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The war on drugs is the policy of a global campaign, [6] led by the United States federal government, of drug prohibition, military aid, and military intervention, with the aim of reducing the illegal drug trade in the United States.
May 27, 2024 · Learn about the U.S. effort to combat illegal drug use since the 1970s, its impact on crime and incarceration, and its controversies and changes over time. Explore the causes, consequences, and challenges of the War on Drugs with Britannica.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- The War on Drugs Begins
- Marijuana Tax Act of 1937
- Controlled Substances Act
- Nixon and The War on Drugs
- Ulterior Motives Behind War on Drugs?
- The 1970s and The War on Drugs
- Say No to Drugs
- A Gradual Dialing Back
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Drug use for medicinal and recreational purposes has been happening in the United States since the country’s inception. In the 1890s, the popular Sears and Roebuck catalogue included an offer for a syringe and small amount of cocainefor $1.50. (At that time, cocaine use had not yet been outlawed.) In some states, laws to ban or regulate drugs were ...
In 1937, the “Marihuana Tax Act” was passed. This federal law placed a tax on the sale of cannabis, hemp, or marijuana. The Act was introduced by Rep. Robert L. Doughton of North Carolinaand was drafted by Harry Anslinger. While the law didn’t criminalize the possession or use of marijuana, it included hefty penalties if taxes weren’t paid, includi...
President Richard M. Nixonsigned the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) into law in 1970. This statute calls for the regulation of certain drugs and substances. The CSA outlines five “schedules” used to classify drugs based on their medical application and potential for abuse. Schedule 1 drugs are considered the most dangerous, as they pose a very hig...
In June 1971, Nixon officially declared a “War on Drugs,” stating that drug abuse was “public enemy number one.” A rise in recreational drug use in the 1960s likely led to President Nixon’s focus on targeting some types of substance abuse. As part of the War on Drugs initiative, Nixon increased federal funding for drug-control agencies and proposed...
During a 1994 interview, President Nixon’s domestic policy chief, John Ehrlichman, provided inside information suggesting that the War on Drugs campaign had ulterior motives, which mainly involved helping Nixon keep his job. In the interview, conducted by journalist Dan Baum and published in Harpermagazine, Ehrlichman explained that the Nixon campa...
In the mid-1970s, the War on Drugs took a slight hiatus. Between 1973 and 1977, eleven states decriminalized marijuana possession. Jimmy Carterbecame president in 1977 after running on a political campaign to decriminalize marijuana. During his first year in office, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to decriminalize up to one ounce of marijuana.
In the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan reinforced and expanded many of Nixon’s War on Drugs policies. In 1984, his wife Nancy Reagan launched the “Just Say No” campaign, which was intended to highlight the dangers of drug use. President Reagan’s refocus on drugs and the passing of severe penalties for drug-related crimes in Congress and state legisl...
Public support for the war on drugs has waned in recent decades. Some Americans and policymakers feel the campaign has been ineffective or has led to racial divide. Between 2009 and 2013, some 40 states took steps to soften their drug laws, lowering penalties and shortening mandatory minimum sentences, according to the Pew Research Center. In 2010,...
Learn about the origins, evolution and controversies of the War on Drugs, a government-led initiative to stop illegal drug use, distribution and trade in the United States. Explore the timeline, the laws, the agencies and the impacts of the campaign since the 1970s.
Jun 17, 2021 · During the War on Drugs, the Brownsville neighborhood in New York City saw some of the highest rates of incarceration in the U.S., as Black and Hispanic men were sent to prison for lengthy...
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- Brian Mann
Jun 4, 2020 · Official figures show more than 8,000 people were killed in the war on drugs since Mr Duterte took office in 2016. Other estimates put the figure three times as high.
Dec 7, 2023 · The modern drug war began in the 1950s, with liberals—not conservatives—leading the charge. In California, the epicenter of the early war on narcotics, white suburban grassroots movements...
Jun 23, 2023 · UN experts denounce the human rights violations and discrimination caused by the punitive and discriminatory drug policies around the world. They urge a transformative change in the international approach to drugs, focusing on health and human rights.
