In recent years the so-called “war on drugs” has invaded the streets and alleys of suburban America. It caused a problem that mirrors the Prohibition days of the 1920s and early 1930s. Politicians who try to act "tough" do nothing but contribute to increasing violence. Their laws have created a clandestine drug trade, in which modern drug dealers have taken the place of the smugglers of the past. The real question is whether or not this “war” is working. Most people would like to believe that it is, and there are some statistics to prove it. But just watch any news and you will see that this war has failed miserably. Drug crimes occur constantly in today's society and have resulted in an increasing number of innocent bye standards in recent years. Every day, police officers face ruthless drug dealers who would rather shoot a cop than spend 25 years in prison. On top of all this, there is no real evidence of a decline in drug use among the American population. Is this “war” really the best answer to America's widespread drug problem? Should the government be allowed to spend billions every year fighting this hopeless war? As you look at this information you begin to understand that this “war” not only affects every person in the United States, but it is also a war with no winners. War is never beautiful and the war on drugs is no exception. For this “war” to work, it is necessary to stop drugs in at least one of the three areas. Either by stopping drugs at the border, stopping drug dealers at home, or preventing drug use within the country. The military and law enforcement have failed to accomplish any of these goals, and not because of limited funds. “Last year, state and federal governments spent more than $30 billion in the battle against drugs” (Anony71). This outrageous spending has not made a dent in the modern drug trade. Policymakers are trying to address the problem with supply-side economics. Attempts are being made to block supply to force up the cost of hard drugs, excluding the majority of consumers from the market. It didn't work. “The prices of cocaine and heroin have fallen significantly since the early 1980s, while the strength and purity of these drugs tend to increase” (Anony71). Border drug interdiction statistics have shown that stopping drugs at the border is a costly failure. Joseph McNamara states that "the government estimates it seizes only 10 percent of the drugs coming across the border" (53... middle of paper... pie. Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich also admitted to experimenting with marijuana. With drug addicts rising in the ranks of society every day, this only makes the system more corruptible. No matter how much you spend on advertising and prevention campaigns, the drug problem will never be solved with drug advertising like way for the government to tell them what to do. If the government believes they are winning the war on drugs, then where is the hard evidence? The drug problem has only gotten worse in the 90s. This war must be stopped. Every year they are wasted more and more tax money, with little to no results. I believe government controlled drug legalization is the only solution the illegal drug trade that controls the streets today would be non-existent. There would be a constant decline in incarcerations and cases of drug-related violence would also decrease. Let's put an end to the second kind of American prohibition. Let's put an end to the “War on Drugs”. Bibliography Annotated bibliography 1. BBC News Online. 1998.