Drug Laws

The Aftermath of Failed Drug Laws
Angelica Fiore
Drugs and Alcohol Policy
Professor Eash
02/03/2015

When is time to wave the white flag? How long will American citizens pay for the hasty decisions of politicians and policymakers? It is time to admit defeat. Strict drug laws have done the opposite of their intention. We use more drugs than any other country (Warner 2009). We imprison more people on non-violent drug offenses than any other country (FAMM). The fear from the Rico and Rockefeller laws did not stop the sales of drug nor greatly reduce the sale of drugs. We have been trying since the 1830’s to control people’s use of substances, it’s still not working.
I have quite a few reasons why the U.S should decriminalize drugs. The first reason is the negative impact imprisonment has on families. According to the 2014 bureau of population 47% of all inmates are in prison for drug offenses (FBOP).There are serious health risks like depression and obesity for children who are removed from their parental figures. Breaking a bond between husband and wife or parent and child has long lasting effects that can be irreversible. Is it really a just court system that mandates you do more prison time for selling crack than rape? Telisha Watkins received a twenty year sentence for one sale of crack to an old neighbor turned informant, Telisha is a mother (FAMM).It frightens me to think that the U.S really thought by waging a war on drugs and issuing ridiculously harsh sentences we would eradicate drug dealers and drug addicts. There has always been forms of alcohol and drugs and there has always been people who use and abuse them. Our country has created a population of binge users with prohibition and criminalization. No longer should innocent children who did not ask their parents to deal drugs pay the price of being in group homes, foster care, and living with distant family members. What are we really gaining by imprisoning someone for twenty years?
If we...