rob a bank in a ski mask, we are dealing with modern day mobsters of the drug world. This level of criminal is the champagne of criminals and to say that we won is a stretch because these cartels are still out there and causing violence on our borders and within the United States.
Regarding the Drug War, so long as there are drug cartels alive and well, the United States and the citizens of the world have “lost” if we are in fact equating this to a war. Until these drugs are not a forbidden fruit for addicts, there will still be violence and corrupt regimes selling them. What is fascinating about substance abuse regardless of whether it is drugs or alcohol is that the recipe of crime is the same. If you constrict it, they will tunnel underneath you. This is important for law enforcement and policy makers to remember. In the end, they are better of taking the business from the cartels through legalization and taxation because making these substances illegal is what keeps their plethora of resources and control alive and well in the world of international and unfortunately, domestic commerce.
References
Drug Policy Alliance. (2016). A Brief History of the Drug War. Retrieved from: http://www.drugpolicy.org/new-solutions-drug-policy/brief-history-drug-war/.
Frontline. (2016). The Colombian Cartels. Retrieved from: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/drugs/business/inside/colombian.html/.
Reisinger, W. (2009). The Unintended Revolution: U.S. Anti-drug Policy and the Socialist Movement in Bolivia,” California Western International Law Journal (San Diego, CA: California Western School of Law, Spring 2009) Volume 39, Number 2, pp.261-262.
