THE AMERICAN WAR ON DRUGS MORENO 2During the 1960s drugs represented youth rebellion and social and political dissent. The government diverted scientific research to study the medical safety and effectiveness of drugs. In 1971, President Nixon declared a “war on drugs.” He substantially increased the presence and size of federal drug agencies and passed laws such as mandatory sentencing laws and unconstitutional warrants. Nixon even listed marijuana as a Schedule One drug, the most restrictive drug category. Over forty years later, the United States is still waging a war on drugs, spending billions of dollars a year and creating major social problems. A 2012 poll showed that 58 percent of Americans support decriminalizing drugs like marijuana, compared to 12 percent of Americans. % in 1969. [1] Many Americans believe that the war on drugs has failed and that our police officers and other federal institutions could make better use of their time, effort, and fiscal resources. The cost of this war on drugs has become so high. Not only does the war cost billions to wage, but countless lives are lost as the cartels become more violent in their quest for power. Aside from the violence and costly attempts at control that accompany drug trafficking, there are serious social implications of the United States' war. on drugs. One of the major social issues today is that of the use and punishment of marijuana in America. Since 1937, more than 26 million Americans have been arrested for marijuana use. [2] The effects and harms are still debated today, but many people serve their sentences in jails and prisons, waiting to be released with criminal records that will follow them for the rest of their lives. Furthermore, prisoners are represented by a disproportionate amount... half sheet... and daily limit.3 Grillo, Ioan. "No more war on drugs." The New York Times.4 Pellegrina, Sophie. “Cannabis Supports End of Prohibition as Colorado Trade Explodes.” France 24.5 Serrano, Alfonso. "Jesus would end the war on drugs | Al Jazeera America." viable alternatives to spending billions of dollars on failed attempts to curb drug use, unjust incarceration of minorities, and dependence of drug users on violent cartels. Society's opinions are constantly changing and this will certainly have an effect on our drug laws and policies. It is evident that the negative stigma surrounding recreational drug use, at least in the case of marijuana, is slowly diminishing.