The War on Drugs a Losing Battle - 1626 Words

In 1968, when American soldiers came home from the Vietnam war addicted to heroin, President Richard Nixon initiated the War on Drugs. More than a decade later, President Ronald Reagan launches the South Florida Drug Task force, headed by then Vice-President George Bush, in response to the city of Miami’s demand for help. In 1981, Miami was the financial and import central for cocaine and Marijuana. Thanks to the task force, drug arrests went up by 27%, and drug seizures went up by 50%. With that, the need for prosecutors and judges also rose which helped boost our economy (Thirty Years of America’s Drug War). Despite these increased arrests and seizures, marijuana and cocaine still poured into south Florida. At this stage, the root of the†¦show more content†¦On January 1st, Colorado made history by becoming the first American state were marijuana can be purchased for recreational purposes, and in which marijuana is regulated from the seed to the actual sale o f the product (Marijuana Legalization Will Hurt Mexican Cartels, but How Much?). As attitudes in America begin to shift in favor of outright legalization, it increasingly seems possible that more and more states, and eventually the rest of the country might follow. Given the nature of the illegal drug businesses, this might make illegal drug trafficking a commodity. At times, the Office of National Drug Policy has said that as much as 60% of cartel profits come from the production and sale of marijuana. On the other hand, a 2010 RAND study (International Programs and Drug Policy Research Center) estimated the percentage to be between 15 and 26 percent. More recently, research by the Mexican Institute of Competitiveness released in October 2012 suggests that if only Washington, Colorado and Oregon legalized marijuana, than cartel profits would fall as much as 30 percent. Another variable which must be taken into account when analyzing the impact of legalization on the cartels is the nature of the organizations themselves. All of Mexicos criminal groups have a range of diverse business interests aside from marijuana, and most are considered poly-drug organizations, which make huge profits from methamphetamine, cocaine andShow MoreRelatedShould Marijuana Be Legalized?939 Words   |  4 PagesThe American people have been watching Reefer Madness since 1936 while reading the foreword: â€Å"Marihuana is that drug - a violent narcotic - an unspeakable scourge - The Real Public Enemy Number One!† Many Americans still believe that marijuana is a highly addictive and life threatening drug. However, there have been zero reported cases of cannabis overdose. Marijuana prohibition and propaganda have caused America to fail to benefit from marijuana legalization. The factors of the consequences of theRead MoreEffects Of The Vietnam War On America1559 Words   |  7 PagesJacob Tarlo Mr.Doogan America in history 3H, Pd. 8 20 January 2015 Effects of the Vietnam War The Vietnam War is one of the most debatable and controversial wars in U.S. History. To this day people are questioning why we ever entered a war that was over 8,000 miles away. Why would we put our soldiers through such harsh fighting conditions and why would we spend so much money on a war that was not ours? Some people say that U.S. involvement was necessary to help end Communism and important to keepRead MoreAnalysis Of The Article For Soldiers With Ptsd A Profound Daily Struggle 1476 Words   |  6 Pagesdeveloping post traumatic disorder because of war. 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The war mostly took place out at seaRead MoreAbuse Versus Addiction802 Words   |  4 PagesAddiction Terry V. Hites Liberty University Essay: Abuse vs. Addiction There is a war being wage here in America. No, it is not a civil war, nor is it the war on terrorism. This war is an effort to fight drug abuse and addiction; however, America is losing this battle. Doweiko (2012) reports that more than 15% of a state’s budget is used to fight and maintain this war (p. 2). Ruiz (2014) reports that the Ohio state Attorney General Mike DeWine says Ohio has 47 counties outRead MoreTraffic : The Post Modern Civil War1639 Words   |  7 PagesCivil War Traffic is a film written by Simon Moore and Stephen Gaghan, directed by Steven Soderbergh, and released in 2000 by USA Films. The movie tells three different stories. The first story is of two Mexican police officers, which become entangled in the Mexican cartel war, during a drug bust of one of the cartels. The second story in the movie is about a conservative federal judge in Ohio who has been appointed by the President to the position of director of the Office of National Drug PolicyRead MoreThe War Of The Cold War1244 Words   |  5 PagesBoos echoed throughout the streets of Harlem, New York in great waves of disapproval. Hippies holding up signs supporting peace, and posters opposing the Vietnam War, otherwise known as the Cold War, greeted the tired and injured soldiers. The familiarity of their hometown created a sense of peace and warmth, despite the angry cries of protest from the enraged nonconformists. As loved ones embraced their fighters, chants of outrage broke ou t from the hippies, and the soldiers, relieved to be homeRead MoreThe Mexican Cartel Is A Ruthless Crime Origination1182 Words   |  5 PagesThe Mexican cartel is a ruthless crime origination. It controls Mexico through bribes and fear. There are many factions of the cartel, and they are at constant war with one another. They war over many reasons from drugs to human trafficking. These battles often spill out into the streets causing the loose of many innocent lives. The cartel has a strangle hold on the Mexican people. The cartels operate much like other organized crime groups. Like the Mafia there are many factions. Each factionRead MoreVietnam War and American Culture1684 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ Vietnam Wars Impact on American Culture Donna Whittle DeVry University Introduction to Humanities I. Introduction and Thesis Statement In the 1960’s America went through many cultural changes. Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights activist, delivered his famous, â€Å"I have a dream† speech. African Americans were fighting for peace, freedom and equality. The United States was involved in the Vietnam War, committed to anti-communism. African Americans were deployedRead MoreThe War On Drugs927 Words   |  4 PagesIn 1971 President Richard Nixon declared a War on Drugs stating that drug abuse was â€Å"public enemy number one†. Four decades later America is still waging this war that many say can never truly be won. The goal of this campaign has always been the prohibition of drugs, military aid, and military intervention with the stated aim being to define and reduce the illegal drug trade however the tactics used thus far have done little to solve the problem of drugs in the United State. The use of military